Sleek and graceful, cougars Puma concolor are solitary and secretive animals rarely seen in the wild. Also known as mountain lions or pumas, cougars are known for their strength, agility, and awesome ability to jump. Cougars are the largest members of the cat family in Washington. Adult males average approximately pounds but in rare cases may weigh pounds and measure feet long from nose to tip of tail.
Adult males stand about 30 inches tall at the shoulder. Adult female cougars rarely exceed pounds. Cougars vary in color from reddish-brown to tawny deerlike to gray, with a black tip on their long tail.
Cougar kittens are spotted until they are months old, after that, barring patterns may remain up to 14 months of age. For additional information, see this cougar brochure PDF. Cougars occur throughout Washington where suitable cover and prey are found. Cougars use steep canyons, rock outcroppings and boulders, or vegetation -- such as dense brush and forests -- to remain hidden while hunting.
Adult male cougars roam widely, covering a home range of 50 to square miles, depending on the age of the cougar, the time of year, type of terrain, and availability of prey. Female home ranges are about half that of males and there in considerable overlap in female home ranges. Often female progeny will establish a territory adjacent to mother, while virtually all males disperse considerable distances from the natal area.
WDFW does not regularly monitor or count individual numbers of cougars in Washington. WDFW can estimate cougar populations in Washington based on population density research that is extrapolated to the amount of suitable cougar habitat in the state. WDFW currently estimates that approximately 2, independent-aged cougars live in Washington. Cougar's range often overlaps with other predators like wolves and bobcats. WDFW is currently conducting the Washington Predator-Prey Project that looks at the impact of wolf recovery on other species like cougars, deer, and elk.
