The mountain lion is a large, furry feline. They are around 2 to 3 meters long, and weigh around 20 to 40 kilograms. They are very agile animals that have been known to leap 10 meters in length and 3 meters in height!
Despite their amazing leaping abilities, mountain lions do not typically climb trees. This is because they are not as specialized as other species of cats, like the jaguar.
Because they are not very specialized climbers, it is difficult for them to hunt prey in trees. Because of this, they will typically ambush their prey on the ground instead.
The average weight of a mountain lion is around 30 kilograms, which makes them one of the lighter felines. Because of this, they have less physical weight to put into their leaps and jumps, making some movements less powerful.
Determine the maximum velocity of a mountain lion
To determine the maximum velocity of a mountain lion, researchers used tracking data collected by other researchers and hunters.
They calculated the average speed of a mountain lion based on distance traveled divided by time spanning several different observations.
They then calculated the average speed of a mountain lion using the average length it traveled and the average time spent traveling.
This is a common method used to calculate average speeds of animals. By doing this, they can account for differences in terrain, which would alter the animal’s speed.
They found that the average maximum velocity of a mountain lion was around 8 mph (13 kph). This is much slower than what was previously believed, which was around 25 mph (40 kph).
Calculate the mass of a mountain lion
First, you need to know the weight of a mountain lion. Fortunately, this is not too difficult to find.
You can find the average weight of a mountain lion on various wildlife websites and online databases. For this example, we will use the average weight of a mountain lion as 100 lbs (45 kg).
You will also need to know the distance between two parallel lines, in this case, the ground and the top of the tree. Luckily, you do not need to know the height of a tree to calculate its width!
Just take some tape out and measure it- you will get the length you need! For our case, we will measure out 10 feet (3 meters) between the ground and top of the tree.
Calculate the distance between two trees
When a mountain lion decides to jump between trees, it must first calculate the distance between the trees.
Typically, mountain lions will select a tree closer to the target tree and then leap to the target tree. This way, they do not have to jump as far and risk missing the target tree altogether.
The lion must also consider the width of the trees when calculating the leap. If two trees are close in width, then the lion must select a taller tree so that it can still reach the target tree in one leap.
Determine the ratio of the distance travelled over the maximum potential energy
To figure out how far a mountain lion can leap, you need to know how high it can jump and how far it can run before jumping.
A mountain lion’s maximum potential energy is the energy it would have if it was suspended at its greatest height prior to landing.
Since the cat can run a certain distance before leaping, you need to determine the ratio of the distance travelled over the maximum potential energy. You can do this by dividing the distance it runs by its greatest potential energy.
For example, if a mountain lion runs 1,000 feet before leaping and then jumps 3 feet off of the ground, its maximum potential energy is 1,000 ÷ 3 or 333.33 feet. This is the height at which it would be suspended before landing. Divide that number by the length of time it ran, and you get 66.66, which round up to 67.
Explain why this is an ideal exercise for a mountain lion
Running is one of the best exercises a mountain lion can do. Not only is it a way to exercise, but it’s also a way to explore their surroundings.
For them, it’s also a way to hunt and eat food. Since they are predators, they need a lot of energy to move around and pursue their prey.
They need to be able to run long distances in order to successfully capture their prey. A mountain lion has to have strong legs in order to do this.
When they run, they have to have the right form or they may hurt themselves. By having good form when running, they can continue doing so for a long time without getting injured.
What are other factors that affect this jump?
Besides the animal, the weight of the leap is also dependent on the terrain. A running mountain lion can make a leap 10.0 m long, reaching a maximum height of 3.0 m on a solid surface such as concrete.
Surface area also plays a role in how far and high the leap can go. The larger the surface area of the animal, the harder it is to pull off this stunt.
How powerful its legs are plays a part as well. If its legs are skinny and weak, it will not be able to pull this off. It will either fall down or not even try to jump because it knows it cannot do it.
What about human athletes?
While many people are impressed by the leaping abilities of animals, few think about the incredible leaping capabilities of human athletes.
Many Olympic events feature some sort of jumping event, and with so many people practicing and perfecting the art of jumping, it is no surprise that humans can leap very far.
The world record for the longest long jump is almost twice as long as a mountain lion’s! This just goes to show how talented humans really are.
But what about when a mountain lion meets a human in a game of basketball? Well, based on stats for both creatures, it looks like the lion would win! According to Business Insider, humans only reach a height of 1.75 meters (5’9”), which is significantly shorter than our feline friend.
What about other animals?
While the mountain lion is one of the strongest predators in the world, other animals have been known to make incredible jumps.
Lions and tigers, for example, have been recorded making jumps of up to 8 meters (26 feet) which is quite the leap!
However, they do not seem to be able to reach a maximum height like the mountain lion can. This may be due to their size—lions and tigers are slightly shorter than mountain lions.
Jaguars have also been recorded making impressive leaps of up to 5 meters (16 feet), similar to what a cougar could accomplish. Bears have also been recorded making short hops of around 2–3 feet. Wolves likely possess similar jumping abilities as well.
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