{"id":9276,"date":"2021-08-09T14:51:13","date_gmt":"2021-08-09T14:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=9276"},"modified":"2021-08-12T11:14:34","modified_gmt":"2021-08-12T11:14:34","slug":"are-cougars-endangered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/are-cougars-endangered\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Cougars Endangered?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A couple hundred years ago, cougars<\/a> roamed nearly every corner of North America. Today, though, their domain is much smaller, which may lead you to wonder if their numbers are dwindling. Are cougars endangered, and if so, why? What protective measures are in place to keep them from going extinct? In this article, we\u2019ll answer all of these questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are Cougars a Protected Species?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"are<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the United States, there is no federal protection for cougar subspecies that aren\u2019t endangered. Protective measures for cougars are determined on a state by state basis<\/strong>, and the laws in place vary widely because of differing needs and priorities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cougars are mostly found in western North America<\/strong>, though isolated sightings are becoming more common throughout the midwest, as well as some eastern states and provinces. This is likely due to the fact that cougars have a large range and may be coming from the west in search of new territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, protective laws for cougars are going to be different in Michigan than they are in Oregon because there are a lot fewer cougars in Michigan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political and social atmospheres may also influence state laws. For example, cougars are far more protected in California than in Texas, though both states have native populations of cougars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, most states with active cougar populations do have limited protective measures in place<\/strong>. Even in states where hunting cougars is legal, there are almost always hunting laws and reporting requirements governing the practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about specific state laws regarding cougars, check out The Cougar Fund<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are Cougars Endangered in the United States and Canada?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a species, cougars are not considered endangered.<\/strong> Though their range is not quite as large as it used to be, cougars as a whole are doing well and can be found throughout North and South America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it\u2019s a little more complicated than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cougars are divided into subspecies based on their location and minor genetic differences. There are about 30 subspecies of cougar<\/strong> in total, two of which are considered endangered: the Florida Panther<\/strong> and the Costa Rican Puma<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out the following video to learn more about some of the cougar subspecies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
https:\/\/youtu.be\/1Zqi6jwf4jI<\/a>