The fresh new cougar (Puma concolor), also known as slope lion, panther, painter, puma, and you will catamount, is the largest feline animal inside the North america.
Like Tennessee’s nuts elk and buffalo, the new cougar are extirpated regarding state inside the very early 1900s on account of overhunting and environment losses. But not, the brand new cougar can be coming back to help you Tennessee. There were some verified sightings into the Tennessee.
The newest cougar is one of the members of the family Felidae (pet family members) that is regarding the acquisition Carnivora. It strong predator range from 5 to 8 ? legs as a whole size and you can weighs from 70 to help you 250 pounds, having boys becoming bigger than females.
People try higher sleek pets that have small thoughts. Its ears is black colored toward top side and are brief and you may rounded with no tufts out-of locks. The newest muzzle are light into the stop and black colored in which it touches the head.
Cougars has a lengthy hefty cylindrical end ranging long of 20 to 29 ins, toward last couple of ins blackish inside the color. Claws are collapsible and are usually very seldom part of a track.
Cougar fur are a very good bronze color to your higher pieces having light undersides. Limited differences makes new strong brown cat features a red, yellowish, or grayish tinge.
No black colored colour phase (called melanistic) from a cougar has ever before started documented. You will find, however, documents out of melanistic jaguars (Panthera onca) you to live in Mexico and you will south in order to north Argentina, together with melanistic leopards (Panthera pardus) in the Africa.
Brand new bobcat ‘s the only other animal belonging to the cat (Felidae) relatives that is available during the Tennessee. Bobcats differ from cougars inside their size, coloration, and you may end length. He’s far smaller compared to cougars, ranging in weight away from 10 so you’re able to forty lbs, while a beneficial cougar starts from the 70 lbs. Their coat is not consistent in color for instance the cougar’s but is actually marked that have black colored spots and lines. They likewise have directed ears that have locks tufts, instead of brand new cougar. New bobcat’s tail appears “bobbed”, and this the animal’s title, which can be typically step three to 8 inches long, that is quick when comparing to this new end of an excellent cougar.
Range
This new Heb een kijkje op deze website cougar takes up many thorough variety of people “” new world “” terrestrial mammal, about Canadian Yukon on the south idea off South usa.
In the united states, cougars live-in the new west part and continue eastward in terms of the fresh new western side of new Dakotas, Nebraska, and you can near the east borders out-of Colorado and you may Texas.
A study published throughout the Record out of Creatures Government when you look at the 2012 obtained confirmed urban centers away from cougars compiled outside their situated range through the 1990-2008.
The outcomes of your own study advise that the newest cougar is actually recolonizing this new Midwest having a variety expansion eastward. It is well documented you to definitely cougars take a trip hundreds of miles within the research of new territory.
The newest current affirmed sightings when you look at the Tennessee will be a result of it range extension and you will long exploratory guides because of the transient cougars.
Considering the fact that there are highest expanses ranging from Tennessee together with founded populations, it is long before cougars make their domestic here.
step one – LaRue, Meters. A beneficial., Nielsen, C. K., Dowling, Meters., Miller, K., Wilson, B., Shaw, H. and you will Anderson, C. Roentgen. (2012), Cougars was recolonizing this new midwest: Study out of cougar confirmations throughout the 1990–2008. New Diary off Wildlife Administration, 76: 1364–1369. doi: /jwmg.396
Confirmed Sightings
Given that , there were a number of affirmed sightings off cougars in Tennessee. Talking about the following and are generally shown regarding Tennessee Verified Cougar Sightings Map. When much more confirmed sightings are present, they shall be added consequently.