Puma concolor
Pumas, or mountain lions, or cougars, or panthers, live in various habitats of the North, Central, and South America, away from populated areas. The ones at equatorial latitudes are the smallest, but their sizes increase as we approach the Poles. Contrary to popular belief, there are no black panthers; no one has ever captured or killed a black mountain lion. They are among the largest predators of that continent (together with jaguars), preying on almost anything: from moose and caribou, to squirrels, mice, and other rodents, coyotes, and birds, to fish and even snails! Naturaly, they attack domestic animals too, when they get the chance. They are solitary creatures, with different summer and winter home areas.
The above picture was taken in Louisville zoo, in May 2001. That puma was sleeping all the time, then got up leisurely, stretched, we took the picture, and it went back to sleep.
The following picture was taken at the Parque Jaime Duque, Colombia.
Family Felidae
Superfamily Feloidea
Order Carnivora
Subclass Eutheria
Class Mammalia
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Life on Earth
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