Mountain lion habitat is essentially the same as that of their primary prey. Stream courses and ridgetops are frequently used as travel corridors and hunting routes. Florida panthers generally inhabit ecotones and subtropical, dense forests in low-lying swampy areas composed mainly of trees, shrubs, and vines. In rough terrain mountain lion dens are usually located in a shallow nook on the face of a cliff or rock outcrop. In less mountainous areas dens are located in dense thickets or under fallen logs.
Little bedding is used in dens.
Resident male mountain lion home ranges are typically larger than those of females and overlap a number of female home ranges, but only occasionally overlap those of other resident males. Female mountain lions probably select areas with relatively high prey densities. In North America mountain lions feed primarily on large ungulate species. In most temperate regions, small mammals represent a minor part of the diet and probably are taken opportunistically. The most important food items, based on contents of six Florida panther stomachs, were armadillos and white-tailed deer.