The Mountain Lion pounces or leaps learge distances to attack its prey.
Mountain Lion
by Clancy
The Mountain Lion pounces or leaps learge distances to attack its prey.
Mountain Lion
by Clancy
Names: The mountain lion has many different names. Besides mountain lion, it is called cougar, puma, painter, catamount and panther. Its scientific name is Felis concolor.
Habitat: The mountain lion has a large habitat. They are found in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Mountain lions live in woods, mountains, desserts, and tropical rain forests. Mountain lions do not occupy permanent dens. They find shelter in caves, vegetation, and any rocky areas near them. Mountain lions do not stay in one spot. They migrate, following deer and other prey.
Physical Description:The mountain lion can vary in appearance. It can be buff, gold, reddish brown, gray and bluish. Its colors are rather dull. This large cat grows up to eight feet long. It weighs up to two-hundred pounds. Though this may sound scary, mountain lions look just like large cats.
Niche: The mountain lion is a carnivore. It keeps down populations of animals, such as coyotes, that would eat domestic animals. It also makes sure that there are not too many animals in one habitat. Mountain lions can be very helpful to nature.
Feeding Habits:The mountain lion has a very flexible diet. Its main food is deer, but it will also eat almost any other animal. It will even eat bison. Other common animals that the mountain lion will eat are raccoons, bears, elk, and even squirrels when necessary. Mountain lions will eat animals from chipmunks to buffalo, and can leap great distances to attack their prey.
Predators and Prey: The mountain lion is a predator and has few enemies. The mountain lion is not eaten by anybody, but is hunted by humans for its fur. Even though mountain lions are not eaten, they eat many things. Deer, elk, raccoons, and other animals are hunted by the mountain lion.
Homes: The mountain lion does not live in the same place all of the time. It does not make its own shelter. It finds its homes among vegetation, caves, and rocky cliffs. Mountain lions are very territorial and do not even like sharing their hunting grounds much less their den, unless it is with their mate during times when kittens are being born.
Courting Behavior: Mountain lions do not have mating seasons but mate year round. Females usually breed once every two years. When ready to mate, the two mountain lions will begin to share hunting territories and hunt together. Soon, a litter of two to six kittens will be born. The kittens are born with fluffy black spots that will soon disappear. Males will reach sexual maturity in three years at the earliest, and females take only two years to mature.
Defense: Humans are the mountain lions only predators. Mountain lions blend in well with most of their surroundings and hunters rarely see the animal. Mountain lions fear noise and confrontation. This animal wishes to be left alone and is very independent. If the mountain lion is cornered or threatened, he or she is more likely to try to run away than to attack.
Services to Humanity The mountain lion is hunted for its fur which is made into clothing. Coats, hats, and dresses are made from the valuable fur. Also in books, television and movies mountain lions have been known to play parts of murderers and are made to seem as if they are a danger to humans, but they rarely attack people.
Bridges, William. Wild Animals of the World. Garden City Publishing Company, Garden City, 1948
Hanak, Vladimir Dr. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Mammals. Chartell Books,Secauccus, 1929