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A tan cougar standing on rocks against a blue sky.
Photo: National Park Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Cougar

Puma concolor

A large, solitary wild cat of the Americas, also called a mountain lion, puma or panther, that hunts mostly deer.

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About the Cougar

Cougars have the largest range of any land mammal in the Western Hemisphere, from the Yukon in Canada all the way to the southern tip of Chile. They live mostly alone and hunt under the cover of darkness. In North America, deer make up most of their diet. Cougar kittens are born blind and covered in spots, which fade by about 6 months old.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Puma concolor[1]
Weight
Males 115 to 220 pounds (52 to 100 kg). Females 64 to 141 pounds (29 to 64 kg).[1]
Lifespan
Up to 10 to 13 years in the wild. Up to 20 years or more in captivity.[1]
Diet
Carnivore. In North America, mostly mule deer and white-tailed deer.[1]
Where it lives
From the Yukon in Canada to the southern tip of Chile.[1]
Group life
Mostly solitary and territorial.[1]
Babies
One to six kittens, most often two to four. Kittens are born blind and heavily spotted.[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2014). The Florida panther is listed as endangered in the U.S.[1][2]

Fun facts

  • Cougars are also called mountain lions, pumas, panthers and catamounts.[1]
  • Cougars have the largest range of any land mammal in the Western Hemisphere.[1]
  • Cougars cannot roar. They growl, hiss and purr.[1]
  • A cougar kitten's spots usually disappear by the time it is 6 months old.[1]

Vocabulary

territorial
Defending an area from others of the same kind.
Western Hemisphere
The half of Earth that includes North and South America.
extinct
No longer living anywhere.
range
The whole area where a kind of animal lives.
carnivore
An animal that eats mostly meat.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] National Wildlife Federation. “Mountain Lion.” https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Mountain-Lion (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Puma concolor (Puma).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18868/50663436 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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