Mountain Lions (Puma concolor)
at Animal World and Snake Farm Zoo
Mountain lions go by many names, cougars, pumas, red tigers, deer tigers, etc. They hold the Guinness Book of World Records title for having the most common names of any animal. Called Puma concolor by scientists, the mountain lion is one of my favorite big cats. A top predator, males of this species can reach 8-feet long from nose to tail and weigh over 200 lbs. These regal cats hunt elk, deer, grouse, virtually anything they can overpower.
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| The majestic mountain lion. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia). |
Animal World and Snake Farm Zoo (AWSFZ) is home to three precious cubs (please see Expedition: Animal World and Snake Farm Zoo for a brief introduction). Angel and Sarah are sisters; Edward is a young male unrelated to the other two. All three of them were born at a zoo in Arkansas and were taken in by AWSFZ to serve as ambassadors of their species, helping in educational programs and conservation efforts. They were hand-raised by Jarrod and his family and, despite having the size and power of America's top cat, are very gentle when dealing with humans.
They love playing; jumping, chewing, and pawing at things. This behavior is thought to help them develop their reflexes and muscles used in hunting.
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| Angel, one of our cougar cubs, playfully chewing on my shirt. |
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| Sarah, Angel's sister, tries to give me a kiss. |
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