Puma

 

This week’s big cat is the puma which is also known as the cougar, panther or mountain lion that can be found in Cananda, North America and parts of South America. Although they are not considered big cats

The puma has a small has a small, broad head with small round ears and long hind legs and a tail with a black tip, it has a powerful body.

An adult puma may have either a grey or reddish-yellow in colour, it’s fur is fawn-grey tipped with reddish-brown or greyish in colour. It has no spots which is one of the main differences between a puma and a jaguar. They can also be black in colour.

While on the hunt, the puma uses the strength of its powerful back legs to lunge at its prey with a simple leap while it is still running. They like to keep under cover while stalking its prey, when it pounces it will grip its preys neck breaking the neck or dragging it to the ground.

They like to hunt alone by day or night and will hide its food in dense undergrowth returning to it over several days. Large prey like elk may provide food for over a week. It can also attack cows and horses; this is the main reason man hunts them.

They can't roar. They instead produce low-pitched hisses, growls, purrs, as well as chirps and whistles, many of which are comparable to those of domestic cats.

Pumas are rarely dangerous for humans, though attacks are more common in human-dominated landscapes. For that reason, there are more attacks in the United States than in Patagonia, where pumas tend to live in wild, unspoiled places. Attacks on pets and livestock (for instance sheep) might happen in some areas.