Bengal Tiger
A mother Bengal tiger and her cub rest in the tall grass of a meadow. Tiger cubs remain with their mothers for two to three years before dispersing to find their own territory.
There were eight tiger subspecies at one time, but three became extinct during the 20th century. Over the last 100 years, hunting and forest destruction have reduced tiger populations from hundreds of thousands of animals to perhaps fewer than 2,500. Tigers are hunted as trophies, and also for body parts that are used in traditional Chinese medicine. All five remaining tiger subspecies are endangered, and many protection programs are in place.
African Lion- Type:
- Mammal
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Average life span in the wild:
- 8 to 10 years
- Size:
- Head and body, 5 to 6 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m); tail, 2 to 3 ft (0.6 to 0.9 m)
- Weight:
- 240 to 500 lbs (109 to 227 kg)
- Protection status:
- Endangered
- Did you know?
- A tiger's roar can be heard as far as 2 mi (3 km) away.
- Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
There were eight tiger subspecies at one time, but three became extinct during the 20th century. Over the last 100 years, hunting and forest destruction have reduced tiger populations from hundreds of thousands of animals to perhaps fewer than 2,500. Tigers are hunted as trophies, and also for body parts that are used in traditional Chinese medicine. All five remaining tiger subspecies are endangered, and many protection programs are in place.
\\\
- Type:
- Mammal
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Size:
- Head and body, 4.5 to 6.5 ft (1.4 to 2 m); Tail, 26.25 to 39.5 in (67 to 100 cm)
- Weight:
- 265 to 420 lbs (120 to 191 kg)
- Group name:
- Pride
- Protection status:
- Vulnerable
- Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man
Lions are the only cats that live in groups, which are called prides. Prides are family units that may include up to three males, a dozen or so females, and their young. All of a pride's lionesses are related, and female cubs typically stay with the group as they age. Young males eventually leave and establish their own prides by taking over a group headed by another male.
Cheetah
Sharp eyesight and raw speed make the cheetah a formidable hunter.
Before unleashing their speed, cheetahs use exceptionally keen eyesight to scan their grassland environment for signs of prey—especially antelope and hares. This big cat is a daylight hunter that benefits from stealthy movement and a distinctive spotted coat that allows it to blend easily into high, dry grasses.
- Type:
- Mammal
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Average life span in the wild:
- 10 to 12 years
- Size:
- 3.5 to 4.5 ft (1.1 to 1.4 m); Tail, 25.5 to 31.5 in (65 to 80 cm)
- Weight:
- 77 to 143 lbs (35 to 65 kg)
- Protection status:
- Vulnerable
- Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
Before unleashing their speed, cheetahs use exceptionally keen eyesight to scan their grassland environment for signs of prey—especially antelope and hares. This big cat is a daylight hunter that benefits from stealthy movement and a distinctive spotted coat that allows it to blend easily into high, dry grasses.
Asian Lion
Only 200 or so Asian lions exist in the wild. A former royal reserve, India's Gir Forest, is the last home of this lion subspecies.
Asian lions once prowled from the Middle East to India. Now, only 200 to 260 of these magnificent animals survive in the wild. The Gir Forest's dry teak woods were once a royal hunting ground. Today they are a reserve where the endangered Asian lions are heavily protected. An additional 200 Asian lions live in zoos
- Type:
- Mammal
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Average life span in the wild:
- 16 to 18 years
- Weight:
- 300 to 500 lbs (120 to 226 kg)
- Group name:
- Pride
- Protection status:
- Endangered
- Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
Asian lions once prowled from the Middle East to India. Now, only 200 to 260 of these magnificent animals survive in the wild. The Gir Forest's dry teak woods were once a royal hunting ground. Today they are a reserve where the endangered Asian lions are heavily protected. An additional 200 Asian lions live in zoos
Mountain Lion
Mountain lions do not like to share their territory and are constantly on the lookout for invaders.
Jaguars live alone and define territories of many square miles by marking with their waste or clawing trees.
Females have litters of one to four cubs, which are blind and helpless at birth. The mother stays with them and defends them fiercely from any animal that may approach—even their own father. Young jaguars learn to hunt by living with their mothers for two years or more.
Jaguars are still hunted for their attractive fur. Ranchers also kill them because the cats sometimes prey upon their livestock.
- Type:
- Mammal
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Size:
- Head and body, 3.25 to 5.25 ft (1 to 1.6 m); Tail, 23.5 to 33.5 in (60 to 85 cm)
- Weight:
- 136 lbs (62 kg)
- Protection status:
- Endangered
- Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
Jaguars live alone and define territories of many square miles by marking with their waste or clawing trees.
Females have litters of one to four cubs, which are blind and helpless at birth. The mother stays with them and defends them fiercely from any animal that may approach—even their own father. Young jaguars learn to hunt by living with their mothers for two years or more.
Jaguars are still hunted for their attractive fur. Ranchers also kill them because the cats sometimes prey upon their livestock.
Jaguar
Jaguars, the largest of South America's big cats, once roamed much of the Americas. Today they are found in only a few remote regions.
