Cougar

Puma concolor · The cougar is a large cat that lives across North, Central and South America, from Canada's Yukon to the southern Andes.

Also called Puma, Mountain lion, Catamount, Deer tiger, Red tiger.

Cougar
Photo: Shahzaib Damn Cruze, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cougar
Photo: Wolves201, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cougar
Photo: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Lmbuga), CC BY-SA 3.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderCarnivora
FamilyFelidae
GenusPuma
SpeciesPuma concolor

Where it lives

From western Canada and the US to the southern Andes; a small group in Florida.

Fun facts

  • A cougar can leap from the ground up to 5.5 m (18 ft) high into a tree.
  • Cougars have the most names of any animal: the Guinness record lists over 40 in English alone.
  • Despite being called a mountain lion, the cougar is not a true lion and cannot roar.
  • Cougar kittens are born spotted, with blue eyes and rings on their tails.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).