The Cougar, also known as mountain lion and puma, is Canada’s largest and most powerful wildcat. In the wild, cat-puma lives up to 20 years. They have been absent from this state since the late 1800s; however, there have been a few isolated sightings. The Eastern cougar is protected as an endan-gered species in North Carolina. It is thought that by 1900, the Eastern cougar was extirpat-ed throughout North Carolina. There are approximately 20 recognized geographic races of the cougar throughout its range. In the wild, their lifespan is about half that. The North American cougar (Puma concolor couguar) is a cougar subspecies in North America.It was once common in eastern North America, and is still prevalent in the western half of the continent. They are dark reddish-or yellowish-brown dorsally, lighter ventrally, the tail tip is dark, and the fur is short, soft and unspotted. 6. According to the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, sightings of the cougar were reported in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests, the Blue Ridge Parkway, northern portions of Uwharrie National Forest and southeastern counties. Adult cougars often choose life alone, exceptions are mothers with kittens and couples of the mating season. More than 300 cougar sightings have been reported in West Virginia since 1975, according to the Eastern Puma Research Network. Without a confirmed trace indicating the big cats' continued existence on record since the late 30s, the U.S. Mountain lions are common in the western United States, but both the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and the U.S. Puma, panther, cougar and mountain lion are different names for the same species of big cat that can be found from Canada to the southern tip of South America. Males can reach up to two metres in length and weigh over 60 kilograms. Cougars have a maximum known lifespan of 18 years. Cougars were extirpated from the eastern and central parts of North America within 200 years following European colonization, expect of remnant subpopulation in south Florida. Puma, (Puma concolor), also called mountain lion, cougar, panther (eastern U.S.), or catamount (archaic), large brownish New World cat comparable in size to the jaguar—the only other large cat of the Western Hemisphere.The puma, a member of the family Felidae, has the widest distribution of any New World mammal, with a range extending from southeastern Alaska to southern Argentina and Chile. Eastern cougars (mountain lions) do not have a native, self sustaining population in New York State. Some scientists think that the Florida panther is actually an eastern cougar while others feel it is a separate subspecies. They also eat moose,mountain goats,coyotes,bear cubs,porcupines, birds ,and mice are also want it eats.A cougar needs to eat about 9 pounds of meat a day. This member of the big cat family, noticeable for its large size, long tail, and tan colour was actually referred to by a number of different names, including: catamount, puma, cougar, painter, and mountain lion. Some say that females live for fewer years due to the stress of having and raising cubs. Each sighting involved cougars that are not native to New York. The last confirmed records of the Eastern Cougar’s existence were in 1938 in Maine. Bag limit. The hotline and website will be updated weekly beginning Jan. 1. Description Although classified as a member of the small cat family because of its skull and eye structure, the cougar is quite a large animal, the largest of all other Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. “Eastern cougars are not a distinct species genetically. This subspecies includes populations in western Canada, the western United States, Florida, Mexico and Central America, and possibly South America northwest of the Andes Mountains. eastern cougar (=puma) (Puma (=Felis) concolor cougar) Characteristics. When a cougar is in captivity, the animal can live for as long as 20 years. In the mid-1900s, cougar sightings were rare but still occurred in remote areas. Although no breeding population of eastern cougar was known in 1982, Service biologists at that time believed it was possible that the eastern cougar still survived in a few remote areas of its historical range. An animal cougar is able to adapt to life in any locality. The Cherokee lived in the Appalachian Mountain region. The total length of this species is 5-9 feet (cylindrical tail 2-3 feet) and it weighs from 100-200 pounds. Mission statement: To facilitate the recovery of the cougar in suitable wild habitat east of the Rocky Mountains.Read More. Cougar is a skilled hunter and an excellent predator. Researchers disagree about which sex lives longer. Welcome to Cougar Country Some things you should know about Cougars. In the wild, adult male cougars typically live until 10 to 12 years of age while females live somewhat longer. Adult males weigh up to 200 pounds (about the weight of an adult man), and adult females up to 120 pounds. Read, download and publish Eastern Cougar magazines, eBooks