Puma illustration © Bruce Pearson from the Collins Guide to Rare Mammals of the World.

Puma Puma concolor

The Puma, also known as the Cougar or Mountain Lion, has two colouring phases: brown and grey. Pumas vary in size, with the smallest animals occurring at the tropics. The typical body length is 1 to 1.9 metres.

Pumas have been hunted as they are regarded as a threat to livestock. Pumas are classed as extinct or very rare in North America and are considerably reduced in other parts of their range. The Puma is therefore classified as Least Concern by IUCN. (See IUCN Red List of Threatened Species for more information on the classification of the Puma.)

A Puma photographed by WLT supporter Terry McManus. See a larger image (Use your back button to return here.)

Help Protect the Habitat of Pumas and other Wildlife

Pumas occur in the following WLT project areas:

• Ranch of Hopes Costal Steppe in Patagonia;
• Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil;
• Atlantic Rainforest in Argentina;
• Cloud, decidous and evergreen forests in Mexico;
• Dry Chaco in Paraguay.

To help protect habitat for Pumas, support WLT's projects.

More Information on pumas

• The occurrence of pumas can usually be determined from footprints, kills and faeces, while the animal itself remains elusive. However, pumas have occasionally been spotted on the Patagonia reserve. Read more in: Elusive Puma sighted.
• Find more information on the Puma on ARKive: Images of life on Earth