Just a mother mountain lion taking care of her cubs and leading them to some fresh water in the mountains of Idaho.
When it comes to the most prolific and majestic predators in North America, the mountain lion (also referred to as cougars, depending on the region) has to be towards the top of the list. Though these big cats can weigh upwards of 150 pounds, they are some of the most stealthy animals on the planet, and can easily sneak up on prey.
You’ve probably heard the old saying about mountain lions: “If you happen to spot a mountain lion out in the wild, there’s a good chance they actually spotted you first.”
That saying also rings true because they are a very reclusive animal, which makes it difficult to get a read on just on how many mountain lions are out there in the wild. The populations is believed to be somewhere around 50,000, and that’s worldwide. Interestingly enough, much of that global estimation is made up of mountain lions residing in the western part of North America.
States like Colorado, Montana, California, Utah and Idaho– and then up in parts of Canada – are believed to hold most of the world’s mountain lion population. It’s estimated by wildlife biologists that 20,000 to 40,000 of all mountain lions living in the wild belong to the western U.S. and Canada.
The more you know, right?
And thanks to this trail camera video, we can confirm the whereabouts of at least four mountain lions in Idaho. This footage captured by Peek Outdoors is from a strategically placed camera facing a freshwater spring that’s often visited by wildlife. On this particular occasion, and during a hot spell in the “Gem State,” this mother mountain lion led her three cubs (also called kittens) to the freshwater high up in the mountainous terrain.
Lions can have up to six cubs (sometimes called kittens) at a time. They rely on their mothers to raise them until they are ready to take on territory of their own. At around six months old, they lose their spots and start to really learn how to be independent. Then, around a year to two years old, they tend to feel comfortable enough to leave their mother’s side.
This little group of triplets, believed to be just a couple of months old, was far from being able to face the world by themselves, and they were thankful that they had their mom to guide them to the water source:
Pretty cool, eh?
There’s actually a full version of the video on the Peek Outdoors page that shows other animals, like elk, bears, bucks, and various other animals that call Idaho home tracking down water during the state’s run of warmer weather. If you have a couple of minutes, make sure to check it out:
“In this 2026 video, it is hot, and the animals are searching for water. You will see a cougar and her triplet cubs, bull elk in velvet, elk calves, bear, bear cubs, bucks, skunk, turkeys, bobcat, owl, and a black wolf. This is the high country of public land in the most remote places outdoor Idaho offers.”
