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Table of Contents
Mountain lions are also known as cougars, pumas, panthers and catamounts. They are the largest wild cat in North America and are best known for their powerful limbs that can jump as far as 40 to 45 feet.
See the fact file below for more information on mountain lions or alternatively, you can download our 26-page Mountain Lion worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
- Common Name: Mountain Lion/Cougar/Puma/Panther/Catamount
- Scientific Name: Puma concolor
- Family: Felidae
- Habitat: Mountains, forests, grassland, and deserts
- Diet: Carnivore
- Classification: Mammal
- Average Lifespan in the Wild: 9 to 13 years
- Conservation Status: Least concern
Description / Characteristics
- The mountain lion is a large, slender, agile cat native to the Americas.
- It is the second heaviest wildcat in America after the jaguar and the fourth largest cat species worldwide.
- Like most cats, the mountain lion is a mostly solitary animal.
- Adults stand about 24 – 35 in (60 – 90 cm) tall at the shoulders.
- Adult males are around 7 ft 10 in (2.4 m) long from nose to tail tip, and the smaller females average 6 ft 9 in (2.05 m).
- Males generally weigh 117 – 220 lb (53 – 100 kg), while females typically weigh between 64 – 141 lb (29 – 64 kg).
- One-third of their total length is their heavy tail, which is also a distinguishing feature.
- Mountain lion bodies are covered in tawny-beige fur, except for the whitish-gray belly and chest.
- The small head of the mountain lion is rounded with erect ears.
- It has a powerful jaw to grasp and hold large prey.
- It also has retractile claws on its five forepaws and on its four hind paws.
- The mountain lion has large paws and very large hind legs, giving it great leaping ability. It can leap from the ground up to 5.5 m (18 ft) high onto ledges and trees.
- The mountain lion is also a great short-sprinter that can travel long distances at 10 mph (16 kph) and run as fast as 50 mph (80 kph).
- Mountain lions have excellent vision and hearing but a poor sense of smell.
Habitat and Diet
- The mountain lion is native to the Americas, is found all over the United States, and has the most extensive range of any wild land animal in the Americas.
- It inhabits areas from northern Canada to the southern Andes in South America. Large populations can be found in Canada, California, Texas, Florida, British Columbia, and southern Alberta,
- The mountain lion lives in all types of habitats, from forests, mountainous deserts, and lowlands to open areas with little vegetation.
- The mountain lion has specific hunting areas, resting areas, denning sites, and lookout points, preferably all near the water.
- Mountain lions are carnivores meaning they are meat eaters.
- They hunt early in the early morning and early evening hours when it is cool and are typically ambush predators.
- They stalk through the brush or sit in trees, then leap onto the back of prey and suffocate it with a neck bite.
- They prefer large mammals such as deer, moose, elk, and sheep but, if hungry enough, will settle for squirrels, rabbits, and beavers.
- Being a cat, the mountain lion drags its kill to a preferred spot to eat what it wants and then covers the remains with brush and returns to feed over a period of days.
Reproduction and Young
- Female mountain lions reach sexual maturity between the ages of two and three, and males at about three years of age.
- Both males and females mate with multiple partners, and a female’s litter can have multiple paternities.
- Mating occurs at any time of the year, but most litter are produced between July and September.
- The gestation period is approximately 91 days.
- Litter size is typically two but can be as many as six.
- Protected areas like caves and alcoves are used as litter dens, and only the females are involved in parenting.
- Newborn mountain lions are called cubs or kittens. They are born blind and are completely dependent on their mother at first.
- Mountain lion cubs/kittens are born with blue eyes and have recognizable camouflaging spots and rings on their tails, which fade as they mature.
- They begin to be weaned around three months of age, and this is when they start to go out on forays with their mother and visit kill sites with her.
- At around six months, the cubs begin to hunt for small prey on their own.
- Mothers move from one territory to another to protect their cubs from male mountain lions, and juveniles remain with their mothers for one to two years.
- The life expectancy of mountain lions in the wild averages 9 to 13 years. In captivity, they can live as long as 20 years.
Behavioral Characteristics
- Mountain lions are both solitary and territorial animals. They avoid others of their kind except during courtship and mating.
- They also mark their territory by clawing on trees and urinating on leaves.
- Males have larger territories than females. When females give birth, the size of their territory decreases but soon increases as her cubs mature.
- Mountain lions are active solitary hunters and prefer to attack prey from behind. When they have a big kill, they bury or hide it, returning to feed again when hungry.
- They stalk predators and get as close as possible to their prey before ambushing and killing them with a bite on the neck.
Human Encounter and Conservation Status
- In Native American cultures, mountain lions are protectors of the cosmos. The Miwoks of California considered cougars ideal hunters, strong and brave, like a chief of animals.
- On the other hand, the Apaches see them as an omen of death.
- Aztec physicians used the sharpened bones of a puma to ward off death.
- In contrast to the reverence shown by Native American cultures, Inca rulers used to hunt puma as part of a game in ancient Peru. Warriors would kill a puma in order to enter the warrior society.
- In the 1960s, cougars were classified as game animals in Nevada, Washington, Utah, and California, but by 1990 residents of California passed a referendum giving cougars protection from hunting for sport.
- In the 1980s, mountain lions were hunted in the United States due to depredation. Permits were only issued to those with records of cattle, lamb, and sheep attacks.
- There are scarce accounts of mountain lions attacking humans. Should you encounter one, it is advised that you remain still, stand tall, raise your arms to look bigger, make eye contact, and give it time to move on.
- In general, mountain lions in the United States are protected, except for those in Florida, which are considered endangered, with less than 100 remaining.
Mountain Lion Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about mountain lions across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Mountain Lion worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Mountain lions, which are also known as cougars, pumas, panthers and catamounts. They are the largest wild cat in North America and are best known for their powerful limbs that can jump as far as 40 to 45 feet.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
- Mountain Lion Facts
- Clawsome Facts
- Mountain Lion Anatomy
- World of the King
- The Lion Guard
- Family Felidae
- The Wild Cat
- Mighty Lion
- Born a Lion
- Feline Ranger
- Brave as a Mountain Lion
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a mountain lion and a puma?
The name puma is generally used to refer to Latin American cats. The name mountain lion is used in North America. Depending on where in the world you are, mountain lions might be called cougars, pumas, Florida panthers, or catamounts, but they’re all the same cool cats.
What Do Mountain Lions Look Like?
Adult mountain lions look a bit like very large cats. They have a tan-colored coat, similar to a lion but are slighter in build than a lion. Also, their head is smaller in proportion to their body than that of a lion.
Which state has the most mountain lions?
Wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. The mountain lion can be found in the sixteen states of the US. There are an estimated 7,000 mountain lions in Colorado, and California also has a large population of mountain lions.
Are Mountain Lions Dangerous?
Humans and mountain lions do not come into contact very often, therefore, attacks are very rare. However, if you are an animal that mountain lions prey on, then yes, they are very dangerous.
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Link will appear as Mountain Lion Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 29, 2018
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.