Yellowstone Mountain Lion
The mountain lion — also called cougar or puma — is the ghost of Yellowstone. Solitary, nocturnal, and scarce, it's the park's rarest large carnivore, and a sighting is exceptional.
Overview
Mountain lions (Puma concolor) are solitary ambush predators that take deer and elk, mostly at dawn, dusk, and night. They're present across the park's rugged terrain but at very low density, and they avoid people.
Confirmed sightings are rare and almost always chance encounters at dawn or dusk in the northern-range cliffs and Tower area. Most 'mountain lion' reports are misidentified bobcats or coyotes.
Where to find them
- Northern range cliffs: Rugged terrain; essentially never seen.
- Tower area: Occasional chance encounters.
When to look
Dawn, dusk, and night — they're crepuscular/nocturnal. Realistically, plan to see other things.
⚠️Stay at least 100 yd away
Frequently asked questions
Are there mountain lions in Yellowstone?+
Yes, but at low density and rarely seen. They're the park's most elusive large carnivore — solitary, nocturnal, and people-averse. A confirmed sighting is exceptional.
How is a mountain lion different from a bobcat or lynx?+
Size and tail. A mountain lion is much larger (80–180 lb) with a long heavy tail. Bobcats and lynx are much smaller (15–30 lb) with short bobbed tails and tufted ears.
Are mountain lions dangerous to people?+
Encounters are extremely rare and attacks rarer still. They avoid people. If you do see one, don't run — make yourself large, back away slowly, and report any aggressive behavior to a ranger.
Data & field guide
25 aggregate reports. Peak: May. Sighting frequency, not population abundance.
127 timed records. Daylight viewing bias applies.
Field identification: tracks & sign
Puma concolor · Felidae
Tracks
- Front foot
- 60–85mm × 60–85mm
- Hind foot
- 55–75mm × 50–70mm
- Track width
- 6–9cm
- Toes
- 4
- Stride
- 40–60 (walk), 80–100 (bound)cm
Claws are RETRACTILE — normally do NOT show in track. This is the key difference from canine tracks. Claws may show only on very fast turns or slippery surfaces.
Scat & other sign
Segmented, tubular, with blunt ends. Diameter 20–30mm. Contains hair, bone fragments, teeth. Often covered with debris (scraped) or deposited on prominent features.
Diameter: 20–30mm
Key identification features
- Large asymmetrical track, NO claw marks
- Three-lobed rear edge of main pad
- 'M' shape between toes and pad
- Segmented scat, often scraped over
- Kill caches (prey covered with debris)
- Scrape mounds with urine/scent
ℹ️In the field
Sources & data notes
- Seasonal and hourly patterns: aggregated from NPS and observer trip reports in the project dataset (1995–2026). Only monthly counts are published; no per-sighting location or observer data.
- Report signals: official NPS/USGS aggregate or narrative report facts only. Exact dens, raw sightings, and bear-jam points are not published.
- Track & sign field guide: compiled from NPS species references and field-identification literature.
Sources & data notes
- Mountain Lion data is drawn from official NPS, USGS, and NOAA sources catalogued in our source registry. Observer-submitted sightings are not published on this public guide.
- Mountain Lion is documented via NPS reference pages; no dedicated population time-series is in the public dataset.
- NPS Yellowstone mammals overview — National Park Service (Official mammal checklist/context page with current park-level population notes; not point data.)
- NPS Yellowstone wildlife overview — National Park Service (Official wildlife viewing and habitat context; not observation records.)
Spotted something off, or want a deeper dive? Every claim above links to its original source — look for the ↗ markers and the Sources section.