How do cougars raise their young

[KingNothing]

I have some questions about animals that I want answered. I know this is a physics forum, but this crowd is generally the most educated of all the forums I frequent, so I ask general questions here.

1. Big cats, like cougars and leopards, do they hunt alone? How do they raise their young, and feed their young.

2. What are the most social animals? What species help other members of the species out the most?

 

[Moonbear]

1) It depends on the species. Do you have a favorite you'd like that answered for?

2) You'll probably get a range of opinions on something like this, but the social insects, like ants and bees, probably qualify in the final running for the category. Other animals that live in colonies would likely qualify as well...I've been watching way too much of Meerkat Manor lately, and they seem to have a pretty organized social structure including things like babysitting duties. Humans rank pretty high up there too. There are other examples at the tip of my tongue (fingers?) that I'm trying to recall...I'd want to double check before adding them to the list because I might be misremembering things. I'm not sure it would be that easy to really rank anyone as the MOST social.

 

[arildno]

0. PF is NOT just a physics forums (otherwise there wouldn't have been a biology sub-forum here, would it?). Feel free to ask any biology questions here as well.

1. Lions are fairly social big cats, with a harem-like social structure. The lionesses (often sisters) raise their cubs in common, and hunts together.
When the old he-lion is defeated in battle with a new male, the new male usually kills off any cubs remaining.

I believe the tigers are rather solitary, at least the males. Since the female needs to hunt as well as raising the cub(s?), I assume that it is critical for her to find a safe hide-out for the cub. (I am unaware if female tigers band together for mutual protection, I'd be interested to here the true story about how the tigers manage this).

 

[chalky]

i heard from a friend that new research has shown that some indonesian species of tiger can be very social at times and family groups have been observed congregating at night in bands of up to 5 or 6

 

[arildno]

i heard from a friend that new research has shown that some indonesian species of tiger can be very social at times and family groups have been observed congregating at night in bands of up to 5 or 6

Interesting!
Thanks for puncturing another myth I've believed in!