|  Puma
concolor
The mountain lion, also called cougar, puma,
catamount, and panther, is the largest cat native
to North America. Mountain lions can be found
throughout all portions of Arizona. They
are most common in rocky or mountainous areas.
Because mountain lions are shy and elusive, people
don’t often see them. However, the Arizona
Game and Fish Department estimates the state’s
mountain lion population at 2,500 to 3,000. Mountain
lions are usually solitary, except females with
young. Signs of mountain lion presence include
large tracks (3-5 inches wide) without claw marks;
large segmented, cylindrical droppings; food
caches where a kill has been partially eaten
and then covered with brush and dirt; and scrapes
in soft dirt or leaf litter.
Description and Habits
- Tan or reddish brown
to dusky or slate gray coat
- 24- to 36-inch tail,
about 2/3 of body length, white underneath
with a dark
brown or black
tip
- 70-150 pounds (males
usually larger than females)
- 25-32 inches tall at
the shoulder (similar to a German shepherd
dog)
- 5 1/2 to more than
8 feet long
- Average litter of two
kittens, which are yellowish brown with irregular
rows of black
spots
- Kittens stay with
mother for up to 18 months
- Live up to 13 years
in wild, up to 20 years in captivity
- Can jump 20 feet vertically
and 40 feet horizontally in
a single
leap
- Rarely make vocal noises,
unless during breeding season
or when
threatened
- Territory sizes range
from 10 to 350 square miles;
males range
more
widely
than females
- Diet includes primarily
deer, but also a wide
variety of
other animals,
including
javelina,
elk, and even smaller
species like rabbits
Possible Conflicts
with Humans and Pets
Urban sprawl and shrinking habitat are increasing
numbers of conflicts between humans and mountain
lions. Conflicts can occur when a mountain
lion becomes accustomed to people, such as
when a lion hunts near where people live or
recreate, and when lions kill livestock or
other domestic animals. Although uncommon,
mountain lion attacks on humans occasionally
occur.
What Attracts Them?
Mountain lions are often just passing
through, but may visit an area to get food,
water, or shelter.
- Food found near people’s homes includes
deer, javelina, rabbits, unsecured domestic
animals, or livestock.
- Water for drinking can include a swimming
pool, fountain, puddle, or pet’s
water bowl.
- For shelter, mountain lions might make
use of cave-like areas beneath sheds,
unused buildings, and storm drains.
Other influences that may contribute to mountain
lion presence around humans include:
- Drought - Animals will come in closer
to humans to search for food and water.
- Wildfires - Arizona wildfires damage vital habitat
and force animals into new areas.
- Habituation to humans through close contact,
exposure, and increased development near
wildlife habitat - Humans feeding mountain lion prey,
having livestock adjacent to wildlife habitat,
and related activities create familiarity.
What Should
I Do?
Mountain lions are predators capable of killing
or seriously injuring humans, and the Arizona
Game and Fish Department is committed to public
education to help people learn how to behave responsibly
and live safely in proximity to lions. The risk
of attack by a mountain lion is small, but real;
children are most at risk. Mountain lions may
return repeatedly if food, water, or shelter is
available. However, mountain lions use natural
areas, such as washes, to move through populated
areas to more remote areas, and such movements
are necessary to prevent problems with inbreeding
and local extinction associated with habitat fragmentation.
If food, water, and shelter are not available,
mountain lions generally move on to other areas
more quickly. If you live or recreate in lion
country, remain aware of your surroundings and
take steps to minimize risks to yourself, your
family, and pets.
If you encounter a mountain
lion:
- Do not approach the animal. Most
mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation.
Give
them a way to escape.
- Stay calm and speak loudly and firmly.
-
Do not run from a mountain lion. Running may
stimulate a mountain lion’s instinct to
chase. Stand and face the animal. Make eye contact.
- Appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your
jacket if you are wearing one. Throw stones,
branches,
or whatever you can reach without crouching
or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly.
The
idea is to convince the lion that you are
not easy prey and that you may be a danger
to it.
