The puma (Felis concolor) is a type of big cat found in North, Central and South America. It is also known by the regional names of cougar, mountain lion, panther, catamount, and painted cat. The word puma comes from the Quechua language. In the United States, panther by itself refers to a puma, although the term black panther is more commonly associated with the melanistic variants of leopards or jaguars rather than pumas. Download high resolution version (945x756, 87 KB)Puma, public domain image from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Bilateria  Acoelomorpha  Orthonectida  Rhombozoa  Myxozoa  Superphylum Deuterostomia     Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals primarily characterized by the presence of mammary... Families Canidae Felidae Herpestidae Hyaenidae Mephitidae Mustelidae Nandiniidae Odobenidae Pinnipedia Procyonidae Ursidae Viverridae The diverse order Carnivora includes over 260 placental mammals. ... Subfamilies Felinae Pantherinae Acinonychinae Machairodontinae (extinct) All cats are members of the family Felidae. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is a standard convention used for naming species. ... A painting of Carolus Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as Carl von Linné  listen, and who wrote under the Latinized name Carolus Linnaeus (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish scientist who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of taxonomy. ... 1771 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Big cat refers to the medium-to-large wild felids of The Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. ... World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. ... Central America is the region of North America located between the southern border of Mexico and the northwest border of Colombia, in South America. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Quechua (Quechua, Runa Simi) is an American Indian language native to South America and related to Aymará, both members of the Quechumaran linguistic stock. ... Melanism is an increased amount of black or nearly black pigmentation (as of skin, feathers, or hair) of an individual or kind of organism. ... Binomial name Panthera pardus (Linnaeus, 1758) Leopards (Panthera pardus) are one of the four big cats of the genus Panthera. ... Binomial name Panthera onca (Linnaeus, 1758) The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a large member of the cat family native to South and Central America. ...

Genetically, pumas are more closely related to leopards than to lions. There is a considerable variation in color and size of these animals across their large range of habitats. Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The Lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae. ...

Subspecies

The Florida panther is a rare subspecies of puma that lives in the swamps of southern Florida in the United States, especially in the Everglades. There is currently a widespread effort in Florida to try to save the remaining population of the state's native panthers, as their numbers are extremely sparse. In taxonomy, a subspecies is the taxon immediately subordinate to a species. ... A freshwater swamp swamp (disambiguation) A swamp is a wetland that features permanent inundation of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water, generally with a substantial number of hummocks, or dry-land protrusions. ... State nickname: Sunshine State, Everglade State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... An Anhinga perched on the boardwalk railing The Florida Everglades is a subtropical marshland located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, specifically in parts of Monroe, Collier, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, and Broward counties. ...

Population and distribution

Before the modern human population explosion in the Americas, the puma ranged across most of the Americas. Even now, it has the largest range of any New World land animal, spanning 110 degrees of latitude, from northern British Columbia (in Canada) to the southern Andes (on both the Chilean and Argentinian sides). Overpopulation may indicate any case in which the population of any species of animal may exceed the carrying capacity of its ecological niche. ... The Americas is an alternative name in the English language for the continent of America, to distinguish it from the United States of America, which is often just called America. ... The New World is one of the names used for the continents of North and South America and adjacent islands collectively, in use since the 16th century. ... This article describes degree as a unit of angle. ... Latitude, denoted by the Greek letter φ, gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the Equator. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Splendour without diminishment) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Area 944,735 km² (5th)  - Land 925,186 km²  - Water 19,549 km² (2. ... Note that the geology in this article currently reflects views from the first decade of the 20th century. ... Argentina is a Spanish-speaking country in southern South America, situated between the Atlantic Ocean in the east. ...

Puma populations of the United States and Canada

Hunted almost to extinction in the United States, the puma has made a dramatic comeback, with an estimated 30,000 individuals in the western United States. In Canada, pumas are found west of the prairies, in Alberta and British Columbia. Motto: Fortis et Liber (Strong and free) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ralph Klein (PC) Area 661,848 km² (6th)  - Land 642,317 km²  - Water 19,531 km² (2. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Splendour without diminishment) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Area 944,735 km² (5th)  - Land 925,186 km²  - Water 19,549 km² (2. ...

