Mountain lions (Puma concolor) once roamed most of North America, from east to west coast. Their range also extended from southern Argentina and Chile all the way to southeastern Alaska. Sadly, hunting and habitat destruction decimated their populations and confined their range to parts of western North America and a small population in Florida.
Mountain lions are large, lean cats with a coat that ranges in color from yellow-brown to gray-brown. The fur on their back is darker in color compared to their belly, whic is a pale, creamy buff color. The underside of their neck and throat is nearly white. Mountain lions have a long, black-tipped tail and short, muscular limbs. They have four digits on their hind feet and five digets on their fore feet.
Male mountain lions are larger in size than females. The territory of a single male overlaps with the territories of several females. The home ranges of females are between 26 and 350 square kilometers. That of males ranges from 140 to 760 square kilometers.
- Mass: 29 to 120 kg (64 to 264 lbs) kg
- Body Length: 860 to 1540 mm (34 to 61 in)
- Shoulder Height: xxx cm
- Diet: moose, elk, caribou, rodents, birds, fish
- Breeding Season: throughout the year, in northern parts of range December to March
- Sexual Maturity: 2.5 years (female), 3 years (male)
- Gestation: 84 to 106 days
- Number of Offspring: 1 to 6
- Time to Weaning: 40 days (average)
- Predators: humans
- Average Lifespan: 20 years (captivity)
- Habitat: montane coniferous forests, frasslands, scrubland, swamps
- Geographical Range: western North America and a small population in Florida
Classification:
Range and Habitat:
Mountain lions' current range includes western North America and a small population in Florida. Their preferred habitats include montane coniferous forests, frasslands, scrubland, and swamps.
References:
Dewey, T. and A. Shivaraju. 2003. Puma concolor (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed June 05, 2009.
