Photograph by Jim & Jamie Dutcher Mountain Lion Range - Head and
body, 3.25 to 5.25 ft (1 to 1.6 m); Tail, 23.5 to 33.5 in (60 to
85 cm) - 136 lbs (62 kg) - Protection status: - Size relative to
a 6-ft (2-m) man: This powerful predator roams the Americas,
where it is also known as a puma, cougar, and catamount. This
big cat of many names is also found in many habitats, from
Florida swamps to Canadian forests. Mountain lions like to prey
on deer, though they also eat smaller animals such as coyotes,
porcupines, and raccoons. They usually hunt at night or during
the gloaming hours of dawn and dusk. These cats employ a blend
of stealth and power, stalking their prey until an opportunity
arrives to pounce, then going for the back of the neck with a
fatal bite. They will hide large carcasses and feed on them for
several days. Mountain lions once roamed nearly all of the
United States. They were prized by hunters and despised by
farmers and ranchers who suffered livestock losses at their
hands. Subsequently, by the