Cougar
- This page is about the species. There is also a person named Cougar.
The Cougar (Puma concolor, formerly Felis concolor), also known as a puma, mountain lion, catamount and panther, is a medium-sized feline (typically 8 feet [2.5 meters] long and 150 pounds [70 kilos] in weight for males, with females being somewhat smaller), which are native to North, Central, and South America, and they sport a sandy-brown fur, with distinctive black and white facial markings along with a black tail tip. It is a large cat native to the Americas, second only in size to the stockier jaguar. They are not technically grouped with the "true" big cats, as they are slightly smaller than other big cats, and they lack the vocal physiology to roar.
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Etymology[edit]
The word cougar is borrowed from the Portuguese çuçuarana, via French; which was initially derived from the extinct Brazilian Tupi language. The species holds the Guinness record for the animal with the greatest number of names, with over 40 in English alone.[1]
Puma is the most commonly used name in Latin America and most parts of Europe. The term puma is also sometimes used in the United States. The first use of puma in English dates to 1777, introduced from Spanish from the Quechua language. In the western United States and Canada, it is also called "mountain lion", a name first used in writing in 1858. Other names include "panther" (although it does not belong to the genus Panthera) and "catamount" (meaning "cat of the mountains").
Subspecies[edit]
- Puma concolor concolor - South American cougar
- Puma concolor couguar - North American cougar
- Eastern cougar (extinct)
- Florida panther
- Puma concolor costaricensisis - Costa Rican cougar
Diet[edit]
Like most other members of the cat family, the cougar is a carnivore. It preys on deer, elk, moose, guanacos, vicuñas, mountain goats and bighorn sheep. It can also take down other prey such as rodents, lagomorphs, raccoons, birds, and peccaries.
Cougars in mainstream culture and religion[edit]
- Big Kitten - A Dog's Way Home
- Louie the Mountain Lion - A Walt Disney Company character
- Fang (Fred Sykes) - A character in Disney Television Animation's animated series, Gargoyles
- Pete Puma - A Warner Bros. character
- Miss Cougar - A character in Warner Bros. Television's animated series, the New Looney Tunes
- Snagglepuss - A mountain lion character, originally a Hanna-Barbera Productions property, now part of WB
- Klandagi (Lord of the Forest) - Cherokee deity
Cougar and furry[edit]
Cougars are one of the most common large felines in the furry fandom, along with lions and tigers.
The best known cougar furry artist is OG artist, Ken Sample, whose fursona is also a cougar. Other cougar artists include Calicougar, Chuck Davies, and Michelle Light, and furry friendly artist, Nanook123.
Cougar characters in the fandom[edit]
- Unicugar and Anacugar (Darcugar Henchettes)
- P'Tar the Catarian - A cougar taur character in artist Shawntae Howard's comic, Extinctioners
See also[edit]
Did you know?: Cougar was, originally, a 1999 Canadian slang term used to describe an older woman who seeks romantic or sexual relationships with significantly younger men, women, or both.
References[edit]
- ↑ Mammal with the most names entry on the Guinness' website. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
External links[edit]
- Cougar search results in DeviantArt
- Cougar search results in Fur Affinity
 This species stub needs improving.
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