Puma

The puma (Puma concolor) is a type of predator-feline found in North, Central, and South America. Even though it is large in size this cat can purr and is therefore considered a small cat. It is more closely related to the common house cat than to the african lion. 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 North America, particularly 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. In Europe and Asia, panther means leopard and can refer to either the spotted or black leopard. In South America, panther refers to the jaguar and can refer to either the spotted or black jaguar.

Behavior

Pumas can kill and drag prey about 7 times their own weight. They 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).

Related Topics:
Deer - Elk - Beaver - Porcupine

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

Related Topics:
1890 - 2004 - Wildland urban intermix - Boulder, Colorado - Mule deer - Habituate - Dog

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

Related Topics:
January 8 - Mountain biker - Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park - Orange County, California

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pumas cannot be hunted in California except under very specific circumstances. This, as well as the extinction in California of the wolf and brown bear, has allowed the puma to greatly increase its numbers, as there are usually no longer any competing predators able to steal a puma's kill, though a few black bears may be strong enough to do so.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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:

Related Topics:
California Department of Fish and Game - The Orange County Register

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• 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.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~