Panther vs Puma: Difference and Comparison

Panthers and Puma are considered to be one of the largest cats in the world. They both belong to the same Felidae family and also belong to the same kingdom Animalia.

They vary from each other in size, color, features, hunting technique, prey, habitat, etc. Panthers have their origin in Asia and Europe. On the other hand, Puma has their origin in America.

Key Takeaways

1. Panther is a term that can refer to any big cat with a solid black coat, while puma is a specific species of a big cat with a tan or yellow coat and black markings.
2. Panthers are most commonly associated with black leopards, while pumas are more commonly known as mountain lions or cougars.
3. Panthers are found in Asia and Africa, while pumas are throughout North and South America.

Panther vs. Puma

In North America, the name “puma” is more commonly used to refer to this species of big cat, also known as the mountain lion or cougar. Pumas are large, powerful predators with tan or brown fur and a distinctive long tail. The name “panther” is more commonly used in Central and South America.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Panther	Puma
Definition	Panther is one of the largest cat species in the world.	Puma is the largest and the wildest cat among all the cat types.
Origin of the word	Panther is derived from the Latin panthera, “large spotted cat.”	The word Puma is the Spanish puma derived from the Quechua language of Peru.
Origin	Have the origin in Asia and Africa.	Have its origin in America.
Fur Color	The fur color could be black or white. Generally, it is black.	Fur color could be brown-yellow or grey-red.
Habitat	Their habitat includes forests, swampland, and grasslands.	Their habitat is forested and the rocky mountains.
Build	Panther has a small head with strong jaws and emerald green eyes. The back legs are slightly larger and stronger than the front.	Puma has large, muscular, and short legs. They have small but long skulls.
Prey	Panthers hunt down deer, warthogs, wild boar, tapir, antelope, and smaller birds and rabbits.	Puma hunts down deer, raccoons, squirrels, foxes, rabbits, and skunks.

What is Panther

Panther is one of the largest felines in the world that can roar and easily adapt to various habitats worldwide. They have their native to Asia and Africa.

The word Panther refers to the animal genus Panthera which includes many big cats such as lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, and many more. Panther refers to the leopards and jaguars having all black coats because of the excess of a pigment called melanin.

A panther could be a black jaguar, a black leopard, and a black Florida panther. Panther is a powerful, carnivore black animal due to a chromosome mutation.

There are white panthers as well that are known as albino panthers. Their white color is because of the albinism or chinchilla mutation.

A normal adult panther has a length of about 6 to 7.2 feet, height at a shoulder length of about 24 to 28 inches, and weighs around 100 to 160 pounds. They do not have spots on their body or tail but do have a characteristic shiny dark fur.

What is Puma

Puma is also known as cougar, mountain lion, catamount, and other local names. They have their native to America.

This animal could be easily found in the mountains from southern Canada to the tip of South America. Puma is a carnivore animal that is the most active at night. It is the largest of the small cats.

It loves to hunt various animals, such as moose, deer, cattle, horses, rodents, and many more. They have a characteristic black ring around their nose. 

The scientific name of the Puma is the Felis concolor which means “cat of one color.” These cats lack the markings on their fur absent according to the meaning of their scientific name.

The word Puma refers to the genus Puma. While killing, Puma bites the back of the neck, head, or throat.

Some puncture marks made because of their claws can be easily seen on the sides and underside of their prey. A normal adult puma has a length of about 2.4 meters, a height of somewhere between 60 – 76 cm at the shoulder, and a weight of around 53 – 72 kilograms.

Main Differences Between Panther and Puma

1. Panther is one of the largest cats known in the world, whereas Puma is the wildest and the largest cat breed among all the cat types.
2. Panthers originated in Asia and Europe, whereas Puma originated in America.
3. The panther can be found in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. In contrast, Puma can be found on the West coast of Canada, in the western half of the United States, including Alaska and Florida, and most of Central and South America.
4. Panthers have stronger jaws and larger and stronger back legs than the front legs, whereas Puma has large, muscular, and short legs.
5. Panthers can easily roar, whereas Puma can growl, hiss, screech, and purr but never roar.
6. Panthers love hunting animals such as Deer, Warthogs, Wild Boar, Tapir, Antelope, and smaller species like birds and rabbits. On the other hand, Puma hunts down animals such as deer, raccoons, squirrels, foxes, rabbits, and skunks.
7. Panthers have a length somewhere between 5.9 to 7.5 feet, whereas Puma can go up to 9 feet long but have an average length between 6 to 8 feet.
8. Panthers can weigh somewhere between 30 to 72 kg, whereas Puma can weigh somewhere between 29 to 90 kg.

References

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00244-003-0130-5

Last Updated : 11 June, 2023