Canyon Country Animals
Mammals: Mountain Lion
Scientific Name: Felis concolor
A very large, slender cat with a small head and rounded ears; up to 7-8 feet tip-to-tip and can weigh well over 100 pounds. Lions are tannish or grayish in color, with white under parts. The long tail has a black tip. Their habitat is mostly desert or forest mountain ranges with rough canyons and rocky escarpments. They are found in chaparral, forest, and desert scrub. They are a large carnivore who preys on deer, javelina, desert sheep, elk, and smaller mammals.
One litter of 2-3 kittens is born in spring. Lions may live to 15 years in the wild. Males will kill kittens found within their territory.
Mountain lions (sometimes called puma, cougar, catamount, and panther) roam throughout the Intermountain West and the southwest deserts. They roam far and wide to locate prey, which is most often mule deer, but also livestock, pronghorns, porcupines, and rabbits. They are a normal and very important part of the ecosystem and help to keep deer populations in check. They are a shy and secretive animal and your chances of encountering a mountain lion are small. But it is wise to be prepared. There have been instances of cougars attacking humans. Humans can be either the predator or the prey of cougars. See Mountain Lion Attack for more information.
Generally, mountain lions are calm, quiet, and elusive. Sightings are rare, you'll be lucky to see tracks, so if you spot one, consider yourself privileged.
Photos
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Notes
The photo to the right was taken at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum near Tucson, Arizona. It is not a Mountain Lion, but I am not sure what type of desert wild cat these are. Although we have not had the opportunity to meet a Mountain Lion out in the wilds, we did get to see a large Bobcat cross the road in Dinosaur National Monument on one occasion.
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