The puma once lived in most parts of the western hemisphere. Today, the puma lives in only a small part of this area. In North America, the only place it is found east of the Mississippi is in Florida, where there are very few. It is one of the largest American cats. The puma is also called the cougar, mountain lion, panther, or catamount.

It has not always been very well-liked. Ranchers, among others, used to hunt and trap pumas because they were known to kill cattle. Today, however, we realize that the puma actually helps ranchers and farmers: It eats deer, rodents, and other animals that eat the feed the farmer gives his animals.

Pumas are most active in the morning and night, They hunt alone and are great climbers. They can leap as far as 20 feet and run quickly. The puma stalks its prey, leaps on it, and kills it with a bite on the neck. A male can kill up to 100 small mammals a year. The puma stays in the same area for several years. It is able to live in tropical forests, pampas, and mountains. The males stay away from each other and do not fight.

Pumas mate in all seasons. The female gives birth to 3 or 4 cubs every 2 years, using the same den several years at a time. Hidden between the rocks or in a thick covering of leaves and moss, this den shelters the young which are born with beautiful spotted fur.