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The Range of the Mountain Lion, or Cougar

The mountain lion once roamed the entire expanse of the lower 48 United States, up into the Canadian Yukon south to Chilean Patagonia in South America.

Tags:
Habitat, Range, North America, South America

Puma concolor is historically the widest ranging land mammal in the Western Hemisphere, aside from humans. A habitat generalist and highly-adaptive, the cougar once roamed the entire expanse of the coterminous 48 United States, up into the Canadian Yukon and south to the Chilean Patagonia in South America. As Americans, it is the animal we all most share in common, moreso than the bald eagle or the white-tailed deer.

Today, cougar populations are officially recognized by state game and fish departments in 15 states: Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, Florida (as subspecies Puma concolor coryii), North Dakota and South Dakota. Cougars are listed as endangered in Florida and protected from sport hhuting by law in California. Increased sightings in the Midwest, including Nebraska, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Kansas, are leading to valuable scientific research on the possible viability of cougar populations in these states.

[+ ZOOM] Outside of the United States, Cougars also range throughout Mexico, central- and South America, although the status of their range is not entirely known.Image of Outside of the United States, Cougars also range throughout Mexico, central- and South America, although the status of their range is not entirely known.

Cougars are legally hunted for sport, in 13 states: Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas.

Cougar hunting is regulated by each state's game and fish/division of wildlife departments in all of the above states except for Texas, where the cougar is classified as varmint and may be killed at any time and in any manner, and with no requirement to report those cougar kills to Texas game officials. Cougars are hunted mainly with dogs.

Cougars also range throughout Mexico, Central- and South America although the status of their populations in this regions is not entirely known.