In fact, their shriek is so loud and terrifying that its confused for a person in pain or, in some cases, spirits. He is an agile climber, and once done eating, he will drag the remains of an animal as large as an antelope up into the branches of the trees. A leopard and a mountain lion; both are powerful, tough, fierce, and fast. (The Answer May Surprise You). However, it would not be without difficulty. Leopard Rosettes Can Keep Him Well Hidden On Tree Foliage. They can weigh between 400 to 600 pounds and are usually around 8 ft long. Mountain lions are powerfully built, with large paws and sharp claws. The mother nurses them for three months or so, but they can eat meat at about six weeks of age. ] Lions are in the Panthera genus and Puma/ML/Cougar are in a separate genus called Puma. Taking with a grain of salt, both the leopards were female. Habitat Mountain lions cover an extreme range all the way from Alaska to Argentina and even southern Chile. Both big cats can kill prey a few times bigger than them, and their bites have a similar strength of 350 PSI (108BFQ*) for mountain lions and 310 PSI (94BFQ*) for leopards, but taking into consideration their body build, the environment they live in, and general fighting will, in my opinion,a leopard would have a bigger chance of overcoming a mountain lion. Depending on the level of darkness that is achieved by the panthers fur coat, these rosette patterns may be distinct enough to see, or they might be completely blacked out. The mountain lion is a large, tan cat with a white or gray belly and chest. Mountain lions are also solitary animals. By the 1940s, many states, including California, placed a bounty on mountain lions, paying $25 for a male pelt and $35 for a female pelt. Its a popular nickname that has become more widely used over time, but the name is actually quite misleading. With the exception of humans, the mountain lion has the largest range of any terrestrial mammal in the Western hemisphere,from northern British Columbia to Argentina. By supporting San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, you are our ally in saving and protecting wildlife worldwide. Round one compares the size and speed of a grizzly bear and a mountain lion. Jaguars are the largest cats in the Western Hemisphere, and the third-largest cat species in the world, after the lion. Cubs also have blue eyes that change color as they get older. Those living in warm, humid areas tend to be a darker, reddish brown color, and mountain lions found in colder climates have thicker, longer hair that is almost silver-gray in color. The mountain lion would win due to its stronger bite, extra body mass, and overall strength. I bet you believe vaccines are bad and election fraud is real. The most notable feature is the long, heavy tail which measures a third of the animals length. Why Do Mountain Lions Hunt at Night? A male mountain lion in the care of humans has a median life expectancy of about 13 years. Pests such as voles, chipmunks, gophers, squirrels, mice, and birds can wreak havoc on your garden if left unchecked. (inexact) The clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), a similar-looking large wild cat native to Asia . Its fair to say that any kind of house cat would look tiny compared to a mountain lion. If a cougar can skull bite other cougars, & wolves.. along with ungulates.. ( & they do..) they'd surely do so to a leopard.. Cougars kill bears? The short answer is, there is no difference. Thank you for reading! If we include mountain lions under the umbrella term of panthers, then they will technically live in North America as well. The jaguar variant of the black panther is larger than the mountain lion in terms of weight and musculature, but they are roughly the same height and length as mountain lions. With their strong bites, deadly claws, and ambush capabilities, its hard to imagine that a mountain lion would win. All of these names are considered correct, but in Southern California they are commonly called mountain lions. But it's not a deal breaker. What I didnt know until reading this is that they are not actually lions. As for weight, even the largest house cats are under 20 pounds typically, and the average is anywhere from 7 to 9 pounds. These animals have the world record for an animal with the most English names, too!if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'tigertribe_net-medrectangle-4','ezslot_6',168,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tigertribe_net-medrectangle-4-0'); The jaguar, on the other hand, typically only goes by one jaguar. Female mountain lions are also smaller than the males. A mountain lion; Puma concolor. A male mountain lion in the care of humans has a median life expectancy of about 13 years. Talk about too meow-ny cats. Cougars are only found in North and South America. Cougars are well known for having many different names, and each of these names refers to the same species of large cat. In fact, the cougar holds a Guinness world record for having so many names. Learn how your comment data is processed. Also, mountain lions are a tawny brown with a cream-colored underside. Required fields are marked *. So how did it get so many names? They hunt at any time of day or night, but are most active between sunrise and sunset. Jaguars cannot purr like mountain lions and house cats. The scientific name was changed from " Felis concolor " in recent decades. They top out at about 36 miles per hour, unlike the mountain lions rate of 50 miles per hour, but they reach this speed rapidly, with just a couple of steps. To their shoulder, lions stand between 3.5 and 4 ft tall. Theyre all beautiful cats. Females tend to live longer: median lifespan is about 16 years. Want to find out about the differences between the jaguar and the mountain lion? When it comes to holding hands, a human and a mountain lion are almost equal, with the mountain lion having a paw just an inch or so bigger than a human hand. