Also known as cougar or mountain lion is one of the most adapted member of the cat family, ranging from Canada to Patagonia and living in many different habitats, ranging from desert to tropical forests to high mountains. It has a slender body, which can reach almost to 2 meters in length and a small head with a dark spot above each eye.

Order Family Genus Specie

CARNIVORA FELIDAE Puma P. concolor

As already mentioned above the puma ranges anywhere,  wherever it can find food, meaning animals to hunt. Deer, llama, guanta are its preferred prey in our country. They are very agile and silent hunters and have a great capacity in jumping high and wide. They are solitary animals but mate anytime in the season. Females have usually a litter of 2 cubs but sometimes up to 4 cubs. The young are born blind and have dark spots on the back and a ringed tail. After 6 months they take the coloring of the adults and after another year leave their mother to establish their own territory to live and hunt.

Range Habitat Ecuador Status British Colombia - Patagonia Wide range of ecosystems All regions of the mainland Endangered
	front            hind [33 % of actual size]

Although so well adapted to many different regions, unfortunately this graceful cat is also endangered and seldom seen anymore in Ecuador.  Pumas were and still are hunted as they pose a threat to domestic animals, which replaced their natural food source, like llamas, deer, etc...in the first place. Many big ranchers in the country pay a price per head and therefore invite their poorer country neighbors to shoot them at sight. Another mammal, which has to take leave and is in danger of extinction because of man's actions.