 Home range sizes and overall cougar abundance depend on terrain , vegetation , and prey abundance . One female adjacent to the San Andres Mountains , for instance , was found with a large range of 215 km2 ( 83 sq mi ) , necessitated by poor prey abundance . Research has shown cougar <unk> from 0 @.@ 5 animals to as much as 7 ( in one study in South America ) per 100 km2 ( 38 sq mi ) . 
