Mountain lions and panthers – what’s the difference between these two wild cats that roam North and South America? At first glance they may look similar, but when examined more closely there are distinct differences between these two apex predators in terms of their taxonomy, physical characteristics, habitat and range, hunting techniques and more.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Mountain lions (also called cougars, pumas, catamounts) and panthers (also called panther cats, painted cats) are two different types of wild cats that live in the Americas.
Mountain lions are found in mountainous and forested areas of North America and South America. Panthers refers to black panthers and Florida panthers found in South America and parts of the southern United States.
Taxonomy and Classification
Scientific Names
The mountain lion (Puma concolor) and Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) belong to the same species Puma concolor, which includes cougars, pumas, mountain lions, and panthers. The Florida panther is considered a distinct subspecies known as Puma concolor coryi, named after the American naturalist Charles Cory who studied these cats in the late 1800s.
Subspecies and Regional Names
There are over 30 known subspecies of Puma concolor found throughout the Americas. Regional names for this species include cougar, puma, mountain lion, panther, painter, catamount, depending on location. The Florida panther subspecies P.
c. coryi is native to southern Florida and the only known breeding population of pumas in the eastern United States.
Physical Differences
Adult Florida panthers are generally lighter in color compared to western mountain lions. Their fur ranges from tan to rusty red to light brown, whereas mountain lions in other regions can be gray, dark brown or reddish. On average, male Florida panthers weigh 100-160 lbs and females 75-100 lbs.
Western mountain lions are larger on average. Florida panthers also have slightly smaller paws and proportionally longer hind legs, likely adaptations for their swampy habitat.
Though subtle, these physical differences reflect regional variation within the widespread Puma concolor species. Ongoing conservation efforts aim to preserve the Florida panther subspecies by maintaining habitat connectivity and genetic diversity.
Habitat and Range
Mountain Lions
Mountain lions, also known as cougars, pumas, or panthers, are found primarily in the western United States and Canada. Their habitat ranges from British Columbia to the southern Andes in South America. Mountain lions prefer areas with plentiful prey and cover, such as wooded or mountainous regions.
They can be found in a variety of environments, from deserts to rainforests to alpine meadows. Mountain lions have the largest range of any wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere.
In North America, mountain lion populations are healthiest in the western United States and Canada. Major populations are found in California, the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, and parts of the Southwest.
Smaller populations exist in the eastern United States, primarily in the Great Lakes region and Florida. It is estimated there are around 30,000 mountain lions in western North America.
Mountain lions were exterminated across much of their eastern range, but have made an impressive comeback in recent decades. They have recolonized parts of the Midwest and have been sighted as far east as Connecticut.
Conservation efforts and regulated hunting have allowed mountain lion numbers to stabilize or grow in many areas where they were previously threatened. Still, loss of habitat and human interference remain threats across their range.
Panthers
The Florida panther is a subspecies of mountain lion found only in southern Florida. Once roaming across the southeastern United States, the panther is now found only in pinelands, swamps, and hardwood hammocks south of the Caloosahatchee River.
It is estimated that there are only 120-230 Florida panthers remaining.
Due to extensive hunting and habitat loss, the Florida panther was designated as federally endangered in 1967. Since then, conservation efforts have aimed at increasing the population and preserving its fragile habitat.
A major threat is collisions with vehicles as panthers traverse their wide home ranges. Wildlife underpasses have helped reduce panther road fatalities in recent years.
Though the outlook for Florida panthers remains uncertain, their population has grown in recent decades. Maintaining forested corridors for movement and dispersal will be key for continued recovery of this highly endangered big cat.
Hunting and Diet
Stalk and Ambush Tactics
Mountain lions are solitary and elusive predators that rely on stealth and the element of surprise when hunting. They use their exceptional vision, hearing, and sense of smell to locate and stalk prey, typically getting within 10 meters before pouncing.
Mountain lions usually hunt at night or during crepuscular hours around dawn and dusk. They stalk prey slowly and methodically, using vegetation, rocks, or tree limbs as cover. Once close enough, they rush the prey with explosive speed and power, leaping up to 5.5 meters to take down large animals.
They usually go for the throat or the back of the neck with a suffocating bite.
Mountain lions are patient and can move slowly for hours while tracking prey. Their light brown fur provides excellent camouflage in wilderness habitats. They expertly use ridges, trees, and rocks to conceal their approach. Mountain lions can even hunt in plain sight by hiding in bushes or grass.
With their stealthy hunting style, prey often doesn’t detect them until it’s too late. This allows mountain lions to successfully ambush animals that are faster than them, like deer or elk.
Primary Prey
Though mountain lions have an extremely broad diet, their primary prey are large ungulates including deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep and wild horses. They typically target younger, weaker individuals that are easier to take down. In some areas, over 90% of a mountain lion’s diet consists of deer.
They generally kill large prey every 7-10 days when possible. Mountain lions drag kills to a secluded area under a bush or tree before feeding to avoid detection from competing predators like bears or coyotes.
