puma

Large wild cat Felis concolar found in North and South America. Tawny-coated, it is 1.5 m/4.5 ft long with a 1-m/3-ft tail. Pumas live alone, with each male occupying a distinct territory; they eat deer, rodents, and cattle. Pumas need large territories, with females maintaining up to 100 sq km and males even more. Two to four cubs are born and will remain with the mother till they are 18–24 months old (they are completely weaned at six months).

Although in some areas they have been hunted nearly to extinction, in California puma populations have grown, with numbers reaching an estimated 5,000–6,000 by 1996.