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Puma cougars are skilled climbers and can leap 18-23 ft in the air
photo: Don Cohen
Characteristics: These cats are secretive animals that once roamed across most of western North America and parts of Florida. The Cougar is also known as the Puma, Panther or Mountain Lion.
In addition to being adept sprinters, they are skilled climbers and can leap 18-23 ft in the air. Cougars can weigh up to 200lbs. They occupy a wide range of habitats but their population and range has been significantly reduced. While cougars are feared by many, they are typically elusive animals. Attacks on humans are unlikely unless an animal is cornered or a female senses danger to her young.
Diet: While cougars are carnivores that prey upon a wide variety of animals, their main food source is deer and elk.
Reproduction: Females give birth to a litter of 1-6 offspring in a concealed den. Cougars are weaned after 4-5 weeks and stay with their mother for up to two years.
Environmental Connections: Hunting, habitat loss and decline of prey species led to the decline of cougar populations. The Eastern Cougar and Florida Cougar were the only subspecies found east of the Mississippi River. The Eastern Cougar is still listed as an endangered species in case there are some living today.
Like many animals, cougars suffer the effects of pollutants such as mercury, PCBs and pesticide residues. High levels of mercury are found in fish throughout the cougar’s range. Reports document that Florida Panther that prey upon fish-eating raccoons have higher amounts of mercury in their tissues than those that feed upon deer and wild pigs.
Humans once feared large carnivores like the cougar. We now realize cougars are important predators that keep small prey populations under control and ecosystems balanced.
Protecting Cougars means preserving the habitats in which they live. Cougars require undisturbed habitat large enough to support large prey such as deer, elk and moose. No ecosystem stands alone so it is important that we work to protect ecosystems on a global level.
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N.C. Zoo is a member institution of AZA and an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, William G. Ross Jr. Secretary; Michael F. Easley, Governor. A part of the North Carolina Government portal.
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