for Free at FlipHTML5.com. Eastern Cougar Sightings Mountain Lions in New York. 7. Mountain lions are now fairly common in suburban areas of California and have recently been sighted as far east as urban Kansas City, Missouri, where several have been hit by cars. Meat eaters, eastern cougars used to prey on animals such as deer, small mammals, and wild pigs. Why did the Service write a recovery plan for the eastern cougar in 1982 when biologists believed the subspecies was extinct? Cougar Rewilding Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, science-based, volunteer-run conservation organization dedicated to the recovery of cougars (pumas, mountain lions) to all of their former range east of the Rockies. One cougar per license year. How big is the cougar population in the States? The federal Fish & Wildlife Service removed the eastern cougar from the Endangered Species List last year, and reclassified them as an extinct subspecies after a four-year review. However, there is a report of one captive cougar that lived to be 29. They have also not received any credible pictures or biological samples of mountain lions east of the Mississippi. The Iroquois lived in the northern part of the eastern woodland area and consisted of many tribes including the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga and Seneca tribes. Due to the lack of evidence in the past, biologists are now wondering if there was ever a subspecies of eastern cougar or maybe that there was just an eastern population of cougar (same species as found in the west). The eastern cougar is known by many names-panther, painter, puma, mountain lion, or carcajou. They built longhouses to live in and multiple families lived in each home. Cougar kittens have black spots until they are about 6 months old. Today, whitetail deer populations have rebounded over much of the cougar's former range and a few animals have appeared in more eastern states such as Missouri and Arkansas. Fish and Wildlife Service. Interactive Eastern Cougar publications. Usually a shy cat, the cougar prefers to stalk its prey and is rarely ever a threat to people. The eastern cougar (Puma concolor couguar) used to be seen in remote areas of the state. In South Carolina it is thought that the cougars occurring here were of both the eastern race (Felis concolor cougar) and the Florida race (Felis concolor coryi). It is officially listed as an endangered species by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and receives full protection in Nova Scotia. How long do cougars live for? News that the eastern cougar has gone extinct is capturing headlines today. Who We Are. “However, it is pretty well accepted that there are no cougars living in the east … Cougars live all across Utah, from the High Uintas wilderness to the dry southern deserts. Cougar hunters can verify if the season is open or closed by calling the toll free cougar hunting hotline (866-364-4868) or visiting the department's website. The Eastern Mountain Lion foundation is a science based advocacy group dedicated to restoring the mountain lion to the east and collect sightings and stories of mountain lions. Though the government states the species is extinct, hundreds of sightings are still reported on a daily basis, particularly after the 2011 sighting of a mountain lion in Greenwich, Conn. Mountain lion sightings in eastern North America, outside of southern Florida, are still more likely to be escaped or abandoned "pet" mountain lions or other large cats. The cougar (Puma concolor, also called mountain lion, panther, and puma) once roamed across most of North America, but human persecution has now almost completely eradicated the species from all areas but the western regions of Canada, the United States, and Mexico.The only eastern U.S. state with a known breeding population is Florida. The cougar has clung on in the USA despite extermination attempts that eliminated it from about two-thirds of its range in the country during the 20th century, including most of the east. Please take care to prevent cougars from becoming nuisance animals by not feeding wildlife on your property and keeping your pets indoors.. A combination of mass cougar huntings, deforestation, and market deer hunting contributed to the decline of the eastern cougar population and their near extinction by 1900. The eastern cougar was placed on the endangered species list, but its status is unknown. The cougar, Puma concolor, is known as the mountain lion, puma, catamount, screamer or panther. Cougar Cache Site by Toni Ruth. Eastern cougars were declared extinct in 2011. If for some reason there were any cougars rediscovered in the east that weren’t migrants from the west, the protection status is up to the state in which it is found,” LaRue said. Adult Cougars have short fur that is brown or greyish (sometimes reddish) over most of the body, with a white chest and belly. The number of reports were enough to place the cougar on the 1973 Endangered Species Act. 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