The mountain lion (also known as cougar or puma) is North America’s largest cat. Adult males weigh around 140 lb and rarely exceed 180 lb, measuring 7–8 ft from nose to tail and standing about 30 inches high; females are smaller, seldom more than 110 lb. Their coats range from reddish‑brown to grayish‑tawny with a black‑tipped tail, and kittens carry spots for their first months. These solitary ambush predators inhabit steep canyons, dense brush and forests across the western United States and Canada.
Hunting mountain lions is a challenging pursuit that relies on tracking and calling more than glassing. Many hunts take place after other big‑game seasons when snow makes it easier to locate tracks and deer and elk concentrate in lower elevations. Experienced hunters scout ridgelines and canyons for fresh kills, set trail cameras and study patterns before slowly calling for up to 45 minutes with predator calls that imitate fawns or territorial cats. Patience and stealth are critical, as lions may circle downwind to investigate before presenting a shot.
Mountain lions once ranged across the Americas but now are largely confined to western North America. States and provinces regulate harvests through permit systems; for example, Washington’s cougar season runs from 1 September through 31 March with regional harvest caps. Male lions maintain home ranges of 50–150 square miles, while females occupy smaller territories adjacent to their mothers. Conservation efforts focus on maintaining habitat connectivity and managing human‑wildlife conflict rather than boosting numbers, as most populations are stable.
Mountain lions are crepuscular and solitary; they kill deer, elk and other ungulates with a powerful neck bite and often cache carcasses for later. Their hind legs allow tremendous leaps, and they can sprint short distances to ambush prey. Females give birth to litters of 1–4 spotted kittens in late spring and care for them for more than a year. Lions communicate with whistles, chirps and purrs rather than true roars.
Mountain Lion can be found in the following location:
Mountain Lion has the following variations:
- (Varieties to be confirmed)
