Natural history of the puma

Although pumas resemble the domestic cat, they are about the same size as an adult human. Pumas are slender and agile cats. Adults stand about 60 to 80 cm (2.0 to 2.7 ft) tall at the shoulders. The length of adult males is around 2.4 m (8 ft) long nose to tail, overall ranges between 1.5 and 2.75 meters (5 and 9 feet) nose to tail suggested for the species in general. Males have an average weight of about 53 to 72 kilograms (115 to 160 pounds). In rare cases, some may reach over 120 kg (260 lb). Female average weight is between 34 and 48 kg (75 and 105 lb).

Hunting and diet
A successful generalist predator, the puma will eat any animal it can catch, from insects to large ungulates. Like all cats, it is an obligate carnivore, feeding only on meat. Its most important prey species are various deer species, particularly in North America; mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, and even the large moose are taken by the cat. A survey of North America research found 68% of prey items were ungulates, especially deer.

In the Central and South American puma range, the ratio of deer in the diet declines. Small to mid-size mammals are preferred, including large rodents such as the capybara. Ungulates accounted for only 35% of prey items in one survey, approximately half that of North America. Competition with the larger jaguar has been suggested for the decline in the size of prey items. Other listed prey species of the puma include mice, porcupine, and hares. Birds and small reptiles are sometimes preyed upon in the south, but this is rarely recorded in North America

Though capable of sprinting, the puma is typically an ambush predator. It stalks through brush and trees, across ledges, or other covered spots, before delivering a powerful leap onto the back of its prey and a suffocating neck bite. It has a flexible spine which aids its killing technique.

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Page author: Stefan Austermühle

Reproduction and lifecycle
Females reach sexual maturity between one-and-a-half and three years of age. They typically average one litter every two to three years throughout their reproductive life. Females are sometimes reported as monogamous, but this is uncertain and polygyny may be more common.

Only females are involved in parenting. Female pumas are fiercely protective of their kittens, and have been seen to successfully fight off animals as large as grizzly bears in their defense. Litter size is between one and six kittens, typically two or three. Caves and other alcoves which offer protection are used as litter dens. Born blind, kittens are completely dependent on their mother at first, and begin to be weaned at around three months of age. As they grow, they begin to go out on forays with their mother, first visiting kill sites, and after six months beginning to hunt small prey on their own. Kitten survival rates are just over one per litter.

Sub-adults leave their mother to attempt to establish their own territory at around two years of age and sometimes earlier; males tend to leave sooner. Studies have shown high morbidity amongst pumas that travel farthest from the maternal range, often due to conflicts with other pumas (“intraspecific” conflict). Research in New Mexico has shown that “males dispersed significantly farther than females, were more likely to traverse large expanses of non-puma habitat, and were probably most responsible for nuclear gene flow between habitat patches.”

Life expectancy in the wild is reported at between 8 to 13 years, and probably averages 8 to 10; a female of at least 18 years was reported killed by hunters on Vancouver Island. Pumas may live as long as 20 years in captivity. Causes of death in the wild include disability and disease, competition with other cougars, starvation, accidents, and, where allowed, human hunting. Feline immunodeficiency virus, an endemic AIDS-like disease in cats, is well-adapted to the cougar.

Social structure and home range
Like almost all cats, the puma is a solitary animal. Only mothers and kittens live in groups, with adults meeting only to mate. It is secretive and crepuscular, being most active around dawn and dusk.
Estimates of territory sizes vary greatly. Home range sizes and overall puma abundance depend on terrain, vegetation, and prey abundance. Canadian Geographic reports large male territories of 150 to 1000 square kilometers (58 to 386 sq mi) with female ranges half the size. Other research suggests a much smaller lower limit of 25 km² (10 sq mi) but an even greater upper limit of 1300 km² (500 sq mi) for males. Male ranges may include or overlap with those of females but, at least where studied, not with those of other males, which serves to reduce conflict between pumas. Ranges of females may overlap slightly with each other. Scrape marks, urine, and feces are used to mark territory and attract mates. Males may scrape together a small pile of leaves and grasses and then urinate on it as a way of marking territory.

Attacks on humans
Attacks on humans are rare, as puma prey recognition is a learned behavior and they do not generally recognize humans as prey. Pumas avoid humans and incidents of them killing people are extremely rare. Argentinean folk tales emphasize the harmless nature of the puma. Attacks on people, livestock, and pets may occur when the cat habituates to humans. Most of the reported cases of pumas attacking people in North America have not been verified. The ones which have, involved ill, injured or immature animals. There has been recent publicity of an increase in puma attacks on humans. In the United States and Canada there were seven documented attacks in the 1980’s. In 1990 there were three.
As with many predators, a puma may attack if cornered, if a fleeing human being stimulates its instinct to chase, or if a person “plays dead”. Exaggerating the threat to the animal through intense eye contact, loud but calm shouting, and any other action to appear larger and more menacing, may make the animal retreat. Fighting back with sticks and rocks, or even bare hands, is often effective in spurring an attacking cougar to disengage.

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Natural history of the puma