Puma

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For other uses of "puma" or "cougar", please see puma (disambiguation) or cougar (disambiguation).

iPuma
Conservation status
Near Threatened (NT)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae Subfamily: Felinae Genus: Puma Jardine, 1834 Species: P. concolor
Binomial name
Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771)
Puma range map

The Puma (Puma concolor), also known as the Cougar or Mountain Lion, is a large, solitary cat found in the Americas. It has a vast range, from Yukon Territory in Canada to the southern Andes of South America. Their primary food is deer, but they hunt prey in a range of sizes, from insects, mice, rabbits, to the domestic cats, domestic dogs, alpaca and even Bighorn Sheep and Elk. They are secretive cats who usually avoid people, and attacks on humans are extremely rare and usually brought on by human actions[1]. Due to overhunting and continual human development of puma habitat, populations have dropped in many parts of their historical range, although recent conservation efforts have allowed the puma's numbers to improve in some areas.

However, sport hunting for pumas in the United States is still commonplace, and is permitted in every state from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, with the exception of California. Pumas are generally hunted with packs of dogs that chase the animal until it usually climbs a tree for refuge, from where the hunters shoot it down. State agency records show that over 30,000 pumas were killed for sport between 1996-2006, one of the highest totals for any decade on record.

Pumas are known by many regional names, including Panther, Catamount, Painter, American lion, Mexican lion, Florida Panther, Silver Lion, Red Lion, Red Panther, Red Tiger, Brown Tiger, Deer Tiger, Ghost Cat, Mountain Screamer, Indian Devil, Sneak Cat, King Cat, and Painted Cat. The word puma comes from the Quechua language. In Brazil it is also known as Suçuarana, from the Tupi language, but also has other names. In fact in the English language the Puma has over 40 different names.

In North America, particularly the United States, panther by itself refers to a Puma when the context implies a local species. In South America, panther refers to the Jaguar and can refer to either the spotted or black Jaguar.

There is a considerable variation in color and size of these animals across their large range of habitats. Adult weights can range from 180-200 pounds. However, in spite of anecdotal accounts of "black panthers" in the Puma's range (and outside the Jaguar's), melanism has never been documented in Pumas. Such anecdotal accounts are particularly prominent in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States, a region where P. concolor is accepted as having been wholly extirpated by the late 1800's, and where breeding populations have not been documented as re-established by 2005.

Contents 1 Physical characteristics 2 Hybrids 3 Population and distribution 3.1 Puma populations of the United States and Canada 4 Behavior 4.1 Attacks on humans 4.1.1 Puma safety tips 5 Subspecies 6 Further reading 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Physical characteristics

Pumas are tawny colored with lighter patches on the under body including the jaws, chin, and throat, with some color variation from region to region. The puma can run as quickly as 70km/h (43.5 mph), jump 6 m (20 ft) from a standing position, and vertically leap 2.5 m (8 ft). They have been seen to jump horizontally 12 m (40 ft) and vertically nearly 5 m (16 ft). One puma was observed jumping 3.6m (12 ft) up into a tree while still holding a deer in its jaws. Their bite strength is more powerful than that of any domestic dog. Puma claws are retractable and they have four toes. North American pumas are slightly larger than leopards and similar in size to jaguars. Adult males in North America may be more than 2.4 m (8 ft) long (nose to tail), and have an average mass of about 60-70 kg (approx. 150 lb). Some in extremely rare cases may reach over 120 kg (260 lb). One in particular which was shot in Arizona weighed 125 kg (275 lb), after it had had its intestines removed. Females are much smaller and an adult can be less than 2 m (7 ft) long and have a mass of about 35 kg (weigh approx 75 lb). Puma kittens have brownish-blackish spots and rings on their tails. Their life span is about a decade in the wild and 25 years or more in captivity. Pumas that live closest to the equator are the smallest, and increase in size in populations closer to the poles.

Though frequently lumped in with larger cats, the puma is distinct in that it cannot roar, and makes vocalizations much more common to small cats.

