Spotted Cougar Kittens

A baby cougar's spots fade over time.

 Picture from KVAL

Cougar kittens are born with black rings on their tails and spotted coats. These spots fade to dapples around nine months of age. By the time the kittens are twenty-four to thirty months old all signs of these dapples will disappear, which is roughly around the time the cubs reach sexual maturity.

Cougars...On The Hunt

While cougars eat every day, they only hunt once a week.

Picture from Pawlore

For the male cougar, they will usually hunt and kill a large animal once every two weeks.  For females raising young, the time frame shrinks to once every three to four days.  Once the kill has been made, the cougar will drag it's kill to a preferred spot, cover it with brush and return over the following days for feeding.

The Jaguarundi - Tiny Cougar

The jaguarundi is a wild cat native to South America, coastal Mexico and south Texas. Though closely related to the cougar, the small size and distinct proportions of the jaguarundi have led some to refer to it as the “otter-cat”.

Slightly larger than domestic cats, jaguarundis are 3 to 4 ½ feet long (including tail) and weigh 8-20lbs. They have long, slender bodies with proportionally short legs and small, rounded ears. Unlike most New World cats, jaguarundis do not have spots, but do come in several color morphs ranging from red to grey across their eight subspecies.

Jaguarundis can usually be found in lowland brush areas close to a source of running water. Though they are agile climbers, they are more terrestrial than most cats and spend much of their time on the ground. Both shy and reclusive, jaguarundis can only occasionally be spotted during daylight hours.

Typical of a cat of its size, the jaguarundi’s diet consists primarily of small rodents and reptiles, with larger prey such as rabbits, marmosets and opossums taken when available. Despite their short legs, jaguarundis have been known to jump nearly six feet into the air to swat small birds out of the sky as well!

The Magnificent Mountain Goat

Although called a goat, mountain goats are actually a member of the animal family that includes cows, antelope and gazelles. Its genus, Oreamnos, roughly translates to “mountain lamb”, which makes sense given the high altitude at which these animals live. Found exclusively in the high mountain ranges of western North America, mountain goats are excellent climbers that spend most of their time at elevations of up to 13,000 feet; far out of the range of most predators.

Mountain goats are white in color with a noticeable beard and rearward-curving horns on both sexes. They have a double coat that includes a dense under layer covered with an outer coat of hollow hairs that moult in the spring. This thick outer coat allows them to withstand temperatures as low as -50 degrees F and 100mph winds. For as sure-footed as they are, mountain goats are quite large. They usually stand over 3 feet at the shoulders, and weigh anywhere from 100-300lbs.

Due to their imposing size and the high altitudes at which they live, mature mountain goats are not easy prey. Though they do have to be wary of wolves, cougars, and bears, especially when traveling between peaks at lower altitudes, the biggest threat of predation comes from golden eagles, which have been known to attack young goat kids. Mountain goats can and will use their horns to injure or kill large predators or humans that get too close to their kids; however, they are not naturally confrontational animals.

Mountain goats prefer to live in groups of 3-50 animals and spend their time foraging for grass, moss, lichen and other high altitude foliage. They currently exist in significant numbers are considered a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Animals in Golf

Congratulations to Trevor Immelman! He stayed steady and focused and now wears the coveted Green Jacket. There were some attempts to answer my little animal nickname quiz, but nobody got them all, so here goes:

The Tiger (who came in second yesterday) was born Eldrick Woods. His father nicknamed him Tiger and he's now had his name legally changed to Tiger Woods.

The Walrus is Craig Stadler. He earned the nickname due to his enormous moustache that looks much like the walrus's whiskers, or vibrissae. A walrus relies on its whiskers to find food on the muddy bottom of the ocean. Wonder if Stadler uses his to strain his soup?

The Pink Panther is LPGA player, Paula Creamer. Her play is smooth, powerful and focused, much like a panther on the prowl. Since she frequently wears pink, it seems only natural to tag her with a colorful moniker.

The Golden Bear is Jack Nicklaus. He earned the nickname in high school. Upper Arlington High's mascot was the Golden Bear. Of course his powerful swing and his golden hair may have had something to do with it as well.

The Big Cat is another player from the LPGA. Kim Williams is 6ft tall.

The Great White Shark is Greg Norman. His white-blonde hair, and the fact that he comes from Australia, made his nickname easy.

Greg Norman, like other pro-golfers, has used his nickname to create an industry of sportswear, golf accessories, golf courses, etc. You can find almost anything you need for the game with his unmistakable shark logo on it. But, I wonder if Greg has one of these on the back of his golf cart?

I know I'm trying to find a "Beware of the Jungle" one for myself!

Animals in Golf

Did you see what Tiger Woods did Friday at The Masters? His drive from the 18th tee went way, way right. He landed in the jungle, in the straw, in the trees. There was no way he could use his power or his skill to get out of this mess. Even Tiger Woods can’t drive a golf ball through a tree. So, Tiger used his brains. He hit the ball onto the 10th Fairway. Tenth fairway, you say? Wasn’t Tiger playing the 18th hole? (Obviously he’s been watching how much success I have playing multiple fairways.) Tiger's next shot went from the 10th Fairway to the 18th gree. He made par. Amazing.

Today, Sunday, the last day of The Masters tournament, Tiger Woods is 6 strokes behind the leader. That seems a lot of ground to make up. But, here is your animal fact for the day: Tigers are most successful when they catch their prey from behind!

Tiger Woods is not the only Professional Golfer to be nicknamed after an animal. Can you tell me the real names of the following players? (I’m including Tiger because that wasn’t his given name at birth.) Give them your best shot. Meanwhile I’m going to be working on my short game with this way fun desktop course. (Who says you can't play golf when it's raining?) Answers on Monday!

1. Tiger
2. The Walrus
3. Pink Panther
4. The Golden Bear
5. Big Cat
6. Great White Shark

Check out the Luck of the Leader, Trevor Immelman.

The Generalists

Raccoons have benefited greatly from the presence of humans, something not many animals can claim. Their intelligence, omnivorous diet and amazing adaptability have caused raccoon populations to increase, even quadruple, in urban environments. As far as raccoons are concerned, humans host the perfect "bed and breakfast." With backyard gardens, compost heaps, and brimming garbage cans, we set a bountiful buffet. Our abandoned cars, sheds, decks and attics provide warm, safe dens. Our mere presence protects raccoons from predators. Coyotes, wolves, foxes and mountain lions will hesitate to invade our property for the sake of a raccoon. And we think raccoons are non-threatening and cute, something that definitely works in the raccoon's favor.

It is best to remember, raccoons are wild animals, even if they've become close neighbors. It is safer for you, your family, your pets and the raccoon to discourage interaction. Raccoons can carry rabies and parasites and will kill your pets to gain ownership of the outdoor food bowl. Simple precautions—weighting your trashcans, keeping them tightly sealed, feeding your pets indoors, closing crawl spaces or decking—will make your yard less attractive.

To learn more about raccoons and how interesting they are, visit our Animal Facts Pages.

Pick a name

Cougar, Puma, Panther, Mountain Lion, Catamount all refer to the same big cat. Whatever you want to call it, the cougar doesn’t roar, but has a distinctive scream. They also can make impressive leaps. Watch some in action.


And, please note, there are no black panthers in North America. Click here for more info.