The difference between cougar and mountain lion is their names in different regions. Cougar and mountain lions are the same species, the only difference between them is the name given by people of different regions.
Cougar is an animal who is part of the cat family. They are generally found in forests, they adapted to habitats like lowlands, all kinds of forest, mountainous deserts.
They generally prefer to live underbush, or precipitous canyons. Cougars have round heads and erect ears, they have solid bodies with tawny colored coats. Their look gets complete with a whitish underside and slightly dark hair covering the back. Their paws are large, and built with muscular hind legs. Cougars have the capacity to jump up to 18 feet from trees and jump up to 20 feet from mountains, as they have more powerful hind legs than forelegs. They also have a flexible spine which enables them to jump on their prey easily.
Cougars are generally 5 feet long along with around 2 or 3 feet tail. Male cougars can weigh around to pounds, whereas female cougars can weigh around 65 to pounds easily. Their build is heavy as compared to other animals of the cat family.
Cougars are carnivorous animals thus they find their prey in the forest. Animals like deers, sheep , horses, cows,etc.. Cougars found in the northern region also prey on animals like small insects or other small animals like rabbits , raccoons, etc.. These ranges overlap, so the cats share some parts. The home range of males tends to be largest and overlap the smaller ranges of several females. Mountain lions find shelter to rest or get away from bad weather in thick brush, rocky crevices, or caves, which might be anywhere in their home range.
The cats may actually see each other once in a while, but mostly they leave "messages," with feces, urine, scratched logs, or marks they scrape out in the dirt or snow. Mountain lions can also growl, hiss, mew, yowl, squeak, spit, and purr to get their message across with other cats, and they are known for a short, high-pitched scream and a whistle-like call. Mountain lions are powerfully built, with large paws and sharp claws.
Their hind legs are larger and more muscular than their front legs, which gives them great jumping power. Even so, mountain lions are mostly ambush hunters, launching at prey to knock it off balance.
They have especially keen eyesight, and they usually find prey by seeing it move. These cats may be on the prowl during the day or at night, but they are most active at dusk and dawn. Mountain lions hunt over a large area, and it can take a week for one to travel all the way around its home range. They eat a variety of prey depending on where they live, including deer, pigs, capybaras, raccoons, armadillos, hares, and squirrels. Some larger cats even bring down prey as big as an elk or a moose.
Mountain lions often bury part of their kill to save for a later meal, hiding the food with leaves, grass, dirt, or even snow, depending on the habitat and time of year.
Spotted youngsters: A female ready to breed alerts any males in the area by calling and rubbing her scent on rocks and trees. The newborns have spots, which may help them blend in with grass, brush, and dappled sunlight. The mother nurses them for three months or so, but they can eat meat at about six weeks of age. At six months old, their spots begin to fade, and they learn to hunt.
They continue to live with the mother until 12 to 18 months. As more people have moved into the mountain lion's territory, the number of encounters with these cats has increased. This is often "big news" and frightens people. But overall, meeting a mountain lion is an unlikely event. Mountain Lion. Mountain Lion Puma concolor Status: Threatened. Classification: Mammal. Description The mountain lion—also known as the cougar, puma, panther, or catamount—is a large cat species native to the Americas.
Diet Mountain lions are stealthy predators, hunting at night and often lying in wait for prey or silently stalking it before pouncing from behind and delivering a lethal bite to the spinal cord.
Life History Mountain lions can breed year-round. Conservation The historic range of the mountain lion included almost all of North and South America. Fun Fact Unlike other large cats, they cannot roar. Donate Today. Sign a Petition. Donate Monthly. Nearby Events. All trick, no treat? The high price of harvesting cocoa for chocolate Read More.
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