For a long time, most big cats were considered solitary animals that weren't very social. However, more and more research has revealed that some of these "lonely" animals actually have complex social systems.

For example, the Eurasian lynx, based on long-term research in the Naliboki Forest by scientists from the Belarusian Academy of Sciences, has shown that male lynxes do not only come together with females during the mating season.

In fact, even before mating, they sometimes live together occasionally. Similarly, pumas, traditionally thought to be solitary hunters, have been found to also have complex social systems.

Puma: Not Just a "Lion of the Americas"

In the big cat family, only lions are considered strictly social animals, while the other 30 or so species are solitary. In many materials and images, pumas are depicted as solitary hunters, and for a long time, we thought of them, like tigers, as not very social. But as research on big cats deepens, especially after the release of research reports by Mark Elbroch and his team from the Global Wild Cat Research Organization, our understanding of pumas has grown.

When people hear about pumas, not all animal enthusiasts are very familiar with them. Many still believe that the puma is simply a type of lion living in the Americas, similar to the Asian or African lions. But in reality, pumas are not closely related to lions; they're actually more closely related to cheetahs.

So what do pumas and lions have in common? Perhaps just their similar color patterns—both lions and pumas lose their spots as adults.

Puma vs. Lion: Family and Habitat

Pumas belong to the Felinae subfamily, which also includes cheetahs and other smaller wild cats. Lions, on the other hand, belong to the Pantherinae subfamily, along with tigers, snow leopards, and jaguars. The difference between pumas and lions is like the difference between the larger "panther" species and the smaller "cat" species.

As for distribution, pumas are found throughout the Americas, from the Andes Mountains in South America all the way up to the Yukon region in Canada. Pumas are highly adaptable to different environments and can be found in various habitats such as cliffs, forests, lowlands, and even desert areas. In contrast, lions are found in Africa (mainly in the savannas) and a small population exists in India's Gir Forest.

Pumas' Social Behavior: Not So Solitary

In the past, pumas were thought to be solitary animals, and it was believed that they could not tolerate the presence of other pumas when eating. However, scientists have studied 13 pumas for three years, recording 242 feeding events, and discovered that pumas do share food, especially females and older pumas. They are more tolerant of other pumas' presence during feeding and are more willing to share food.

While pumas are still considered solitary, they are not as "lonely" as we once thought. They have their own social systems based on mutual benefits, which manifest in behaviors like sharing food.

Pumas Share Food: A Surprising Discovery

Unlike cheetahs, which are commonly seen hunting and eating together, it is quite rare to observe multiple pumas sharing food. In one study, researchers set up infrared cameras in Yellowstone National Park and captured an interesting scene: A female puma was eating when another female puma approached. According to traditional beliefs, there should have been a fight, but surprisingly, after a brief period of testing each other, the two pumas shared the food peacefully.

At first, researchers thought the two pumas might be related, as sharing food among relatives is often seen in nature as a way to invest in one's genetic lineage. However, after analyzing their genetic data, they found no relation between them, which means that the food-sharing behavior is not based on kinship.

Why Do Pumas Share Food?

The reason why pumas share food, rather than fight, is tied to their hunting habits. Pumas usually hunt large prey like deer, which they can't always finish eating. Experts believe that the cost of driving away a fellow puma, leading to a fight, is much higher than simply sharing the food. Especially in areas where deer populations have increased due to human intervention, the cost of hunting is relatively low for pumas.

When a puma approaches another who is eating, it will usually test the situation by making small movements, emitting sounds, and observing the other's reaction. If there is no strong resistance, the "intruder" will join the meal.

Mother Pumas: Highly Protective and Caring

Puma mothers are very devoted to their cubs. The amount of time spent by a mother puma with her cubs during their early stages of development is the highest among all big cats, reaching 82%. Additionally, puma cubs enjoy the longest "happy time" before being taught survival skills, which is the longest among all big cats.