Watch: How mountain lion mothers care for their kittens

August 29, 2018 – A glimpse into the “private lives” of mountain lions (also called pumas and cougars) is rare. A study by conservation group Panthera used GPS collars to track multiple puma dens in northwest Wyoming. Kittens stay with their mothers until they’re 18 months old, learning essential hunting and survival skills. If orphaned, they have a low chance of survival. Wyoming Game and Fish Department estimates that more than 70 kittens per year are orphaned due to hunting. The researchers suggest that delaying hunting season until December 1 could help hunters avoid accidentally killing mothers.