Mountain Lions, Cougars and Pumas are all names for this cat. Their tails are half the length of their head and body. Tawny in color, averaging in length between 6 feet 7 1/2 inches to 7 feet 9 inches. Weighing approximately 118 pounds to 184 pounds. These cats can jump from a sitting position, straight up about 20 feet. Cougars are the only large cat that actually purrs.

They formerly lived in just about any type of habitat, however, because of continued persecution, they are not common except in remote, thinly populated areas.

They are shy in nature and nocturnal by habit. Their main source of food is deer. Although they occasionally graze on grass.

Unprovoked attacks on man are far less common than those of the domesticated bull. Unless cornered, the cougar will avoid contact with humans. However, respect and caution is recommended. Although they spend much of their time on the ground, they are adept at climbing trees, and often do so when persued by dogs.

Their preferences are rocky canyons, escarpments, rimrocks or dense brush. They normally avoid heavily timbered areas.

Cougars seldom use caves as dens. They prefer to use an area under an overhanging ledge, a crevice in a cliff, a cavity in a pile of rocks or under the roots of a tree, a badger burrow, or dense thicket.