In spite of blood-tingling tales to the contrary, under normal conditions the cougar is a harmless animal as far as man is concerned. For unless wounded or cornered it is extremely shy and is one of the most difficult of wild animals to see under normal circumstances. Physically it is quite capable of killing an unarmed person but generally its inclinations are to very carefully avoid humans instead. However, if wounded, in defending its young, or treed in the chase this cat should be respected.
The cougar is frequently a wide-ranging hunter and its hunting territory may be the area in a radius of thirty to fifty miles from the home den. For that reason it is widely distributed and does not become very numerous in any comparatively small area.
The range of the cougar is comparable with that of the various species of deer since they and the other larger mammals of that type are the cougars’ preferred food. They have been found to be quite destructive to domestic stock also and have been extensively hunted for that reason. Normally the cougar does not kill more than it needs at a time and is known to cache the uneaten portion of a carcass for future use. However, occasional animals have acquired reputations as killers.
A cougar’s den is usually in a cave but may be in the shelter of windfalls if a suitable cave is lacking. Here the young, from one to three or four in number, averaging two, are born. They are generally born in late winter or early spring, but may be born in any month of the year. Like our domestic cat, the cougar is a playful animal; adults as well as young have been found to be rather easily tamed. The young are spotted for approximately six months after birth.
Cougar
General description: A very large cat with a proportionally small head and a long cylindrical tail. Body long, lithe and powerful. Fur soft and rather short, of a tawny or dull yellowish-brown color. The males are somewhat larger than females. Length 7 or 8 feet and weight about 150 pounds.
Terms: Male—tom or lion; female—lioness; young—cubs or kittens.
Where found: Rare in the park and has seldom been seen. Ranges the timbered mountain areas and may be about during the daytime but most usually in the evening or night. Its scream is supposed to be blood-curdling but that of the bobcat has probably been mistaken for the cougar on frequent occasions. Cougars have been reported so rarely and their sign seen so little that they are considered one of the rarest of animals in the park.