The new cougar (Puma concolor), labeled as mountain lion, panther, painter, puma, and you may catamount, ‘s the premier feline creature inside the North america.
Similar to Tennessee’s nuts elk and you will buffalo, the newest cougar is extirpated throughout the condition within very early 1900s due to overhunting and you will habitat losings. But not, brand new cougar tends to be coming back so you can Tennessee. There were specific verified sightings from inside the Tennessee.
The brand new cougar belongs to the family relations Felidae (cat household members) which is in the purchase Carnivora. This strong predator ranges of 5 to eight ? feet as a whole size and you can weighs in at regarding 70 in order to 250 pounds, having males getting larger than lady.
Grownups are large sleek cats with quick brains. Its ears is black towards the higher top as they are quick and you may round and no tufts out-of locks. The muzzle try light to the stop and you may black colored in which it meets your face.
Cougars has actually a long hefty cylindrical tail varying in total away from 20 to help you 31 in, to the last couple of in blackish in the color. Claws is collapsible and tend to be very rarely element of a song.
Cougar fur can be a substantial tan color on higher parts that have white undersides. Limited distinctions makes brand new strong brownish cat provides a purple, yellowish, otherwise grayish tinge.
No black color phase (termed melanistic) out-of a good cougar enjoys previously been noted. There was, however, documentation out of melanistic jaguars (Panthera onca) that live in Mexico and you will south to help you northern Argentina, and additionally melanistic leopards (Panthera pardus) inside the Africa.
The brand new bobcat ‘s the simply most other creature from the pet (Felidae) relatives that’s available for the Tennessee. Bobcats differ from cougars in their size, color, and you will end size. They are far smaller than cougars, ranging when you look at the pounds away from ten in order to 40 pounds, while good cougar starts in the 70 pounds. The layer is not consistent when you look at the color including the cougar’s but are designated which have black colored areas and you can streaks. There is also directed ears that have locks tufts, as opposed to the fresh new cougar. The new bobcat’s tail looks “bobbed”, which brand new animal’s term, and that’s normally 3 to eight inches long, which is very short when comparing to this new tail out-of an effective cougar.
Range
This new cougar occupies more extensive directory of one “” new world “” terrestrial mammal, on the Canadian Yukon to your south suggestion off South america.
In the us, cougars are now living in the latest west part and expand eastward as far as the new western side of brand new Dakotas, Nebraska, and you will near the eastern limits out of Tx and you can Colorado.
A survey blogged regarding the Log of Creatures Government for the 2012 compiled verified towns and cities from cougars compiled outside the situated variety throughout the 1990-2008.
The outcome of investigation suggest that this new cougar are recolonizing this new Midwest having a selection extension eastward. It’s well documented you to cougars take a trip countless kilometers in browse of new region.
Brand new current confirmed sightings in the Tennessee is a direct result that it variety extension and you may much time exploratory walks of the transient cougars.
Considering that you’ll find higher expanses between Tennessee in addition to dependent communities, it will be well before cougars make home here.
1 – LaRue, Meters. A great., Nielsen, C. K., Dowling, Yards., Miller, K., Wilson, B., Shaw, H babylon escort Eugene. and you may Anderson, C. Roentgen. (2012), Cougars was recolonizing the fresh new midwest: Study away from cougar confirmations throughout the 1990–2008. This new Journal out of Wildlife Government, 76: 1364–1369. doi: /jwmg.396
Confirmed Sightings
Due to the fact , there have been a few confirmed sightings regarding cougars inside Tennessee. These are listed below and they are presented on Tennessee Verified Cougar Sightings Chart. When so much more affirmed sightings are present, they shall be added properly.