The puma is the big cat of the Americas. At one time, it ranged from the Yukon in Canada to the Strait of Magellan at the tip of South America. Because these cats were found in so many places, local tribes or explorers had their own name for the large felines, including cougar, mountain lion, Florida panther and catamount.
Facts about Puma
1. Pumas can be identified by a tan or slightly yellow coat, round face, long tail and erect ears.
2. Adult males grow to 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters) long and females average 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 meters).
3. Males typically weigh 110 to 180 lbs. (50 to 82 kilograms) and the female 80 to 130 lbs. (36 to 59 kg).
4. They are carnivores (meat-eaters). They hunt and eat everything from birds and reptiles to large mammals.
5. A puma’s tail is almost as long as its head and body combined.
6. The Puma is an incredibly powerful predator and has muscular hind legs that are slightly longer and stronger than the front, which makes them more agile when leaping
7. The Puma has large wide-set eyes which not only enable it to see what is ahead of it, but they can also see for some distance around them as well.
8. Panthers are solitary animals. They will meet only during mating season.
9. Panthers learn to climb the tree early in their life. They are strongest tree climbers in the cat world.
10. In the wild, Pumas can live up to 12 years and in captivity up to 20.