Cougar
Puma concolor
The Cougar, the great fighter of the Americas
The puma (Puma concolor), also called mountain lion, is one of the biggest cats on the American continent. Present from Canada to southern Chile, it adapts to a wide variety of habitats: tropical rainforests, rocky mountains...
This remarkable ability to adapt makes it a true symbol of New World wildlife.
Classified as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN, the mountain lion remains generally stable, even if some populations are weakened by habitat fragmentation or conflicts with human activities.
This athletic feline is up to 2.5 meters long (including tail) and weighs between 35 and 70 kg. Its uniform beige coat is an excellent camouflage in its environment. Its long legs and tail give it balance and agility, making it a very effective hunter.
Its diet is strictly carnivorous. In the wild, it feeds mainly on deer, rodents, armadillos and other medium-sized mammals.
It is a solitary animal, which only gets close to its congeners during the breeding season. The female gives birth after about 90 days of gestation, giving birth to 2 to 4 spotted pups. The young stay with their mother for several months, learning the hunting techniques essential to their survival.
.svg)
Quelques anecdotes
An exceptional hunter
The cougar can leap up to 6 meters high and 12 meters in length in a single jump. Its muscular legs and its long tail, which it uses as a pendulum, make it a formidable acrobat. Its very keen hearing and legendary discretion make him one of the most effective hunters in the animal kingdom.
Namundha, the female cougar from the Zoo
At the Guadeloupe Zoo, it is Namundha, a female born in captivity, who represents her species. Known for her calm and her piercing eyes, she is very popular with healers. Her presence raises public awareness about the preservation of Latin American felines, alongside Gringo The ocelot And Jaguars.
.svg){kind=small}
