Mountain Lion

Mountain Lion

Felis concolor

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Biography

Also known as a cougar, puma, panther, catamount, painter or mountain lion, this cat is recognized by its large size, uniform tan color, and long tail. Of the New World cats, the mountain lion is second only to the jaguar in size, and typically weighs between 100 and 150 lbs. The solitary mountain lion stalks its prey and then surprises and takes it with a short burst of speed and a powerful leap. Though rarely seen, the mountain lion may cover twenty miles a night while hunting for deer and other animals. This secretive cat leaves little sign of its presence, other than its clawless four-inch tracks.

Our Animal's Story

ZooAmerica is home to two mountain lions. Rainier is our male and was born in the wild in August 2014. He was found orphaned on a porch in Kettle Falls in northeastern Washington state. His mother or den couldn't be found. He was taken to a veterinarian and rehab center, but couldn't return to the wild. Upon arrival at our zoo at four weeks of age, he weighed 4 pounds. He weighed 82 pounds when placed in his habitat in April 2015. Fern is our female mountain lion. She was found orphaned in Orondo, Washington. She arrived at ZooAmerica in January 2023, at about four months of age, and weighed 15 pounds. She and Rainier were introduced to each other in early December of 2023.

silhouette of mountain range