[edit] Hybrids

In spite of not being closely related to the pantherine big cats, hybrids between pumas and leopards have been bred and are called pumapards. Hybrids between a puma and an ocelot have also been bred. Hybrids between pumas and jaguars have been reported, but none have been proven.

[edit] Population and distribution

Pumas have the largest range of any wild cat. Before the modern human population explosion in the Americas, the puma ranged across most of the Americas. Even now, it has the widest range of any New World land animal, spanning 110 degrees of latitude, from the northern Yukon Territory (in Canada) to the southern Andes (on both the Chilean and Argentinean sides). They have also been sighted recently in Northern Connecticut and other parts of New England, however, sightings are not generally regarded as reliable enough to serve as scientific evidence.^[1] One of the few locations where the puma is in great danger is within the United States, mainly Florida and other parts of the East Coast. This is mostly due to human infringement, clashing with cities and other urban advancements or because of the loss of territories that urbanization brings. When pumas are found and relocated to more "wild" parts of the state, they are put into competition with pre-existing populations.

[edit] Puma populations of the United States and Canada

Hunted almost to extinction in the United States and eastern Canada, the puma has made a determined comeback, against the odds, with an estimated 30,000 individuals in the western United States. In Canada, pumas are found west of the prairies, in Alberta, British Columbia and the southern Yukon. They are also found in smaller numbers within the Canadian Shield regions of Ontario and Manitoba. The densest concentration of pumas in North America is found on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, while in the United States their densest concentration is in the Ventana Wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest, California.^[2]

Pumas are gradually extending their range to the east, following creeks and riverbeds, and have reached Missouri, Michigan and Kansas. In Texas, Pumas are generally confined to the western 2/3 of the state. However according to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, there have been Puma sightings in 218 of the 254 Texas counties, with confirmed mortalities in 67 counties since they started recording sightings in 1983 (This indicates that they are expanding statewide to their historical range). There are continuing reports of the survival of a remnant population of the Eastern Cougar in New Brunswick, Ontario and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec.

In the eastern United States, rumors and myths of pumas never died. But these big cats are slowly making their way from myth to reality -- especially along the Appalachian Mountains from Virginia to Georgia. There, puma sightings are steadily increasing, and a government bounty is offered in many places for confirmed sightings. One very compelling piece of evidence surfaced in June 1997, when a Kentucky man hit and killed a Puma kitten with his truck. DNA analysis proved that the animal was descended in part from wild North American Pumas, and it showed no evidence of having been someone's escaped pet.^[3]

The sightings are not limited to the mountains either. Locals as far east as the Coastal Plain Region of North Carolina have reported sightings.^[4] In 1994 Charles R. "Buster" Humphreys Jr. claimed in his book, Panthers of the Costal Plain to have recorded over 500 sightings of panthers. Half of these were coal black panthers. This species has never been recorded in the State of North Carolina.^[5].

Due to urbanization in the urban-wildland interface, puma ranges increasingly overlap with human habitation, especially in areas with a large population of deer, their natural prey. In these cases, puma may occasionally prey on livestock and on pets, such as dogs and cats. Puma/cougar attacks on humans have increased since the late 1980s when Puma hunting was effectively banned in many states and puma populations began to climb dramatically. Even so, puma attacks are still rare (see discussion below).

There are an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 pumas in California (est. circa 1990) and an estimated 4,500 to 5,000 in Colorado.

[edit] Behavior

Pumas can kill and drag prey about 7 times their own weight. They normally hunt large mammals, such as deer and elk, but will eat small animals, such as beavers, porcupines or even mice, if the need arises. They hunt alone and ambush their prey, often from behind. They usually kill with a bite at the base of the skull to break the neck of their target. The carcass of the kill is usually then buried or partially covered to protect it for several days, while the puma continues to roam and comes back for nourishment as needed. Pumas do not enjoy being scavengers, however, and will generally hunt for their own food and not eat from a carcass. Pumas will catch and kill their prey 82% of the time, and are consequently finicky eaters. Like other cats, they will also move to certain areas for feeding. Adult males tend to claim a 100 square mile (250 km²) stretch for their territory; adult females take 20 to 60 square miles (50 to 150 km²) on average; however their ranges can vary from as much as 370 square miles (1000 km²) to as little as 10 square miles (25 km²).