Jaguars are the largest of South America's big cats. They once roamed from the southern tip of that continent north to the region surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border. Today significant numbers of jaguars are found only in remote regions of South and Central America—particularly in the Amazon basin.
These beautiful and powerful beasts were prominent in ancient Native American cultures. In some traditions the Jaguar God of the Night was the formidable lord of the underworld. The name jaguar is derived from the Native American word yaguar, which means "he who kills with one leap."
Snow leopards prey upon the blue sheep (bharal) of Tibet and the Himalaya, as well as the mountain ibex found over most of the rest of their range. Though these powerful predators can kill animals three times their weight, they also eat smaller fare, such as marmots, hares, and game birds.
- Type:
- Mammal
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Average life span in the wild:
- 12 to 15 years
- Size:
- Head and body, 5 to 6 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m); tail, 27.5 to 36 in (70 to 91 cm)
- Weight:
- 100 to 250 lbs (45 to 113 kg)
- Protection status:
- Near Threatened
- Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
Jaguars are the largest of South America's big cats. They once roamed from the southern tip of that continent north to the region surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border. Today significant numbers of jaguars are found only in remote regions of South and Central America—particularly in the Amazon basin.
These beautiful and powerful beasts were prominent in ancient Native American cultures. In some traditions the Jaguar God of the Night was the formidable lord of the underworld. The name jaguar is derived from the Native American word yaguar, which means "he who kills with one leap."
Clouded Leopard
Somewhere between the small cats, which can purr, and the big cats, which can roar, are the clouded leopards that make their home in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia.
Most cats are good climbers, but the clouded leopard is near the top of its class. These big cats can even hang upside down beneath large branches, using their large paws and sharp claws to secure a good grip. Clouded leopards have short, powerful legs equipped with rotating rear ankles that allow them to safely downclimb in a headfirst posture—much like a common squirrel. Sharp eyesight helps them judge distances well, and the cats use their long tails to maintain balance.
The leopard is so strong and comfortable in trees that it often hauls its kills into the branches. By dragging the bodies of large animals aloft it hopes to keep them safe from scavengers such as hyenas. Leopards can also hunt from trees, where their spotted coats allow them to blend with the leaves until they spring with a deadly pounce. These nocturnal predators also stalk
- Type:
- Mammal
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Size:
- Body, 2 to 3 ft (.6 to .9 m); Tail, up to 3 ft (.9 m)
- Weight:
- Up to 50 lbs (22.7 kg)
- Group name:
- Leap
- Protection status:
- Vulnerable
- Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
Most cats are good climbers, but the clouded leopard is near the top of its class. These big cats can even hang upside down beneath large branches, using their large paws and sharp claws to secure a good grip. Clouded leopards have short, powerful legs equipped with rotating rear ankles that allow them to safely downclimb in a headfirst posture—much like a common squirrel. Sharp eyesight helps them judge distances well, and the cats use their long tails to maintain balance.
Leopard
Adept climbers, leopards will often drag their food into trees to protect it from scavengers
- Type:
- Mammal
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Size:
- Head and body, 4.25 to 6.25 ft (1.3 to 1.9 m); tail, 3.5 to 4.5 ft (1.1 to 1.4 m)
- Weight:
- 66 to 176 lbs (30 to 80 kg)
- Protection status:
- Near Threatened
- Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
The leopard is so strong and comfortable in trees that it often hauls its kills into the branches. By dragging the bodies of large animals aloft it hopes to keep them safe from scavengers such as hyenas. Leopards can also hunt from trees, where their spotted coats allow them to blend with the leaves until they spring with a deadly pounce. These nocturnal predators also stalk
Snow Leopard
Native to the Central Asian mountains, the snow leopard is a rare sight, with only about 6,000 left in the wild. They are hunted for their beautiful, warm fur and for their organs, which are used in traditional Chinese
- Type:
- Mammal
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Size:
- 4 to 5 ft (1.2 to 1.5 m); Tail, 36 in (91 cm)
- Weight:
- 60 to 120 lbs (27 to 54 kg)
- Protection status:
- Endangered
- Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
Snow leopards prey upon the blue sheep (bharal) of Tibet and the Himalaya, as well as the mountain ibex found over most of the rest of their range. Though these powerful predators can kill animals three times their weight, they also eat smaller fare, such as marmots, hares, and game birds.
Siberian Tiger
Many conservation programs have been established to save the critically endangered Siberian tiger, whose numbers have dwindled to mere hundreds in the wild.
- Type:
- Mammal
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Size:
- 10.75 ft (3.3 m)
- Weight:
- 660 lbs (300 kg)
- Protection status:
- Endangered
- Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
- Siberian (or Amur) tigers are the world's largest cats. They live primarily in eastern Russia's birch forests, though some exist in China and North Korea. There are an estimated 400 to 500 Siberian tigers living in the wild, and recent studies suggest that these numbers are stable. Though their northern climate is far harsher than those of other tigers, these animals have some advantages. Northern forests offer the lowest human density of any tiger habitat, and the most complete ecosystem. The vast woodlands also allow tigers far more room to roam, as Russia's timber industry is currently less extensive than that of many other countries.
