Mountain lions, also known as cougars or pumas, are distributed throughout Wyoming, but their highest densities are typically found in regions that provide both abundant prey—primarily mule deer and elk—and rugged, mountainous terrain that offers sufficient cover for stalking. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Bighorn Mountains are prime habitats, but the highest concentrations are often noted in the Laramie Range and the Black Hills in the northeastern corner of the state. These apex predators are elusive and solitary, favoring "rimrock" country, canyons, and heavily forested foothills where they can remain undetected. While they are present in almost every mountain range in Wyoming, their population is most robust in areas where human development is minimal and game populations are dense. State wildlife officials monitor these populations closely, noting that as long as the ungulate populations remain healthy and the terrain provides the necessary vertical complexity for their hunting style, the mountain lion population will continue to thrive in these specific wild corridors across the state.