Final answer:
The cougar's longer hind legs contribute to its exceptional jumping ability, helping it hunt and exemplifying convergent evolutionary traits like those seen in kangaroos. Cougars are revered in many native cultures, including the Inca civilization which linked them to their thunder god and modeled a city after them. Unlike some nocturnal predatory birds and reptiles, cougars are generally active during the day.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cougar is an impressive animal with adaptations that speak to its evolutionary success. Cougars have longer hind legs compared to their front legs, which provides them with exceptional jumping abilities—an adaptation essential for capturing prey. This evolutionary trait is not unique to the cougar; as discussed, a similar arrangement is seen in kangaroos, which use their strong hind legs for hopping to cushion the shock during locomotion.
Contrary to other nocturnal animals with strong legs and sharp senses, cougars are generally active during the day, sleeping at night. These mammals are part of various cultural mythologies, with the cougar being revered in native cultures across the Americas. The Inca, for example, not only designed the city of Cuzco in the shape of a cougar but also associated their thunder god, Viracocha, with this majestic animal.