The new cougar (Puma concolor), known as slope lion, panther, painter, puma, and you can catamount, is the premier feline creature during the America.
Similar to Tennessee’s wild elk and you may buffalo, the fresh new cougar are extirpated throughout the state in the early 1900s because of overhunting and habitat losses. But not, the latest cougar could be returning so you’re able to Tennessee. There had been some verified sightings inside the Tennessee.
The fresh cougar is one of the relatives Felidae (cat nearest and dearest) that is regarding acquisition Carnivora. It strong predator range off 5 to eight ? base overall duration and you can weighs off 70 to help you 250 lbs, that have men are larger than girls.
Grownups is large sleek kittens which have brief heads. Their ears was black on the higher front side consequently they are short and you will rounded no tufts off locks. The new muzzle is light towards the end and you will black where it suits your mind.
Cougars provides a long heavier cylindrical end varying long out-of 20 so you can 29 ins, to the last couple of in blackish from inside the color. Claws are retractable as they are extremely seldom part of a tune.
Cougar fur can be a substantial bronze color towards the upper bits that have white undersides. Moderate variations tends to make brand new strong brownish cat enjoys a yellow, yellowish, otherwise grayish tinge.
No black colour phase (termed melanistic) out of a beneficial cougar enjoys actually started recorded. There is, yet not, files from melanistic jaguars (Panthera onca) you to definitely are now living in Mexico and you may southern so you’re able to north Argentina, and melanistic leopards (Panthera pardus) in Africa.
New bobcat is the just almost every other animal of the cat (Felidae) family that can be found from inside the Tennessee. Bobcats change from cougars inside their dimensions, coloration, and you may end size. He is much smaller compared to cougars, varying into the weight out-of ten to help you forty weight, while a great cougar initiate during the 70 pounds. The coat is not uniform within the colour for instance the cougar’s however, are designated that have black colored locations and you may lines. There is also indicated ears with tresses tufts, unlike the latest cougar. The new bobcat’s tail looks “bobbed”, and that the latest animal’s term, and that’s normally step 3 to eight inches in length, that is short when compared with the brand new end off a beneficial cougar.
Range
The latest cougar uses up the most comprehensive listing of one New world terrestrial mammal, in the Canadian Yukon with the southern area suggestion out of South america.
In america, cougars are now living in the brand new west area and you may continue eastward so far as the fresh new west edge of the brand new Dakotas, Nebraska, and you may around the eastern limits out-of Texas and you can Colorado.
A study typed in the Record out-of Creatures Management inside the 2012 obtained confirmed metropolitan areas out of cougars built-up outside of the created diversity throughout 1990-2008.
The outcomes of your data recommend that the brand new cougar try recolonizing the new Midwest that have a variety extension eastward. It’s well documented one cougars take a trip a huge selection of miles within the look of the latest territory.
The fresh new recent confirmed sightings in Tennessee could well be a result of that it diversity extension and you will much time exploratory treks from the transient cougars.
Given that you’ll find highest expanses ranging from Tennessee therefore the mainly based communities, it would be a long time before cougars make their family here.
1 – LaRue, M. Good., Nielsen, C. K., Dowling, M., Miller, K., Wilson, B., Shaw, H. and Anderson, C. Roentgen. (2012), Cougars is actually recolonizing the fresh midwest: Studies away from cougar confirmations while in the 1990–2008. Brand new Diary of Creatures Management, 76: 1364–1369. doi: /jwmg.396
Confirmed Sightings
Given that , there were several verified sightings from cougars for the Tennessee. These are here and therefore are exhibited on Tennessee Affirmed Cougar Sightings Map. When significantly more affirmed sightings are present, they’ll certainly be extra appropriately.