Pumas, like all other cats, are territorial, although more territorial than most cats, especially pumas from desert and very snowy regions. They will mostly avoid fighting and usually ward off others with urine markings, but they do sometimes compete aggressively for territory, especially among the males. Adult Black Bears may be able to kill pumas and steal their kills but generally conflict between the two predators does not occur. Despite being fearsome when it comes to territorial disputes with other pumas or protecting their young (have been seen warding off bears), they are mostly shy and reclusive, and tend to avoid humans.

A male may breed with several females. Female pumas usually have 3 or 4 kittens in a den in a rocky location. If a male puma invades the territory of another male, he may kill the kittens of resident females so that they will become receptive to mating.

[edit] Attacks on humans

Attacks on humans are rare, but do occur, especially as humans encroach on wildlands and impact the availability of the puma's traditional prey. There were around 100 puma attacks on humans in the USA and Canada during the period from 1890 to January 2004, with 16 fatalities; California, which has the highest population density of areas with a significant cougar habitat, has had 14 attacks and 6 fatalities. Attacks by puma on humans and pets are associated with urban areas situated in the wildland urban intermix such as the Boulder, Colorado area, which have encouraged the traditional prey of the puma, the mule deer, to habituate to urban areas and the presence of people and pets. Pumas in such circumstances may come to lose their fear of both people and dogs and come to see them as prey.

By comparison, about 40 people die in the US each year of bee stings; humans are far more likely to get struck by lightning or die from a black widow spider bite.[2] "Given the opportunities available," notes wildlife biologist Kevin Hansen, "attacks on people are surprisingly rare events indeed, suggesting an overwhelming willingness on the part of the cougar to live and let live, at least where humans are concerned." [3]

On January 8, 2004 a puma killed and partly ate a mountain biker in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in Orange County, California; what is assumed to be the same animal attacked another mountain biker in the park the same day, but was fought off by other bikers. A young male puma was shot nearby by rangers later in the day.

From September 2004 to January 2005, there were several reported puma attacks in the Adirondack Mountain towns of upstate New York. The attacks were most prevalent in Hampton, New York. Although no humans were actually attacked, the animal did kill several dogs and some exotic birds in a zoo. The government denied the existence of a puma in the Adirondacks, and some cryptozoologists suggested that the animal was a Mesonychid, although no eyewitness reports described the animal as resembling a dog.

Pumas cannot be hunted in California except under very specific circumstances. This, as well as the extermination in California of the wolf and brown bear, has allowed the puma to increase its numbers. California law requires that wild animals who have attacked a human must be killed if they can be located.

[edit] Puma safety tips

• Do not hike alone, go in groups with adults supervising children. When hiking, appropriate clothing for rough terrain will aid in movement and evasion.
• If confronted by a puma, do not run; that might stimulate its instinct to chase, and they can quickly outrun any person. Instead, stand and face the animal, but do not make eye contact (experts suggest looking at the feet).
• Don't "play dead." Pumas are likely to eat a human who plays dead. This behavior is similar to that of Black bears, but unlike Grizzly bears.
• Pick up young children without bending or turning from the puma (if possible). (Comment: When under an attack by a dog, experts recommend NOT picking up a child; because that act may be interpreted as you attacking, which would encourage the dog(s) to join in the supposed attack. Instead place yourself between the animal and the child. Whether or not this applies to cougars is uncertain.)
• Do everything possible to appear larger or intimidating, including raising arms wildly, opening up jacket, and throwing stones and branches.
• Do not crouch down or bend over; this may create the appearance of an ordinary quadruped prey rather than a typically non-prey biped.
• Run if possible. Do not shoot a wild animal, for the laws protecting it are harsh.
• Install motion-sensitive outdoor lighting.
• Keep pets from roaming and never feed pets outside. Be wary when leaving pets outside, particularly at dawn and dusk.
• Do not climb a tree, as pumas can climb better than humans.

