Several of my neighbors have observed a cougar in the desert scrub between their homes and the golf course or on the golf course fairway.
Cougars are also known as American lion, Mexican lion, mountain lion, puma, panther, and catamount in North America. The cougar is in the subfamily Felinae, making it more closely related to the house cat than the other big cats. The current generic name Puma derives from native Peruvian while the specific name concolor means “of one color” which is not entirely accurate. Adults are most commonly tan over the majority of their bodies and may change color with the seasons. The belly is lighter colored and the tail tip is black.
Cougars possess the widest distribution of mammals of the Americas, ranging from the Yukon to the southern tip of Argentina. Many subspecies exist within its distribution. Within North America thirteen subspecies have been identified. With the exception of Florida, cougars have been eliminated from the eastern States. Arizona is home to Puma concolor azteca. The Arizona Department of Wildlife and Fisheries estimates a population of up to 3,000 cougars within the state.
Cougars have adapted to diverse habitats. They are active from dusk to dawn, but it’s not uncommon to observe them during daylight hours. They tend to be solitary and silent except when breeding, during which they vocalize with intermittent screaming. They breed year round with a gestation period of 90 days. Females may have up to 3 kittens per litter who remain with their mother for 18 months.
Cougars are stalk and ambush carnivores that can jump vertically 20 feet and 40 feet horizontally. Their favored prey is deer, but will take smaller animals as well as other cougars. They have been known to take livestock, cats and dogs. Cougars only bed down in the same place for several days when consuming large prey. Cougars favor riparian habitats and may be attracted to water treatments and pools around a home as well as to areas where food may be set out for wildlife.
If seen, avoid cornering or antagonizing a cougar. An average of 4 human attacks, with one fatality, occurs annually within North America. If being stalked or attacked, aggressive loud action usually scares a cougar off. Hiking in groups will also minimize the possibility of attack.
Adult males average about 135 pounds but have been known to exceed 200 pounds. They typically measure 2.5 feet at the shoulder and 8 feet from the nose to the tail’s tip. Females are slightly smaller.
Cougars have a life expectancy of 7 and 11 years. Hunters are the most common cause of cougar deaths followed by other cougars and motor vehicles. The single most threat to cougar conservation is loss of habitat due to human development.
For those interested in more information on the cougar, conduct a web search on Puma concolor.