Puma vs cougar vs mountain lion

Did you know the cougar holds one of the Guinness World Records for having the most names? Often called "the cat of many names," it's referred to as the puma, panther, mountain cat, mountain lion, mountain screamer, puma vs cougar vs mountain lion, painter and catamount, just to name a few. In fact, the cougar has more monikers than almost bellwood weather other living mammal, around 40 in English alone.

The mountain lion—also known as the cougar, puma, panther, or catamount—is a large cat species native to the Americas. Mountain lions are large, tan cats. Their bodies are mainly covered in tawny-beige fur, except for the whitish-gray belly and chest. Black markings decorate the tip of the tail, ears, and around the snout. Mountain lions vary hugely in average body size depending on geographic location—their size is smallest closer to the equator and largest closer to the poles. Generally, though, males weigh between and pounds 52 and kilograms and females weigh between 64 and pounds 29 and 64 kilograms. Mountain lions inhabit a wide range of ecosystems, making their home anywhere there is shelter and prey, including mountains, forests, deserts, and wetlands.

Puma vs cougar vs mountain lion

Few large mammals enjoy so many common names as the puma Puma concolor , the second-largest cat in the Americas after the jaguar. This supple and muscular hunter has an enormous range -- from the Yukon to Patagonia -- which may partly explain all the nomenclatural variety. Native Americans and Euro-Americans have bestowed numerous other epithets upon P. Still other names include swamp screamer, Indian devil and ghost cat. Large males may weigh up to kilograms pounds or more. Long, muscular hindlegs give pumas superb jumping ability: They've been documented making horizontal leaps of 14 meters 45 feet , and one cat was seen springing 3. They're at home in a staggering variety of settings, from desert scrub to tropical rainforest to rugged subalpine forest. Their coats are tawny, reddish or grayish brown -- although occasionally melanistic, or all-black, individuals are recorded. Cubs, meanwhile, are patterned with spots and stripes that fade with age. On an adult puma, the most intricate coloration typically lies on the face, often defined by bold black accents around the muzzle as well as black marks on the backs of the ears. He holds a B. Updated March 13, Related Articles Characteristics of a Jackal.

The term puma is also sometimes used in the United States. Thank you for joining our email list!

Their range extends further south through Mexico , where they are found in nearly every state, to the Amazon Rainforest and the southern Andes Mountains in Patagonia. The puma as it is called in Spanish inhabits every mainland country in Central and South America , making it the most widely distributed large, wild, terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere , and one of the most widespread on planet Earth. It is an adaptable, generalist species , occurring in most American habitat types. It prefers habitats with dense underbrush and rocky areas for stalking but also lives in open areas. The cougar is largely solitary by nature and considered both nocturnal and crepuscular , although daytime sightings do occur.

What is the difference between a Mountain lion, puma, cougar, and panther? A Cougar, scientifically named Puma concolor , also goes by names like red tiger, mountain screamer, painter, and catamount. In fact, it has so many names it actually holds one of the Guinness World Records for having the most names due to having more names than almost any other mammal 40 in English alone. These names generally originate from the many different places where the Cougar is found. Speaking of which, although all of these names are names for the same type of cat, there are slight differences in size relating to the name and location of the cat due to regional factors like diet and climate.

Puma vs cougar vs mountain lion

Did you know the cougar holds one of the Guinness World Records for having the most names? Often called "the cat of many names," it's referred to as the puma, panther, mountain cat, mountain lion, mountain screamer, painter and catamount, just to name a few. In fact, the cougar has more monikers than almost any other living mammal, around 40 in English alone. The reason: The name used depends on location, and there are a lot of those to be had. Due to the cougar's knack for adaptability — think a fast and powerful muscular body, sharp eyesight and keen hearing, as well as the ability to swim, climb trees and jump long distances — this cat can be seen thriving in many varied habitats, from the Southern Andes in South America to the Yukon in Canada, and everywhere from forests to open areas with sparse vegetation. Current mountain lion ranges in the western portion of the U. For example, he explains, the Incas called the animal puma, while the name cougar is a version of the old South American Indian word cuguacuarana which was shortened to cuguar , and then spelled differently.

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Archived PDF from the original on June 8, Steller sea lion E. The Incas of South America called the animal puma in their language, and it has a symbolic significance representing strength, wisdom and intelligence. University of Toronto Press. November 1, Archived from the original on March 11, How many people are in your party? The cougar is capable of breaking the neck of some of its smaller prey with a strong bite, and then with momentum, bearing the animal to the ground. They live in a variety of habitats, at home in forests, prairies, deserts, and swamps—they are very adaptable cats! Marbled cat P. Archived from the original on June 4, Are They Dangerous? Kangaroo Paw. The cats live in home ranges that vary in size from 30 to square miles 7, to 32, hectares. Selous's mongoose P.

What's in a name?

Read More. Serval L. Due to the expanding human population , cougar ranges increasingly overlap with areas inhabited by humans. 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. African striped weasel P. Walrus O. It continues to face threats due to prey depletion, human-wildlife conflict and habitat loss from agricultural and urban development. For other uses, see Cougar disambiguation and Mountain lion disambiguation. Greater Yellowstone Learning Center. They use pheromones and physical signs like claw markings or feces to define their territory. Be sure to add naturalhabitat nathab. Thank you for joining our email list! But people like to live and play in or near natural habitats, so we need to understand and respect the wildlife that lives there.