They may return to feed on the carcass for a few days, covering it with debris to mask the smell. Mountain lions can survive without food for up to two weeks before hunting again.
Opportunistic Feeders
While mountain lions prefer deer and elk, they are opportunistic predators and will hunt any vulnerable prey they encounter including rabbits, raccoons, squirrels, foxes, bobcats, livestock, pets and sometimes even small predators like coyotes, wolves or bears.
They have been known to take down bison and moose as well. Mountain lions will also scavenge carrion if extremely hungry. Because they are indiscriminate killers, mountain lions help regulate populations of prey and competing predators across their habitats.
In areas with abundant food sources like deer and elk, mountain lions rarely attack livestock or pets. But in regions with low wild prey populations, they are more likely to kill local animals for sustenance. Pet attacks are still extremely rare, even in rural mountain lion territory.
Your chances of encountering an aggressive mountain lion are about 1 in 20 million. But their opportunistic nature means pets and livestock may be vulnerable if left unattended, especially at night.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Mountain lions and panthers have similar reproductive behaviors and life cycles, as they are closely related species. Here is an overview of how these big cats reproduce and develop:
Breeding
Mountain lions typically reach sexual maturity between 2-3 years old, while panthers reach maturity slightly earlier at 18-24 months. Both species are polygamous, meaning males will mate with multiple females. Breeding can occur at any time of year, but is most common in winter or spring.
Females will vocalize to let males know when they are receptive to mating.
Gestation and Birth
After successful mating, the gestation period lasts around 3 months for both mountain lions and panthers. Females will find a secluded den area, like a cave or thicket, to give birth. Litter size is usually 1-4 cubs, with 2 being most common.
At birth, cubs weigh around 1 pound and are blind and helpless. Their spots provide camouflage from potential predators.
Cub Development
For the first few weeks, cubs will remain hidden in the den while the mother hunts. At around 2 months old, they are mobile enough to follow their mother and observe her hunting skills. Cubs will nurse for 2-3 months but start eating meat around 6-8 weeks old.
By 6 months, cubs can hunt small prey but remain with their mother for 1-2 years learning survival skills before dispersing.
Maturation
Mountain lion and panther cubs grow rapidly during their first year, reaching around 50-75 pounds. They will develop adult coloration and build lean muscle mass needed for taking down larger prey. Males will eventually disperse to establish their own territories.
Females may settle closer to their mother’s range. Lifespan in the wild is 8-13 years on average.
Conservation Status
Mountain Lions
The mountain lion (Puma concolor) has a wide distribution across western North America, but their overall numbers have declined in recent decades. Mountain lions are currently listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN Red List.
However, some regional populations are considered endangered or threatened. For example, the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in the United States.
The major threats facing mountain lions include habitat loss, fragmentation, and human-wildlife conflict. As humans continue to develop previously wild areas, mountain lion populations become isolated in pockets of habitat.
This can lead to reduced genetic diversity and increased risk of inbreeding depression. Mountain lions coming into contact with livestock or pets may be killed in retaliation or for preemptive protection. Vehicle collisions are another significant source of mortality.
To aid in mountain lion conservation, wildlife agencies monitor populations, maintain habitat corridors, and educate the public. For the Florida panther, intensive management actions have included genetic restoration through translocations and road underpasses to reduce vehicle strikes.
Continued habitat protection and mitigation of human-wildlife conflict will be critical for the long-term viability of mountain lion populations.
Panthers
The panther refers to either the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) in North America or the black panther, which is a melanistic variant of any Panthera species, especially the leopard (Panthera pardus) in Asia and Africa.
Both face conservation challenges due to habitat loss, human persecution, and small population sizes.
The Florida panther is one of the most endangered mammals in the world. Once widespread across the southeastern United States, now only around 120-230 Florida panthers remain in a single isolated population in southern Florida.
Road mortality, inbreeding, disease, and habitat destruction have caused major declines. The Florida panther is listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and receives intensive conservation efforts such as genetic restoration, road underpasses, and habitat protection.
Black panthers, especially black leopards, face extensive habitat loss and poaching across their Asian and African ranges. Their beautiful black coats make them prized targets for the illegal wildlife trade. Exact population numbers are unknown but likely number in the thousands.
Both leopards and jaguars with melanism are listed as vulnerable or near threatened by the IUCN. Conservation will require anti-poaching efforts and maintaining habitat connectivity across large landscapes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while mountain lions and panthers may appear similar at first glance, they are taxonomically distinct wild cat species with key differences in their physical traits, habitat ranges across the Americas, hunting techniques and prey, and conservation protections.
Mountain lions thrive in mountainous and forested terrain of western North America and parts of South America while panthers refers to small populations of black panthers and the endangered Florida panther found in southern states and tropical regions.
Both play important ecological roles as apex predators, yet face threats from habitat loss and human activity in their native ranges.
