Mountain lions, also known as cougars, panthers, pumas, or catamounts, are all the same animal. In fact, the scientific name, 'Puma concolor,' is sometimes known as 'the cat of many names.' Naturalist, writer, and Utah native Claude T. Barnes listed 40 English names for a mountain lion, along with 18 names from South America and 25 from Native Americans. This large cat species is native to the Americas and is quite agile. They can leap 15 feet toward prey or into a tree, sprint 50 miles per hour, and maintain a 10-mile-per-hour gate over several miles.