Pumas (Puma concolor), also known as mountain lions or cougars, are magnificent and elusive big cats native to the Americas.

With their sleek bodies, powerful limbs, and distinctive facial features, pumas are superbly adapted predators, capable of hunting a wide range of prey including deer, small mammals, and occasionally livestock.

 

They have the widest distribution of any wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, inhabiting diverse habitats from forests and mountains to deserts and grasslands.

 

Pumas are solitary and elusive, typically avoiding humans and preferring to hunt under the cover of darkness. They are renowned for their agility and athleticism, capable of leaping impressive distances and climbing trees with ease.

 

Despite their wide range, pumas face threats such as habitat loss, fragmentation, and conflicts with humans, leading to localized declines in some populations. Conservation efforts aim to protect critical habitat and mitigate human-puma conflicts to ensure the long-term survival of these iconic predators.