Puma in Corcovado National Park

PUMA

A native to the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park, the puma (Puma concolor), also known as cougar, mountain lion, mountain cat, catamount or panther, depending on the region, is a mammal of the family Felidae. This large, solitary cat has the greatest range of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. It is the second heaviest cat in the American continents after the jaguar. Although large, the puma is most closely related to smaller felines. The puma has dozens of names and various references in the mythology of the indigenous Americans and in contemporary culture. Pumas are territorial animals and maintain home ranges of up to 100 miles.  It is amazingly fast, and can maneuver quite easily and skillfully.  The Puma concolor is an endangered subspecies of the feline and protected in the Corcovado Park.