Introductory
WILDLIFE SPECIES: Felis concolor | Mountain Lion 



ABBREVIATION : 
FECO

COMMON NAMES : 
   mountain lion
   cougar
   puma
   panther
   Yuma puma
   Florida panther
   eastern cougar
   Wisconsin puma
   Texas panther


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name for the mountain lion is Felis
concolor Linnaeus.  It is in the family Felidae and subfamily Felinae.
Thirty subspecies are generally recognized worldwide.  Thirteen of these
occur in North America north of Mexico [12,19]:

     F. concolor azteca Merriam 
     F. concolor browni Merriam (Yuma puma)
     F. concolor californica May
     F. concolor coryi Bangs (Florida panther)
     F. concolor couguar Kerr (eastern cougar)
     F. concolor hippolestes Merriam
     F. concolor kaibabensis Nelson and Goldman
     F. concolor missoulensis Goldman
     F. concolor olympus Merriam
     F. concolor oregonensis (Rafinesque)
     F. concolor shorgeri Jackson (Wisconsin puma)
     F. concolor stanleyana Goldman (Texas panther)
     F. concolor vancouverensis Nelson and Goldman


ORDER : 
Carnivora

CLASS : 
Mammal

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
Florida panthers and eastern pumas are federally listed as endangered.

OTHER STATUS : 
The Arizona Game and Fish Department lists Yuma pumas
on the 1988 list of threatened Native Wildlife
in Arizona.  Yuma pumas are recognized as a species of special concern
by the California Department of Fish and Game [20].

Florida panther - Florida panthers are listed as endangered in the International Union for
the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Mammal Red Data
Book.  Florida panthers are classified as an Appendix I animal in the
Conservation on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora
and Fauna (CITES) [20].  The state of Florida lists Florida panthers as
endangered [59].  According to The Network of Natural Heritage Programs
and Conservation Data Centers and The Nature Conservancy, Florida
panthers are critically imperiled in Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana, and
South Carolina [55].  However, several researchers assert that Florida
panthers no longer occur in the latter three states [16,34,53].


Eastern cougar - Eastern cougars are listed as endangered
in the IUCN Mammal Red Data Book.  Eastern cougars are classified as an
Appendix I animal in CITES, which provides protection from international
trade.  According to The Network of Natural Heritage Programs and
Conservation Data Centers and The Nature Conservancy, eastern cougars
are critically imperiled in South Carolina [55].  In Canada, they are
listed as endangered in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec
[62].


Mountain lions are listed as a state threatened species in South Dakota
[60].


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
Julie L. Tesky, March 1995


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
NO-ENTRY


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Tesky, Julie L. 1995. Felis concolor. In: Remainder of Citation

Related categories for Wildlife Species: Felis concolor | Mountain Lion