A cougar is a large cat of the Felidae family, native to the Americas. Its range extends from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America, and is the widest of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. It is an adaptable, generalist species, occurring in most American habitat types. Due to its wide range, it has many names including puma, mountain lion, red tiger, and catamount.
The cougar is the second-largest cat in the New World after the jaguar. It is an ambush predator and pursues a wide variety of prey. Adult male cougars weigh 21–30 kg (46–66 lb), while females weigh 14–20 kg (31–44 lb). They are approximately 80–100 cm (31–39 in) long from nose to tail, with males around 30% larger than females. This large cat has a long body, a broad head, round ears, and long hind limbs. Its fur is unspotted, except for some individuals with manes. The cougar is capable of sprinting at 80–128 km/h (50–80 mph), and is often mistaken for the cheetah due to its similar appearance.
The cougar is an ambush predator and pursues a wide variety of prey. Adult male cougars weigh 21–30 kg (46–66 lb), while females weigh 14–20 kg (31–44 lb). They are approximately 80–100 cm (31–39 in) long from nose to tail, with males around 30% larger than females. This large cat has a long body, a broad head, round ears, and long hind limbs. Its fur is unspotted, except for some individuals with manes. The cougar is capable of sprinting at 80–128 km/h (50–80 mph), and is often mistaken for the cheetah due to its similar appearance.
The cougar is a large cat of the Felidae family and the subfamily Felinae. The cougar is also commonly known as the mountain lion, puma, panther, or catamount. The cougar is native to the Americas, ranging from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes of South America. An adult male cougar is typically 3.5 to 4.5 feet long, while an adult female is typically 2.5 to 3.5 feet long. The cougar is an apex predator, meaning it is at the top of the food chain and is not preyed upon by any other animal.
The cougar has a long history in the Americas, with fossil evidence indicating the animal has been present in North America for at least 8 million years. The cougar is believed to have originated in North America and then spread to South America, where it is now the most widespread cat species. The cougar is a highly adaptable animal and is found in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and mountains. The cougar is an ambush predator and typically stalks its prey before attacking. The cougar is a solitary animal and is most active at dawn and dusk.