- Maintain eye contact and slowly back away toward
a building, vehicle, or busy area.
-
Protect small children so they won’t panic
and run.
- Fight back if attacked. Many potential victims
have fought back successfully with rocks, sticks,
caps, jackets, garden tools, their bare hands,
and even mountain bikes. Since a mountain lion
usually tries to bite the head or neck, try to
remain standing and face the animal.
- Report all mountain lion attacks to 911.
Report all mountain lion encounters and attacks,
plus sightings in urban areas, to your
local Arizona Game and Fish Department office
(8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday excluding
holidays). Also, call Game and Fish if severe
property damage has occurred or if there is
possession of a live mountain lion. After hours
and weekends, a radio dispatcher is available
at (623) 236-7201.
If you live in mountain lion country,
you can:
- Hike or walk in groups.
-
Make noise when you’re outside.
- Closely supervise children whenever they play
outdoors, especially in rugged
country between dusk and dawn. Talk with children about mountain
lions and teach them what
to do if they encounter one.
- Keep dogs, cats, poultry, rabbits, rodents and
other domestic animals indoors
or in a secure enclosure with a sturdy roof. Always walk pets
on a leash. Roaming pets
are easy prey for hungry mountain lions and coyotes. Do not feed pets
outside and keep their food
inside; the food can attract javelina and other mountain lion
prey.
- Avoid feeding wildlife. By feeding deer, javelina,
or other wildlife in your
yard, you may inadvertently attract mountain lions, which prey upon them.
-
Trim landscaping around your home. Remove dense
and low-lying vegetation that can provide good
hiding places for mountain lions and coyotes,
especially around children’s
play areas.
- Install outdoor lighting. Keep the house perimeter
well lit at night, especially
along walkways, to keep any approaching lions visible.
Remember, removal is usually a last resort:
It is important to keep wildlife wild and remove
whatever is attracting mountain lions. If people
are regularly seeing a lion in a particular area,
it may mean the lion represents a public safety
risk. In some cases, the department may remove
a lion that presents an imminent threat to human
safety. A person may only harm a lion in self-defense
or to defend another person (but see “Laws
and Policies” section, below).
To prevent further problems:
- Avoid using rodent poisons, which
may poison mountain lions, as well as other
animals.
- Close or patch-up any potential mountain lion
shelter.
- Try using bright lights, flashing white lights,
blaring music, barking dogs, and changes in
the placement of scarecrow objects to temporarily
repel mountain lions. Sprinklers and commercial
motion-activated inflatable scarecrows startle
animals when activated.
- Always work with your neighbors for a consistent
solution.
Possible Health Concerns
Mountain lions are at risk of getting a variety
of diseases, including those common to house
cats, but little is known about their rates
of illness. They are also subject to death
by secondary poisoning from common rodent poisons
that contain blood anticoagulants.
Rabies - Symptoms
of rabies can include foaming at the mouth,
staggering,
circling, and/or fearful, paralyzed, and
lethargic behavior. If you see any wild animal
with symptoms of rabies, call 911 or your
local
Game and Fish office immediately. Anyone
bitten by a mountain lion must immediately
seek medical attention for rabies shots unless
the biting animal can be captured and tested
for rabies. Notify the Arizona Game and Fish
Department and your local health department
immediately if any physical contact with
a mountain lion occurs.
Laws
and Policies
- Mountain lions are classified as big game.
A valid hunting license is required except
in the case of depredation (killing of livestock)
(ARS-17-302 and 17-239). See Arizona Game
and Fish Department Hunting Regulations [PDF,
3.25mb].
- The possession of a live mountain lion
is illegal without required holding permits.
- State law prohibits discharging a firearm
within a quarter-mile of an occupied farmhouse
or other residence, cabin, lodge, or building
while taking wildlife without permission
of owner or resident.
- Check your local city ordinances, but
most cities ban shooting firearms within
city
limits. Some cities ban the use of slingshots,
BB guns,
air guns, or bows.
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