This typically includes leopards and jaguars, but mountain lions are also referred to as panthers occasionally.
In this article, we will take a look at what jaguars, leopards, and mountain lions eat.
The diets of these animals vary a lot depending on where they are.
This is because leopards are found in both Africa and Asia, and the jaguar and mountain lion are found in North and South America. As wildlife differs a lot, so do their diets!
It’s important to note that all three of these animals are obligate carnivores.
This means that they can only get the nutrition they need from meat sources. While they light occasionally eat other foods like plants or berries, they are not beneficial to the animals.
Because of this, we will only focus on the prey that these three types of panthers hunt and eat.
Ready to find out more? Keep reading to learn everything you need to know!
What Do Panthers Eat?
Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor)
Mountain lions, also called pumas or cougars (among other names) are found in North, Central, and South America.
They cover a vast range from areas in Alaska to southern Chile and Argentina.
These animals live in forests, deserts, and wetlands. Generally, as long as there is shelter and prey, mountain lions will thrive wherever they are.
As such, they are known to eat a variety of things that naturally occur in their habitats.
Below is a list of animals that mountain lions eat:
Elk – large deer
Foxes – small omnivorous mammals
Coyotes – small-medium canids
Red deer – large deer
White-tailed deer – medium-sized deer
Caribou – medium-sized deer
Mule deer – medium-sized deer
North American bison – large bovines
Black bears – medium-sized bears
Mountain goats – medium-sized goats
Bighorn sheep – medium-sized sheep
Wild horses – large mammals
Moose – only the young or elderly, the largest species of the deer family
Cattle – large bovines
Raccoons – small mammals with ringed tails
Bobcat – medium-sized wild cat
Beavers – medium-sized rodent
Rodents – rats, mice, and other similar rodents
Birds – various birds
Hares – various hares
Fish – various fish
Amphibians – various amphibians
Lizards – various lizards
Marmot – large ground-dwelling squirrel
Skunks – small striped animals
Groundhogs – small rodent
Lynx – medium-sized wild cat
Jaguars (Panthera Onca)
Jaguars are the third-biggest cats in the world, after lions and tigers.
They are found in select places in North America, but primarily live in Central and South America.
The majority of the jaguar population is located in and around the Amazon Rainforest. However, they are also found in northern Argentina.
They mostly live in thick jungle, like the Amazon, but some populations are also found in deserts.
Most animals prefer wooded or forested areas, but as long as there is prey and shelter, they tend to do well.
Below is a list of animals that jaguars eat:
Tapir – large mammals similar to pigs
Cattle – large bovines
Snakes – various snake species, including anaconda
Caiman – various sized reptiles similar to alligators
Red brocket deer – a small deer
Birds – various birds
Fish – various fish
Giant anteater – a large insectivorous mammal
Tortoises – various tortoises, jaws are strong enough to crush the shell
Rabbits – various rabbits
Capybaras – world’s largest rodent
Armadillos – small mammal covered in bony plates
Iguanas – small-medium sized reptiles
Peccaries – medium-sized pig-like mammal
Eggs – bird and reptile eggs are fair game for jaguars
Turtles – various turtles
Marsh deer – large deer
Leopards (Panthera Pardus)
Leopards are found primarily in Africa and Asia, but also occur naturally in parts of Europe.
They have the largest distribution of all wild cats. These animals range from southern to central africa and sub-Saharan Africa.
They are also found in the Middle East and European countries such as Russia.
In Asia, leopards are found in southern China, India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam.
These animals are found in a huge variety of habitats. They thrive in deserts, grasslands to mountains and rainforests.
Leopards are very adaptive and can do well as long as there is prey and shelter for them.
Below is a list of animals that leopards eat:
Thompson’s gazelle – medium-sized antelope, diet of the African leopard
Impala – medium-sized antelope, diet of the African leopard
Warthog – a small to medium-sized wild pig, diet of the African leopard
Sheep – medium animals, prey to all leopards
Kudu – large antelope, diet of the African leopard
Feral pigs – medium-large pigs, prey of all leopards
Wildebeest – large antelope, diet of the African leopard
Bushbuck – medium-sized antelope, diet of the African leopard
Gorillas – large primates, occasionally hunted by African leopards
Rhesus macaques – small monkeys, prey of Indian leopards
Guar – large bovine, diet of the Indian leopard
Street dogs – prey of all leopards
Sambar deer – large deer, diet of the Indian leopard
Aardvark – medium-sized animal, prey to African leopards
Baboons – medium-large monkeys, prey to African leopards
Nilgai – large antelope, diet of the Indian leopard
Axis deer (chital) – medium-sized deer, diet of the Indian leopard
Vervet monkeys – small monkeys, prey to African leopards
Hares – various species, prey to all leopards
Roe deer – medium-sized deer, diet of the Amur leopard
Sika deer – medium-sized deer, diet of the Amur leopard
Eurasian Wild boar – large pics, diet of the Amur leopard
Porcupines – large, spiny rodents, prey of the African leopards
Lizards – various lizard species, primarily prey of African and Amur leopards
Birds – various bird species, prey of all leopards
Raccoon dogs – small fox-like animal, prey to the Indian leopard
Fish – various fish species, prey of all leopards
Dung beetles – small beetle known for rolling balls of dung, prey of the African leopard
Rodents – includes rats, mine, and similar animals, prey of all leopards
Final Thoughts
Panthers eat a wide variety of things depending on where they are in the world. For panthers like jaguars, mountain lions, Amur and Indian leopards, deer are the majority of their diets.
For African leopards, antelope like impala and kudu are the primary source of food.
Panthers are generally very adaptive animals, whether they are leopards, cougars, or jaguars. However, they all rely on certain prey being around in order for them to thrive.
Hi, my name is Joe Edwards and I am fascinated by the world of big cats. It all started when my family and I visited a safari park when I was six years old. I begged my parents to get me a stuffed lion as a memento, and later a book about big cats for Christmas.
Now, over 20 years later, I still can’t get enough of them!
