The cougar, known by many names including mountain lion, puma, and catamount, is a large, solitary wild cat inhabiting diverse environments across the Americas. Its range extends from the Yukon in Canada down to the Andes in South America, making it the most widespread wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. These adaptable felines possess impressive hunting capabilities, allowing them to thrive in various habitats, from dense forests and mountainous regions to deserts and open grasslands.
Understanding the Cougar’s Position
Cougars are apex predators, positioned at the top of the food chain. Healthy adult cougars generally have no natural predators that consistently hunt them for food. While very young, elderly, or significantly injured cougars might occasionally be vulnerable to larger carnivores like grizzly bears, black bears, or wolf packs, such occurrences are exceptions rather than routine predation.
Causes of Cougar Mortality
Human activities represent the most frequent cause of cougar deaths. Legal hunting, including trophy hunting, remains a factor. Vehicle collisions are another significant source of mortality, especially in fragmented or urbanizing landscapes where cougars cross roads. Habitat loss and fragmentation, driven by human expansion, force cougars into closer contact with people, leading to conflicts and sometimes lethal removal under depredation permits.
Beyond human impacts, cougars can succumb to natural causes such as disease and injury. Illnesses, infections, or severe injuries from prey or accidents can prove fatal. Intraspecific aggression, particularly territorial battles between male cougars, can also result in fatal injuries. After a cougar dies from any of these causes, its carcass may be scavenged by other animals like bears, wolves, coyotes, or vultures, but this is distinct from being actively hunted and killed as prey.
The Cougar’s Role as a Hunter
Cougars are hypercarnivores, meaning their diet consists almost exclusively of meat, primarily large ungulates. Their main prey includes deer, such as mule deer and white-tailed deer, as well as elk, moose, and bighorn sheep. They are ambush predators, stalking their prey before delivering a powerful leap and a suffocating bite.
When larger prey is scarce, cougars will opportunistically hunt smaller animals. This can include rodents, rabbits, raccoons, and even birds or insects. By preying on ungulate populations, cougars play a role in maintaining the health and balance of their ecosystems. This regulation of prey numbers helps prevent overgrazing and supports the overall biodiversity within their habitats.