Common Name: Mountain Lion
Scientific Name: Puma concolor
Habitat: Prefers dense cover and rugged terrain, ranging as far as 25 miles per night in search of food.
Diet: Carnivorous—preys especially upon deer.
Interesting Facts:
Although reports of sightings in Pennsylvania have persisted to the present day, virtually all have been undocumented. The most recent mountain lion kill in Pennsylvania occurred in 1967 and has been determined to be a released captive of a southern subspecies. The last known Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in 1856 in Susquehanna County. This specimen was preserved as a body mount that has recently been refurbished and is exhibited at Penn State’s main campus.
Further Reading:
A detailed account of the decline of the mountain lion in Pennsylvania can be found in Williams, S. L., S. B. McLaren, and M. A. Burgwin. 1985. “Paleo-archaeological and historical records of selected Pennsylvania mammals.”