'There are no significant differences other than vernacular taxonomy, if you will,' says Charlie Jasper, founder of C&C Security Consultants, whose private clients live on the urban/wilderness divide in Los Angeles, necessitating his expertise in helping them to deny access to predators on their property. The short answer is no, because they are from the same species, but there do tend to be some slight contrasts in overall size due to geographical concerns, diet and climate. So, Are There Any Differences Between Cougars and Mountain Lions? Current mountain lion ranges in the western portion of the U.S., meanwhile, stretch from Texas to the Canadian border, with the only confirmed population in the East found in Florida. The reason: The name used depends on location, and there are a lot of those to be had.Дue to the cougar's knack for adaptability - think a fast and powerful muscular body, sharp eyesight and keen hearing, as well as the ability to swim, climb trees and jump long distances - this cat can be seen thriving in many varied habitats, from the Southern Andes in South America to the Yukon in Canada, and everywhere from forests to open areas with sparse vegetation. In fact, the cougar has more monikers than almost any other living mammal, around 40 in English alone. DENNIS AXER PhotographyGetty ImagesДid you know the cougar holds one of the Guinness World Records for having the most names? Often called 'the cat of many names,' it's referred to as the puma, panther, mountain cat, mountain lion, mountain screamer, painter and catamount, just to name a few. The paw-prints in the roadside gravel were at least four inches across.The cougar is known by more names than almost any other living mammal because the name used depends on location, and these cats have a wide range of habitat. As it streaked westward toward the treeline, my cousin, who had seen cougars in Wyoming and Oregon, expressed with absolutely no doubt that such was the critter we observed that crisp morning. The partial truth thereof was soon revealed, as the tawny, muscular cat reached the state road just 40 to 50 feet in front of us and fluidly jumped, clearing the asphalt in one bound вЂ¦ trailing a tail nearly as long as itвЂ™s 3-plus-foot body. вЂњThatвЂ™s a big bobcat!вЂќ came from the back seat. As it got within 100 yards I realized it was big and moving very fast, and yelled, bringing everyone to attention.

My Oregonian cousin was riding shotgun and two other carpenters (both noted poachers) in the back.ДЄs we reached The Flats, where blueberry fields stretched to the east and west, a movement caught my eye coming out of the rising sun towards the road. I was driving north on Route 191, just inside the Meddybemps line, heading up to bend a few nails on a construction job. Quite frankly, to this day, I still donвЂ™t really believe what I saw.Д«o Yerxa: It was the fall of 1970, just after dawn. That was the first I had ever heard on the subject and I never really believed him until the morning that animal crossed the road in front of me.

He was clearly used to the noise and as we talked about them, he mentioned to me that there were вЂњbig catsвЂќ in the area. One evening after picking up a load of lumber, he and I heard some coyotes howling down in a back field where he always piled his slab wood. However, after the incident I recalled a conversation that I had engaged in with an old sawyer who lived down the road from me. The animal was extremely sleek and in a couple of bounds had leapt up a steep incline heading toward the Frye Mountain area. The colors went from something like a chestnut brown on the head and upper half of its body to a much darker brown toward the rear and rather long tail. Kelly described and the colors were the reason I found the entire episode so unreal. As I slowed, I noted the colors which Ms. KellyвЂ™s interesting description of what she saw that prompts this email to you.Дriving East on Route 137 toward Belfast several years ago, a large cat crossed the westbound lane of the road and continued directly in front of my car. Kevin Johndro: I have read about the debate on the existence of big cats in Maine for years and have always wanted to comment but to this day I still donвЂ™t really believe what I saw on the highway in Knox one morning on my way to work.

Eastern mountain lion