A large cat with an elongate body, powerful limbs, small head, short face, short rounded ears and a long neck and tail. Very hard to spot as they tend to hunt primarily at night, and move stealthily wherever they go. The mountain-lion's coat is gray to yellowish or reddish-brown with whitish shades on the underside. The long tail is tipped in black.
The mountain lion is a solitary creature, the males are largely protective of their territory, and females are often accompanied by males or kittens. The females den in caves, rock crevices or brush piles, and leave the kittens in the den while out hunting.
Food usually consists of deer, elk, porcupines and snowshoe hare, but may go after anything ranging from a grasshopper to a moose. Lions can be found mostly in the mountains and foothills, but are readily present anywhere in Montana that has sufficient food, cover and room to avoid contact with humans.