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Theyre small but very powerful and capable fighters, Saffoe said. The only time they are not alone is during the mating season and when females are raising their cubs. Panther vs Mountain Lion: What Are the Differences. The average house cat is between 9 and 10 inches tall much shorter than the Maine Coon and much shorter than a mountain lion. Measuring on average 6 ft long head-and-body, 43 tall, and weighing up to 500 lbs, lions easily outgrow their smaller cousins. However, cubs are born with blue eyes. As such, they are good at adapting to new surroundings, which is why they have managed to survive in Arizona! Also, the skull bite is a secondary option compared to the preferred neck (back or front) bite for most cats, so not the best factor, Kruger National Park: Questions & AnswersBy PF Fourie. If youve never seen one face to face (and hopefully you wont! To what degree? Although they prefer to stay on the lower grounds, leopards were spotted as high as 14 000 ft in the mountains. Leopard would win, IMO. Mountain lions once ranged more extensively than any other mammal in the Western Hemisphere. Either way, if you hear any of these animals roaring, growling, or shrieking but you cant see them, its time for you to pack up and leave the area. So, although both the jaguar and mountain lion are cats, there are remarkable differences between them.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RVcmu3fHeMVideo cant be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: JAGUAR VS LION Who will win this battle? Female cougars are typically smaller than males, but they are still considered bigger than leopards despite their rather slender build. The jaguar is part of the Felidae family, so it is a cat. "acceptedAnswer": { Leopard noun. The mountain lion is a large, tan cat with a white or gray belly and chest. The hind legs are more muscular than the forelegs, which enables them to jump up to 18 feet (5.4 meters) from a tree or 20 feet (6 meters) down a mountain. The leopard sports a spotted look with darker spots called rosettes that keep him well hidden among the tree foliage. But in English alone, the cougar is or has been known by 40 different names. And congrats on knowing the difference between a cougar and a bobcat.. even tho no one said anything about a bobcat. Cougars have small skulls and neck girth and while they weigh slightly more and stand taller, there are plenty of leopards that are very close in weight if not equal. Frequently Asked Questions aboutLeopard Against Mountain Lion-Who Wins the Fight? Although leopards are very muscular and robust, they prefer to hunt middle-sized prey up to 90 lbs, but they can kill prey as big as adult male eland, weighing about 2 000 lbs. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing video games, reading, and writing for fun. Mountain lions have no natural predators except humans, but they often conflict with grizzly bears, black bears, and gray wolves. Panthera pardus - leopard (panther) Puma concolor - puma (cougar, mountain lion) Panthera onca - jaguar. These animals reach sexual maturity when they are 3-4 years old. He has strong, powerful legs and can run at speeds up to fifty miles per hour for short spurts, and can easily keep a pace of ten miles per hour for long-distance sprints. But the cats soon came to be viewed as varmintskillers oflivestock. Even so, mountain lions are mostlyambushhunters, launching atpreyto knock it off balance. The name cougar is actually a cross between South American indigenous names for jaguar. Their preferred terrain varies from riverine forests, rainforests, and woodlands to savanna and grasslands. The leopard relies heavily on its ability to stay hidden as it sneaks up on its unsuspecting prey. The smallest tiger, which is the Sumatran tiger, weights a maximum of around 300 lbs and measures an impressive 8 feet. On the other hand, mountain lions can adapt to any terrain from lowland to mountainous deserts, all types of forests to open areas with barely any vegetation. Jaguars are solitary animals for the majority of their lives. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RVcmu3fHeM), Your email address will not be published. They have been known to fight other mountain lions even to death to protect their territory. These animals typically only reach lengths of around 5 feet, and their tails are between 23 and 33 inches long. It's common for animals around the equator to be smaller. So, were going to compare the larger of the big cats that the term panther refers to, jaguars, to mountain lions. { As bobcats have weaseled their way onto common media platforms, many people have taken to calling them the friend-shaped wild cat. One of the most effective ways to protect your garden from pests is to use natural predators. This begs the question: where did these different names come from? Lion vs Mountain Lion: Size and Weight Lions are the king of the jungle. If you do happen across a mountain lion, never approach italways give it a way to escape. PLD, Pathetic Leftist Dementia, and are not able to see or comprehend