# Where Do Cougars Live?

> Where cougars live: Mountains, forests, and deserts, native range cues, and human overlap. Status Least Concern.

- **Species:** Cougar (*Puma concolor*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Carnivore
- **Habitat:** Mountains, forests, and deserts
- **Lifespan:** 8–13 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Up to 80 km/h (50 mph) in short bursts
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/cougar/where-do-cougar-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/cougar/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The cougar, also called puma, mountain lion, or panther, is a large solitary cat with the widest range of any wild land mammal in the Americas, from Canada to the southern Andes. It is a powerful ambush predator that hunts deer and other prey, and despite its size it is not classed among the "big cats" because it cannot roar. Cougars can leap great distances and run fast over short bursts. In the wild they typically live 8 to 13 years.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a sighting hotline. This page is native range and habitat.

## Behavior and athleticism

Cougars are solitary and territorial, with males patrolling large home ranges that overlap those of several females. They are remarkable athletes, able to leap up to 5 m (16 ft) vertically and bound long distances, and they sprint at high speed over short stretches. Although large, the cougar is most closely related to smaller cats and cannot roar; instead it purrs, hisses, growls, and produces an eerie scream. It is most active at dawn and dusk.

## Help protect the Cougar

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/cougar/where-do-cougar-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.