Puma

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puma, (Puma concolor), also called mountain lion, cougar, panther (eastern U.S.), or catamount (archaic), large brownish New World cat comparable in size to the jaguar—the only other large cat of the Western Hemisphere. The puma, a member of the family Felidae, has the widest distribution of any New World mammal, with a range extending from southeastern Alaska to southern Argentina and Chile. Pumas live in a variety of habitats, including desert scrub, chaparral, swamps, and forests, but they avoid agricultural areas, flatlands, and other habitats lacking cover (vegetative or topographic). Six subspecies of Puma concolor are recognized by most classifications.

Pumas living near the Equator are generally smaller than those living farther north and south. Males in North America average 62 kg (136 pounds), but rare individuals can exceed 100 kg; length is about 1.2 metres (4 feet), excluding the 0.75-metre (2.5-foot) tail. Females are somewhat shorter and average about 42 kg. The specific name concolor (“of one colour”) refers to the puma’s fur, which is uniformly brown on the back, sides, limbs, and tail. (The name puma is a native Peruvian term.) The shade of brown varies geographically and seasonally from gray to reddish brown, and some black pumas have been reported; facial colour patterns are also variable. The underside is lighter. The long tail is commonly tipped with black and usually held close to the ground when the puma is walking.