the deep corruption that has completely infected most of the so- called Democrat Party. The newborns have spots, which may help them blend in with grass, brush, and dappled sunlight. Cougars are known by many different names, but they are all very similar in appearance and genetics. He is built with strength and a physique designed for his many skills, and he is an excellent climber, jumper, and runner. It should be said that the majority of mountain lions will be slightly smaller, as these numbers are on the upper limit. Copyright 2019-2023. It has a beautiful yellow-tan coat with black rosettes. Males can reach impressive weights of 570 lbs, with a lower weight of 330 lbs. The mighty mountain lion would provide a deadly blow to the leopard due to the bone-crushing jaws and overall strength. Generally, even for a Maine Coon, their paws would only be around a of the size of a mountain lion. Mountain lions can breed year-round. They can stand between 3.5-5 feet tall. If you want to find out about all the other differences between these majestic animals, keep reading! Panthers, specifically jaguars, are going to roar like the other big cats, but mountain lions cannot roar. This chirping is thought to be a way of them locating their mother, and the mother will chirp back. Actual lions belong to the Panthera genus. Still, size is an ineffective way to tell these animals apart. With the exception of humans, the mountain lion has the largest range of any terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, from northern British Columbia to Argentina. However, they do compete with bears, wolverines, and wolves for their food. The cats live in home ranges that vary in size from 30 to 125 square miles (7,770to 32,375hectares). Mountain lions are the 4th largest cats in the world, after only tigers, lions, and jaguars. One can encounter a spotted mountain lion when its still a cub. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere.It is an adaptable, generalist species, occurring in most American habitat types. Breeds like the Anatolian shepherd have a history in livestock communities where shepherds needed an extra hand (or paw) tending to their flocks, especially when it came to predators like the mountain lion. They eat a variety of prey depending on where they live, including deer, pigs, capybaras, raccoons, armadillos, hares, and squirrels. The leopard is Africas most muscular cat, pound for pound. I compare this 2 cats, so you can find out by watching this video! Cougar seems to have come from an old South American Indian word, cuguacuarana, which was shortened to "cuguar" and then spelled differently. The mountain lion is called the cat of many names and symbolizes strength throughout history. However, some cubs will stay with their mother until they are over two years old before venturing off on their own and start reproducing themselves. Bobcats are thick, fluffy, and weigh only a maximum of 40 pounds. Mountain lions are obligate carnivores, like all other cats. That doesnt work for equaling the weight, though! It preys on mostly smaller susceptible animals at night, but they are opportunists and will not pass up daytime targets. It can easily take down a mule deer with a mighty leap and a bite to the back of the neck or head. Mountain lions can make a range of sounds, but they cant roar like lions or tigers. Leopards Hunt Much Smaller Animals and Occasionally a Large Animal ; Below, you will find the main characteristics and differences between the animals people usually consider the primary big cats . Mating can happen at any time of year. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. These creatures are known for quickly and silently putting an end to their prey. If you hear something that sounds like a screaming woman in the wild, you should move in the opposite direction. To reach the same height, you would have to pile three of these cats to be equal to a mountain lion. However, they will always be a shade of tan or a tawny brown unless they have a mutation. These animals are stockier compared to most other large cats, and are noticeably more bulky than the lean mountain lion.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'tigertribe_net-banner-1','ezslot_19',170,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tigertribe_net-banner-1-0'); Like most cats, the jaguar has black markings on the back of their ears, and black markings around the muzzle and eyes. The Cougar would probably have a slight upper hand even though the Leopard is extremely tenacious. The two can have comparable sizes with the larger leopards and smaller mountain lions. While a more similar size, jaguars are still much larger than mountain lions in all regards. Growing Tom Wagner's Varieties of Tomatoes: A Gardener's Guide With Tips & Advice, Tom Wagner is a renowned horticulturist who has created several varieties of tomatoes, including the popular "Fort Vancouver Yellow Pear", "Pennsylvania Catchfly", "Santa Anna" and "Sunspot". If you would like to support ForestWildlife.org in the form of donation or sponsorship, please contact us HERE. