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Big cats is not a scientific classification.
Some people use the term "big
cat" to refer to members of
the Genus Panthera, while others
use the term with much broader meaning.
The group of big cats can also include
the: tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard,
cougar, cheetah, snow leopard, and
clouded leopard.
Despite the differences in size,
the various species of cat are quite
similar in both structure and behavior.
The big cat that is significantly
different from other cat species
is the cheetah. Most big cats can
roar.
Big Cat Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
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Status: The status of big
cats varies from geographical region
to region, but the primary threat
to big cats are habitat destruction
and poaching. The populations of
lions, leopards, cheetahs and tigers
have all drastically declined in
the last half-century.
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Big Cats
Include:
Tiger - Panthera
Tigris
Lion - Panthera Leo
Leopard - Panthera Pardus
Cheetah - Acinonyx Jubatus
Cougar - Puma Concolor
Snow Leopard - Uncia Uncia
Clouded Leopard - Neofelis
Nebulosa
Sunda Clouded Leopard
- Neofelis Diardi
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Size: The male Siberian
Tiger is the largest cat in the
world measuring and are about 10.75
feet long and weigh approximately
660 lbs. The smallest "big"
cat in the world is the Clouded
Leopard 27-37 inches long and weighing
between 33 and 51 lbs.
Habitat: Big cats are found
in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and
Europe.
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Habitat
Asia
- Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard,
Clouded Leopard
Gir Forest in India -
Lion
Americas - Jaguar,
Cougar
Africa - Leopard, Cheetah
Iran - Cheetah
Borneo - Sunda Clouded
Leopard
Sumatra - Sunda Clouded
Leopard
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Diet: Big cats are
carnivores.
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Did
You Know?
The Cheetah is
the fastest of the
big cat species.
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Birth: Big cats typically
have litters of 2-3 kittens, smaller
big cats may have larger litters.
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Population
Estimates
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Species
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50
years ago
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Today
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Lions
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450,000
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25,000
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Leopards
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750,000
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50,000
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Cheetahs
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45,000
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12,000
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Tigers
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50,000
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3,000
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