Pumas are gradually extending their range to the east, following creeks and riverbeds, and have reached Missouri and Michigan. It is anticipated that they will soon expand their range over the entire eastern and southern United States. There are continuing reports of the survival of a remnant population of the Eastern Cougar in New Brunswick, Ontario, and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec. Creek can be: A native American tribe, see Creek (people) The language of that tribe, see Creek language In US and Australian usage, a waterflow, smaller than a river, see Creek (stream) In UK usage, a tidal watercourse, usually drying to little or no flow at low tide, see Creek... Missouri, named after the Missouri Siouan Indian tribe meaning canoe, is a Midwestern state of the United States with Jefferson City as its capital. ... State nickname: Wolverine State or Great Lakes State Other U.S. States Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Governor Jennifer Granholm Official languages English Area 250,941 km² (11th)  - Land 147,255 km²  - Water 103,687 km² (41. ... Motto: Spem reduxit (Hope was restored) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Fredericton Largest city Saint John Lieutenant Governor Herménégilde Chiasson Premier Bernard Lord (PC) Area 72,908 km² (8th)  - Land 71,450 km²  - Water 1,458 km² (2. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Area 1,076,395 km² (4th)  - Land 917,741 km²  - Water 158,654 km² (14. ... The Gaspé Peninsula or just the Gaspé (la Gaspésie in French) is a North American peninsula on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River, in Quebec. ... ...

Due to urbanization in the urban-wildland interface, pumas often come into contact with people, especially in areas with a large population of deer, their natural prey. They have also begun preying on pets, such as dogs and cats, and livestock, but have rarely turned to people as a source of food. Genera About 15 in 4 subfamilies. ... A pet or companion animal is an animal that is kept by humans for companionship and enjoyment, rather than for economic reasons. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The Dog is a canine carnivorous mammal that has been domesticated for at least 14,000 years and perhaps for as long as 150,000 years based on recent evidence. ... Trinomial name Felis silvestris catus Schreber, 1775 The cat (also called domestic cat or house cat) is a small feline carnivorous mammal. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ...

There are an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 pumas in California and an estimated 4,500 to 5,000 in Colorado. State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... This is the article on the state. ...

Puma, photographed in the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona

Mountain Lion (Puma) in the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona. ... Mountain Lion (Puma) in the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona. ... The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is one of the most visited attractions in Tucson, Arizona. ...

Physical characteristics

Pumas are tawny-colored with black-tipped ears and tail. The puma can run as fast as 30 mph (50 km/h), jump 20 ft (6 m) from a standing position, vertically leap 8 ft (2.5 m), and often weigh more than 150 pounds (70 kg). Their bite strength is more powerful than that of any domestic dog. Puma claws are retractable and they have four toes. Adult males may be more than eight feet long (nose to tail), and weigh about 150 pounds (70 kg). In exceptional cases males may reach as much as 200 pounds. Adult females can be 7 ft (2 m) long and weigh about 75 pounds (35 kg). Puma kittens have brownish-blackish spots and rings on their tails. Their life span is about a decade in the wild and 25 years or more in captivity.

Pumas that live closest to the equator are the smallest, and increase in size in populations closer to the poles. The equator is an imaginary line drawn around a planet, halfway between the poles. ...

Behavior

Pumas normally hunt large mammals, such as deer and elk, but will eat small animals, such as beavers, porcupines or even mice, if the need arises. They hunt alone and ambush their prey, often from behind. They usually kill with a bite at the base of the skull to break the neck of their target. The carcass of the kill is usually then buried or partially covered to protect it for several days, while the puma continues to roam and comes back for nourishment as needed. Adult males tend to claim a 100 mile² (250 km²) stretch for their territory; adult females take 20 to 60 mile² (50 to 150 km²) on average; however their ranges can vary from as much as 370 mile² (1,000 km²) to as little as 10 mile² (25 km²). Genera About 15 in 4 subfamilies. ... The word Elk has several possible meanings: In Europe, Elk is the animal known in North America as the Moose (Alces alces). ... Binomial name Castor canadensis Kuhl, 1820 The American Beaver (Castor canadensis) is a large semi-aquatic rodent native to Canada, most of the United States and parts of northern Mexico. ... Binomial name Erethizon dorsatum Linnaeus, 1758 The North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), also known as Canadian Porcupine, is a large rodent in the New World porcupine family. ...

A male may breed with several females. Female pumas usually have 3 or 4 kittens in a den in a rocky location. If a male puma invades the territory of another male, he may kill the kittens of resident females so that they will become receptive to mating.