Jogging, running, and biking on wildland trails can be particularly hazardous since such runners are likely to be less attentive to the surroundings and the motion can trigger a "chase and kill" reflex in the animal. Talk to local authorities or park rangers to see if it is advisable before taking such a risk.

[edit] Subspecies

• Amazon Cougar (Puma concolor discolor)
• Andes Puma (Puma concolor araucanus)
• Argentine Puma (Puma concolor pearsoni)
• Baja Californian Cougar (Puma concolor improcera)
• Bolivian Cougar (Puma concolor osgoodi)
• Brazilian Cougar (Puma concolor concolor)
• California Cougar Puma concolor californica)
• Colombian Cougar (Puma concolor bangsi)
• Colorado Cougar (Puma concolor hippolestes)
• Costa Rican Cougar (Puma concolor costaricensis)
• Eastern Cougar (Puma concolor cougar)
• Ecuador Cougar (Puma concolor soderstromi)
• Florida Panther (Puma concolor coryi)
• Incan Cougar (Puma concolor incarum)
• Kaibab Cougar (Puma concolor kaibabensis)
• Mato Grosso Cougar (Puma concolor acrocodia)
• Mayan Cougar (Puma concolor mayensis)
• Mexican Cougar (Puma concolor azteca)
• Missoula Cougar (Puma concolor missoulensis)
• Oregon Cougar (Puma concolor oregonensis)
• Patagonian Puma (Puma concolor patagonica)
• Texas Cougar (Puma concolor stanleyana)
• Vancouver Island Cougar (Puma concolor vancouverensis)
• Wisconsin cougar (Puma concolor shorgeri) (extinct, but numerous sightings have been reported)
• Yuma Puma (Puma concolor browni)

Culver (2000) has reported that many of these subspecies are genetically similar. This study suggests that the original North American subspecies of Puma concolor became extinct during the Pleistocene extinctions some 10,000 years ago and that North America was then repopulated by South American Pumas, leading to the genetic similarity of modern North American cougars. The subspecies suggested by Dr. Culver are the following:

• Argentine Puma (Puma concolor cabrerae)
• Costa Rican Cougar (Puma concolor costaricensis)
• Eastern South American Cougar (Puma concolor capricornensis): includes the previous subspecies discolor and acrocodia
• North American Cougar (Puma concolor cougar): includes the previous subspecies coryi, shorgeri, cougar, azteca, improcera, missoulensis, hippolestes, oregonensis, vancouverensis, californica, kaibabensis, browni, stanleyana, and mayensis
• Northern South American Cougar (Puma concolor concolor): includes the previous subspecies concolor, bangsi, soderstromi, incarum, and osgoodi
• Southern South American Puma (Puma concolor puma): includes the previous subspecies patagonica, puma, pearsoni, and araucanus

However, other criteria in addition to molecular genetic similarity are considered in deciding subspecies status, and no consensus has been reached about reorganization of species taxonomy.

[edit] Further reading

• Ken Logan and Linda Sweanor, Desert Puma: Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation of an Enduring Carnivore, Island Press, 2001, paperback, 463 pages, ISBN 1-55963-866-4and Nature, W. W. Norton, November, 2003, hardcover, 320 pages, ISBN 0-393-05807-7

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Puma concolor

• The Cougar Fund
• Cat Specialist Group: Puma (Puma concolor)
• The Mountain Lion aka Cougar and Puma
• Mountain Lion Foundation
• Cougar Fact Sheet - NatureMapping Program
• Ontario Puma Foundation
• Pumas in the Southern Rockies
• Hinterland's Who's Who: Cougar
• Mountain Lion Attacks On People in the U.S. and Canada
• Mountain Lion Attacks
• Florida Panther Net
• Southern California Puma Project
• Cougars in Canada
• San Diego Zoo "Animal Bytes" - overview and pictures
• New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation: Cougar Fact Sheet
• Mountain lion sighting in New Jersey
• Mountain Lions in Utah