Mammals
Mule deer
Found across Utah, from high mountains to city neighborhoods, and named for its large, mule-like ears.
Cougar
Also called mountain lion or puma, and found wherever Utah's deer are.
Cougar, mountain lion, puma, catamount and panther are names for the same animal. Cougars are found throughout Utah, usually in foothills and canyons, and prefer pinyon-juniper and pine-oak country with cliffs, ledges and tall cover.
Deer are their main prey, so cougars follow them, sometimes down into the valleys in winter. After a kill, a cougar often drags the carcass to the base of a tree and covers it with soil, leaves or snow to come back to later. They hunt mostly at dawn and dusk.
Watching and staying safe
Remove what draws deer and other prey to a yard, such as pet food, bird feeders and fallen fruit; keep pets and small livestock secured at night; and keep children close at dawn and dusk. On a trail, leave the area if you find a dead deer or elk. If you meet a cougar, make yourself look bigger, speak firmly and back away slowly.