Melanistic form of Jaguar (Panthera onca), a larger relative of the puma.

Melanistic form of Jaguar (Panthera onca), a larger relative of the Puma. ... Melanistic form of Jaguar (Panthera onca), a larger relative of the Puma. ...

Attacks on humans

Attacks on humans are rare, but do occur — especially as humans encroach on wildlands and impact the availability of the puma's traditional prey. There were around 100 puma attacks on humans in the USA and Canada during the period from 1890 to January 2004, with 16 fatalities; figures for California were 14 attacks and 6 fatalities. Attacks by puma on humans and pets are associated with urban areas situated in the wildland urban intermix such as the Boulder, Colorado area which have encouraged the traditional prey of the puma, the mule deer, to habituate to urban areas and the presence of people and pets. Pumas in such circumstances may come to lose their fear of both people and dogs and come to see them as prey. 1890 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pearl Street Mall in Downtown Boulder Boulder (40n01, 105w16 MST) is a city located in Boulder County, Colorado, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 94,673. ... Binomial name Odocoileus hemionus (C. S. Rafinesque, 1817) The Mule Deer (Odocoileus hermionus ) is a deer whose habitat is in the western half of North America. ... Habituation is an example of non-associative learning in which there is a progressive diminution of behavioral response probability with repetition of a stimulus. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The Dog is a canine carnivorous mammal that has been domesticated for at least 14,000 years and perhaps for as long as 150,000 years based on recent evidence. ...

On January 8, 2004 a puma killed and partly ate a mountain biker in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in Orange County, California; what is assumed to be the same animal attacked another mountain biker in the park the following day, but was fought off by other bikers. A young male puma was shot nearby by rangers later in the day. January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Mountain biking (Mountain bicycling) is a form of offroad cycling which uses very sturdy bicycles (the mountain bike or cross-country bike) with (usually) straight handlebars and wide tires. ... This is an article about the county in California. ...

Puma safety tips

These safety tips were provided by the California Department of Fish and Game and compiled for the Orange County Register by news researcher M. Doss: The Orange County Register is a daily newspaper published in Santa Ana, California. ...

• Do not hike alone; go in groups with adults supervising children.
• If you are confronted by a mountain lion, do not run; that might stimulate a lion's instinct to chase. Instead, stand and face the animal, make eye contact.
• Pick up young children, without bending or turning from the lion if possible.
• Do not crouch down or bend over; you may appear like ordinary four-legged prey to the lion instead of a human.
• Do all you can to appear larger; raise your arms, open your jacket, throw stones, branches.
• Fight back if attacked. Mountain lions have been repelled with rocks, sticks, garden tools, kicks, and bare hands.
• the best place to hit a mountain lion is on the nose.
• Remove dense and low-lying vegetation that provide good hiding places for mountain lions.
• Install motion-sensitive outdoor lighting.
• Keep pets from roaming, and don't feed pets outside.

Jogging and running on wildland trails can be particularly hazardous since such runners are likely to be less attentive to the surroundings and the motion can trigger a "chase and kill" reflex in the animal.

Further reading

• David Baron, Beast in the Garden: A Modern Parable of Man and Nature, W. W. Norton, November, 2003, hardcover, 320 pages, ISBN 0393058077

External links

• Ontario Puma Foundation (http://www.ontariopuma.ca)
• Cat Specialist Group: Puma (Puma concolor) (http://lynx.uio.no/catfolk/puma-01.htm)
• The Mountain Lion aka Cougar and Puma (http://www.mortay.com/Cougar/Lion.shtml)
• Mountain Lion Foundation of Texas (http://www.mountainlions-texas.org/)
• Mountain Lion Foundation of California (http://www.mountainlion.org/)
• Hinterland's Who's Who: Cougar (http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?pid=1&id=87&cid=8)
• Mountain Lion Attacks On People in the U.S. and Canada (http://tchester.org/sgm/lists/lion_attacks.html)
• Mountain Lion Attacks (http://users.frii.com/mytymyk/lions/intro.htm)
• Florida Panther Net (http://www.panther.state.fl.us/)
• Southern California Puma Project (http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/whc/scp/mnt_lion.htm)
• Cougars in Canada (http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/Magazine/mj04/indepth/)
• San Diego Zoo "Animal Bytes" (http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-puma.html) - overview and pictures