September 9, 2010 at 9:33 am

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Cougars [15 pics]

by twistedsifter

cougar puma mountain lion catamount panther 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Art G.


No not those cougars. Actual cougars. Badass ones that can jump almost 20 feet high and pounce on unsuspecting prey 20-40 feet away. Imagine an animal almost 10 feet long crossing your path! Below you will learn 10 things you never knew about cougars. ME-WOW! 😛


cougar head on 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Richard Landry

1.

The cougar, also known as puma, mountain lion, mountain cat, catamount or panther, depending on the region, holds the Guinness record for the animal with the highest number of names. It has over 40 names in English alone!


cougar close up face eyes 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Art G.

2.

A large, solitary cat, the cougar has the greatest range of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, extending from the Yukon in Canada to the southern Andes of South America.


cougar licking lips 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Matthew Blake

3.

Primary food sources include ungulates such as deer, elk, moose, and bighorn sheep, as well as domestic cattle, horses and sheep, particularly in the northern part of its range. It will also hunt species as small as insects and rodents.


cougar puma mountain lion catamount sleeping 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Chris Gidney

4.

Adults stand about 60 to 76 centimeters (2.0 to 2.5 ft) tall at the shoulders. The length of adult males is around 2.4 meters (8 ft) long nose to tail, with overall ranges between 1.5 and 2.75 m (5 and 9 ft) nose to tail suggested for the species in general. Males typically weigh 53 to 90 kilograms (115 to 198 pounds), averaging 62 kg (137 lb). Females typically weigh between 29 and 64 kg (64 and 141 lb), averaging 42 kg (93 lb).


cougar panther puma sitting 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by nhpanda

5.

Cougar size is smallest close to the equator and larger towards the poles.


baby cougar puma panther catamount 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Rob Walstrom

6.

Females reach sexual maturity between one-and-a-half to three years of age. They typically average one litter every two to three years throughout their reproductive life. Only females are involved in parenting and they are fiercely protective of their cubs.


baby panther puma cougar 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Tom Gill

7.

Aside from humans, no species preys upon mature cougars in the wild. The cat is not, however, the apex predator throughout much of its range. In its northern range, the cougar interacts with other powerful predators such as the brown bear and gray wolf. In the south, the cougar must compete with the larger jaguar. In Florida it encounters the American Alligator.


closeup of cougar panther puma face 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Valerie

8.

Like almost all cats, the cougar is a solitary animal. Only mothers and kittens live in groups, with adults meeting only to mate. It is secretive and typically most active around dawn and dusk.


cougar sleeping puma panther 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Triscele Photography

9.

Cougars have large paws and proportionally the largest hind legs in the cat family. This physique allows it great leaping and short-sprint ability. An exceptional vertical leap of 5.4 m (18 ft) is reported for the cougar. Horizontal jumping capability from standing position is suggested anywhere from 6 to 12 m (20 to 40 ft).


cougar eating prey 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by benjamin444

10.

The cougar can run as fast as 55 to 72 km/h (35 to 45 mi/h), but is best adapted for short, powerful sprints rather than long chases.


face of a cougar puma panther 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Bas Lammers

cougar fangs growling 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Ruben Schoenefeld

baby puma panther cougar 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Rob Walstrom

cougar 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]
Photograph by Richmann


All facts and information courtesy of Wikipedia







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owl flying 10 Things You Didnt Know About Cougars [15 pics]