The gestation period varies from 84 to 106 days after which a litter of one to three cubs are born in a protected den. After mating the Mountain Lions go their separate ways and the male takes no part in raising or protecting the cubs. Female Mountain Lions are also known to have a distinctive call to let the males know when they are in season.
Mountain Lions mate at any time during the year when the hormone level of the female dictates she is in season. Their prey is usually dragged off to a place of safety before it is consumed. The Mountain Lion has a great jumping ability and this enables it to ambush and seize its prey. Mountain Lions are carnivores and their main prey are the white tailed and mule deer but depending on their geographical location their diet also consists of bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, elk, moose, tree porcupines, guanacos, hares, rodents and domestic livestock such as cattle, sheep, pigs and horses. Scrapes and urine sprays are the most common ways for Mountain Lion's to mark their boundaries, however males often pile up pine needles or leaves and mark them with a urine spray or fecal deposit. The male's range generally overlaps the smaller ranges of several females.Įach cat normally honors the boundaries that have been set by others therefore territorial disputes are uncommon. They are solitary animals and the males have home ranges that may cover over 100 square miles. Mountain Lions have the largest range of any wild cat extending from the Southern part of Canada to the Southern tip of South America (as detailed on the right). Unlike other large cats the Mountain Lion is distinct as it cannot roar, it makes sounds that are more in common with smaller species of cat. The tip of their tail is black and they have spots when they are young, however these disappear when they reach adulthood. They have a pink nose and they are a creamy colour on their underside. Their head has black markings on each side of the muzzle and on the back of the ears. The colour of its coat varies from light grey in the southern parts of South America, various shades of reddish brown in the tropical regions and a light tan in the Andes and the west coast mountains of the USA. The Mountain Lion's coat hair length and colour is determined by its geographical location, short hair in the tropical regions and longer hair in the northern and southern parts of its range. When running they can reach speeds of 70Km/h (43.5 mph), they can jump 12 m (40 ft) from a stand still, and vertically leap 4.5 m (15 ft). Smaller Mountain Lions are found in the tropical regions, while they get progressively larger towards the Northern and Southern areas of their range. Their average length is between 165 and 270 cms (65 - 106 inches). Typically males weigh between 53 and 72 Kgs (117 - 159lbs) and females between 34 and 48 Kgs (75 - 106lbs).
Mountain Lions are large, slender cats with strong muscular limbs.
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