Also known as cougars, mountain lions are solitary felines and rare to glimpse in the wild. These wild cats feed on meat, and in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, they depend largely on elk and mule deer. Full grown males can weigh up to 220 lbs. Females are smaller, weighing in at around 120 lbs. Unlike other large cats around the world, cougars don’t roar – they can purr, and also make a loud, scream-like cry.
Mountain lions are the fourth largest cat in the world and have retractable claws. During normal walking the claws are retracted, but during quick acceleration they are extended and used for traction.
While large, the mountian lion is not always the apex predator in its range, yielding prey it has killed to black bears, grizzly bears, and gray wolves. It is reclusive and mostly avoids people. Cougars have large paws and large hind legs allowing for great leaping and short-sprint ability. The cougar’s top running speed ranges between 40 and 50 mph.