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Thus, if you are in North America or South America, you are going to see mountain lions and panthers, but you probably wont see mountain lions in Europe, Africa, and Asia. You can avoid them, too, by not hiking alone, or at dusk and dawn when mountain lions are hunting. The reason that panther became the most common term for leopards and jaguars is because both creatures have a melanistic variant that causes them to be black. Who wins. They are carnivores with large, sharp canine teeth designed for stabbing and tearing their prey apart. Despite their large size, mountain lions tend to be fairly light. Mountain lions are best compared to jaguars, the larger of the most common big cats to which their name refers. In the end, the mountain lion dominates. That you would even include the reference makes you a spreader of propaganda and disinformation. Leopards weight oscillates between 61 200 lbs. A mountain lions paw is 5-6 inches long and around 3 inches long. You would need at least 10 Maine Coons to equal the weight of the smallest mountain lion about 60 lbs. Answer (1 of 18): The leopard (Panthera pardus) has the widest distribution of any wildcat in the world ranging from the Indian peninsula to the southern coast of Africa owning to it's ability to adapt to almost any environment including human settlements where the other large cats can't. The la. Mountain Lion Mark Their Territory By Urinating And Leaving Large Scratch Marks On Trees. . Adults have eyes that can appear to be a green-brown or yellow color. Pound for pound, they are the most muscular cats in Africa. Mountain lions and cougars are animals; the same animal referred to with different names depending on the region they are found in. At 8 feet long from nose to tail, mountain lions rival some of the biggest big cats, including leopards, lions, and tigers. Thank you for the education beyond my question including new information on the panther species and the misnamed Florida panther! Mountain lion cubs can hiss and make chirping sounds. By collecting seeds from your own garden or buying them in bulk, you can save money on future purchases. So, before we look at the idea of how to differentiate a panther vs mountain lion, we have to define what animals were talking about. In fact, your cougar/mountain lion doesnt even fall in the panthera genus so why its actually referred to as that is beyond me. It would not be unusual to see mountain lions anywhere from mountainous regions to deserts, forests, and wetlands. Mountain lions are alternatively called pumas and cougars. Jaguars, on the other hand, are incredibly striking and recognizable. It stopped and looked steadily at us for a few moments. Then we have the Leopard and the Cougar/ Mountain Lion, which both frequently kill animals larger than themselves. Native to North and South America, these stealthy predators can be found almost anywhere in the western hemisphere. Its really difficult to say who would win. Leopards are slightly shorter than mountain lions, at 22.4 27.6 tall, but their body length is comparative, between 52 87. These animals typically only need between 10-50 square miles of territory in order to be happy. Overview On A Mountain Lions Size And Appearance, Mountain Lion Vs A House Cat Size Comparison, Comparing A Mountain Lion To Other Large Cats, Mountain Lions: Everything You Need To Know About Mountain, Panthers: Everything You Need To Know About Panthers, Bobcats: Everything You Need To Know About Bobcats, Mountain Lion Vs Bear: The Main Differences, Puma Vs Mountain Lion: The Main Differences, Tigers: Physical Characteristics And Behaviors, Panther Vs Mountain Lion: The Main Differences. At this point, the cubs will no longer be fed by her, but they will remain with her for another year. animalfoodplanet.com 2022 |UpVision GmbH | Privacy Policy | About Us | Contact Us | Trellis Framework by Mediavine, The Mountain Lion The Winner of the Fight, A Mountain Lion is a Larger and Stronger Cat, The Mountain Lion Will Fight to Death and Dominate Their Territory, Mountain Lion Regularly Takes Down and Feeds on Large Animals, Leopards Hunt Much Smaller Animals and Occasionally a Large Animal, The Mountain Lion Even Dominates the Hunt, The Leopard Uses Sneakiness to His Advantage. The Cougar has the advantage of being slightly stronger in its limbs, making it the stronger grappler. Aug 07, 2010 #2. Adults have eyes that can appear to be a green-brown or yellow color, while cubs have blue eyes. } Probably the second longest after the Tig. The females are more likely to weigh up to 120 lbs, and are generally about smaller than the males. The cats dont want to confront humans, and they do their best to avoid us. ), then you may not know how big a mountain lion is. Yet at the same time it is difficult to ignore the slight upper hand that cougar has in terms of weigh. For more information, please read our PRIVACY POLICY. Do Lions Eat Rhinos? My passion for animals obviously did not stop there, though! Are there any differences at all? Theyre also only around 2 feet tall at the shoulders and 3 feet long, making them around the same size as a Maine Coon cat. For the average adult human, you can expect that theyll come up to about your knee, give or take. Were going to cover everything you need to know about them right here in this article. They have especially keen eyesight, and they usually find prey by seeing it move. Add a tail on, and lions can reach an impressive length of close to 10 feet. And especially annoying is the large font size and gray theme of the Finder Sidebar and Mail. Panthers are larger than mountain lions in most cases. Required fields are marked *. In captivity, they can live up to 21 years. In fact, the scientific name of the cougar is Puma Concolor, a name that combines the Peruvian word with a Latin word meaning of one color.. Eland, zebra, and also spotted hyenas but I wouldn't use purely feats to determine who wins this match.