Species In The
SPOTLIGHT
• M ountain lions are the largest small cat species, found in North and South America • A lso known as cougars, pumas or panthers, these powerful carnivores hunt deer, racoons and even porcupines
i n a t n u o M Lion
• S uper-fast, with excellent eyesight and hearing, they can swim, climb trees and jump over six metres • U nlike big cats, mountain lions don’t roar. They growl, yowl, hiss and purr instead • T hey were hunted by people and wiped out in much of North America, but thanks to conservation, their numbers are now growing • M ountain lions play a vital ecological role, so by protecting these top predators (sometimes known as umbrella species), countless other species thrive.
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