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The cougar (Puma concolor) (/ ˈ k uː ɡ ər /, KOO-gər), also known as the panther, mountain lion, catamount and puma, is a large cat native to the Americas. It inhabits North, Central and South America, making it the most widely distributed wild, terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, and one of the most widespread in the world.
Puma (/ ˈ p j uː m ə / or / ˈ p uː m ə /) is a genus in the family Felidae whose only extant species is the cougar (also known as the puma, mountain lion, and panther, [2] among other names), and may also include several poorly known Old World fossil representatives (for example, Puma pardoides, or Owen's panther, a large, cougar-like cat of Eurasia's Pliocene).
A cougar in the snow at North Cedar Brook in Boulder, Colorado, the USA. The North American Cougar is a carnivore and its main sources of prey are deer, elk, mountain goats, moose and bighorn sheep. [25] Despite being a large predator, the North American Cougar can also be the prey of larger predators like wolves and bears. [26]
Rank Common name Scientific name Image Weight range kg (pounds) Maximum weight kg (pounds) Length range (m) Maximum length (m) [a] Shoulder height (cm) Native range by continent(s)
It is known by a variety of names: cougar, mountain lion, catamount, panther, léon, and it’s all the same animal. There are subspecies, too, such as the Florida Panther.
The animal is the namesake of South Florida's hockey team, and the team has donated to the preservation of panther habitats. In 2023 the Florida panther was featured on a United States Postal Service forever stamp as part of the Endangered Species set, based on a photograph from Joel Sartore 's Photo Ark .
The big cat species addressed in these regulations are the lion, tiger, leopard, snow leopard, clouded leopard, cheetah, jaguar, cougar, and any hybrid of these species (liger, tigon, etc.). Private ownership is not prohibited, but the law makes it illegal to transport, sell, or purchase such animals in interstate or foreign commerce.
Like the jaguar, [4] the cougar holds historical cultural significance amongst many South American indigenous people. [15] People in the Andes regard the puma as being either a snatcher of souls, or as a helper of people. [4] The cougar's name was used for Incan regions and people. The Chankas, who were enemies of the Incas, had the cougar as ...