Cougar

 =COUGAR = 

** Cougars are also called pumas, panthers or mountain lions. They do not roar like other big cats; they actually purr. They have the largest range of any animal in North America, from Alaska down to South America inhabiting forests, swamps, and mountains. Their protection status ranges from endangered to non-protected depending on their location. Cougars can weigh 75 to 250 pounds, with the males being 40% larger than the females. Cougars eat up to ten pounds of meat a day; that’s equivalent to about 40 average-sized hamburgers. They are very strong and well adapted to hunt. They can leap 20 feet vertically, and more than 30 feet horizontally, that means they could jump over a school bus length wise. Our cougar was born at the zoo in 1988 which means she has outlived the normal life expectancy of this species which in the wild is between 8 and 13 years. ** 

References: www.charmingfare.com/**animal**facts/**cougar**.php