Puma - Five Sisters Zoo

With the largest geographic range of all terrestrial mammals in the Western Hemisphere, the Puma can be found from northern Canada into South America. They care called many different names across their range, including Mountain Lion, Cougar, and Florida Panther. Coat colours can range from a silvery-grey through to reddish brown with distinctive dark patches on their legs and white on their chins, bellies, and throat. They have a distinctive ‘scream’ vocalization used to communicate over distances, along with several other types of vocalizations.

 

Facts

Diet: Carnivore. Depending on where the puma is found, their diet can range from deer, elk, and moose in colder climates to armadillo, raccoon, hares, and feral pigs in warmer climates.

Weight: 30-80kg with some males weighing over 100kg

Length: 1.6-2.4m including tail

Life Span: 8-12 years

Habitat: North and South America; variety of environments including mountains, deserts, forests, grasslands and rainforests.

 

 

 

Adapted to Survive

  • Have the longest back legs of any cat species in proportion to body size
  • Large paws and long legs support them and muffle sound as they stalk their prey.

Threats

  • Habitat fragmentation
  • Human development and infrastructure

IUCN Conservation Status

Least Concern