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Puma, cougar, panther, mountain lion - FELlS CONCOLOR
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Puma": "Puma" is the Quechua word for the animal. "Cougar" is a derivative of the Tupi word "suasuarana," which means "deer-like" (in color). "Panther" is the Greek word for the animal. "Lion" comes from the Greek word "leon," for the animal.
Location: Western North America and South America.
Habitat: Terrestrial. All types.
Description: The size of the puma varies considerably over its large geographic range. The basic coloration is yellowish-brown on top and pale underneath. The young are born with a speckled coat and a ringed tail, but the markings disappear as the young grow. In the adult, the only traces remaining are black markings on the head. The puma grows over five feet long, with almost three more feet for its tail. It can weigh up to 225 pounds, but the female is generally smaller.
Behavior: This is a solitary and territorial animal. The male spends a lot of time marking his large territory, but rarely defends it convincingly. The female has a smaller territory, which may overlap slightly with that of a male. The puma preys on most species of mammals but seems to prefer deer. It is a powerful and expert hunter and can jump up to 20 feet upwards in a single bound! By nature active both day and night, it has become strictly nocturnal in areas inhabited by man, its only enemy apart from wolves.
Reproduction: After a gestation period of 90 days, usually two or three (but sometimes as many as six) young are born in protected dens in caves or under ledges or roots. The young pumas are independent after two years.
Go to the Carnivore Page to learn more about all the meat-eating animals.
Or go to the Cat Index to study other
wild cats.
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