Panther Habitats, Diet & Characteristics

In North America, the term "panther" generally refers to the Puma concolor or any of its subspecies. They are also called cougars, pumas or mountain lions, and have been known by many colloquial names, including "painter." Though panthers once ranged as far south as the Straits of Magellan and as far north as British Columbia, their current distribution is greatly restricted. Many subspecies are considered threatened, some, such as the Florida panther, are listed as endangered. The subspecies Puma concolor schorgeri and Puma concolor couguar are extinct in the wild, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

  1. Physical Appearance

    • Though panthers are classed as "small cats," this is not a reference to their size. Adult panthers range in weight from 79 pounds to more than 220 pounds and can measure up to nine feet in length. Males are larger than females. Adult panthers have coats ranging in color from tawny red or gray, and even chocolate brown. A panther's chest and throat are white, and they have black markings on the backs of their ears, muzzle and the tip of the tail. Panthers have distinctively long tails that can reach more than 30 inches in length.

    Behavior

    • Panthers are solitary animals. Interactions between adult panthers is limited to the time a pair spends breeding, usually one to six days. Kittens often stay with their mothers for up to two years to learn necessary but complicated hunting strategies. Panthers are most active from dusk through dawn, though they have been observed hunting during the day. Though panthers are known to attack humans, the University of Wisconsin reports that only 13 people have been killed by panthers in the past 100 years. Most panthers will avoid conflict with humans; early American settlers even considered them shy and cowardly animals. However, extreme caution should be taken by people in panther territories.

    Diet

    • Panthers are carnivores. Their main prey is deer and elk, along with other large bovids and cervids. They will also eat beavers, squirrels and other small mammals, including porcupines, as well as fish and snails. Panthers have been known to occasionally prey on domestic livestock and pets.

    Habitat

    • An adult male panther can have an individual rage of up to 150 square miles, overlapping the territory of several female panthers, according the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Female panthers have roughly half the home range of males. Panthers are known to live in a wide variety of habitats, from swamps to mountains, wherever deer or elk are found. Though they are adaptable animals, suitable habitat is increasingly hard to find due to the spread of human agriculture, mining and development.