Peterson Field Guides Note of the Week - Mountain Lion

Throughout the ages, there have always been people who have said they can see the future, reading what is to come as if it were an open book. Some read the lines of others' palms. Some gaze ahead using tarot cards, and then there are those who say the future, peoples' fates, are hidden in the stars. July 23 marks the beginning of the time of Leo, one of the twelve signs of the Zodiac. All those born under this sign are said to have certain qualities-qualities that will predict who they will turn out to be and who they will end up loving. Whether or not one believes that his or her birth date will significantly impact the future, it is still fun to read a horoscope and wonder. Thus, is celebration of all those born under the sign of Leo, this week's Peterson Field Guides Note of the Week spotlights the mountain lion, or cougar.

Cougar Puma concolor

Mountain Lion, Puma, Florida Panther
Head and body 3-5 ft. (0.9-1.5 m); tail 24-40 in. (0.6-1.0 m); wt. 66-265 lb. (30-120 kg). Large and long-tailed, with a small head. Uniform to sandy brown to reddish brown above, whitish below. Tail often tipped black. Eyeshine bright yellow. Young marked with circular dark brown spots. SIMILAR SPECIES: Jaguarondi is smaller with short legs. Jaguar silhouette is big-headed with shorter legs and tail. SOUNDS: Reputed to make an eerie wailing cry but usually silent. May growl or purr. Female whistles to young and yowls when in heat. HABITS: Active night or day, but mainly nocturnal in areas of human habitation. Travels long distances, often on dirt roads or trails. Usually avoids water (but sometimes crosses rivers) and deep mud. Mainly terrestrial but climbs well. Hunts mostly large mammals such as deer, Elk, and Wild Boar. Covers uneaten portions of kill with dirt and sticks. Home range may be 300 sq. mi. (800 km2). Solitary, retiring and seldom seen. Although there are occasional cases of cougar attacks (especially in Canada and British Columbia), they usually avoid contact with humans. Litters of 1-6 young (normally 3) are born at any time of year in well-concealed dens, usually in dense vegetation. HABITAT: Wilderness areas: forests, mountains, or deserts. RANGE: Sw. Canada and w. U.S.; s. Fla. South through Mexico to s. Argentina and s. Chile. STATUS: florida Panther (P. c. coryi) and Eastern Cougar (P. c. cougar) are endangered; all western subspecies are threatened (USFWS). Extirpated from cen. and e. U.S. Widespread but seldom common.

This Peterson Field Guide Note of the Week is from the Peterson Field Guide to Mammals of North America, Fourth Edition. Considered to be the most informative and practical guides available, the Peterson Field Guides cover a broad range of topics, including birds, fish, ecology, plants, earth and sky, reptiles and amphibians, and the seashore.