What Are the Largest Wild Cats?
There are four genera of cat, which includes 36 different species, eight of these being considered the "big cats." The big cats are the lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, snow leopard, clouded leopard, and cougar.
Lion Facts
Lions can weigh anywhere between 300 and 500 lbs. They are fawn / tawny in color, with black on their extremities and mane. Lions are very social creatures, living in prides consisting of between 5 to 18 or so, depending on the size of their territory and the availability of food. The males in the pride protect their territory, and the females do the hunting.
Tiger Facts
Tigers, the largest of the big cats, can weigh up to 600 lbs! Their habitat determines the depth of their color, which ranges from a pale yellow to reddish orange, beautifully marked with dark, vertical stripes. Tigers live solitarily. The Tiger is an endangered species, with most of their numbers living in captivity.
Leopard Facts
Leopards weigh between 100 and 200 lbs. They have brown coats covered in black spots. Leopards hunt small to medium prey and are known for dragging their kill up into a tree to relax and enjoy their meal. Leopards are good swimmers, though not terribly fond of water.
Cheetah Facts
Cheetahs are the fastest land animals, reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour. They look a lot like the leopard but are more long and sleek. They are not built for, nor are they good at climbing. They feed mostly on gazelle and impala and are solitary hunters. The black “tear” going from their eye down the side of their nose is to help keep sunlight out of their eyes.
Jaguar Facts
The Jaguar is a stocky, muscular cat distinguished by its rosette markings, though there are also black jaguars (often mistakenly called black panthers) that appear to be solid black but actually have faint rosettes. Jaguars live and hunt in dense forests and kill their prey with one bite to the head to pierce the skull. It is said that they have no rivals because no other creature can conquer them.
Snow Leopard Facts
The beautiful Snow Leopard, an endangered species, is a rare cat that lives in harsh, remote environments. They have white, yellowish, or gray fur with dark gray to black spots and rosettes. Their coat is thick to protect them from extreme weather, and the fur on their bellies can be 5” long. They have large snowshoe feet, their tails are as long as the length of their body, and they can leap 6 times the distance that their body is long! They average between 77 and 121 lbs.
Clouded Leopard Facts
The Clouded Leopard gets its name from its distinctive cloud-like markings. They have small dark spots interspersed with large dark spots that are lighter in the center (clouds). Their tail, which is as long as the length of their body, is ringed. Their legs are short, with their back legs being slightly longer than the front, and they weigh between 22 and 45 lbs. They have the longest teeth of any of the cat species.
Cougar Facts
The Cougar, also known as the puma or mountain lion, is tawny in color with a white belly. Their body length is about 4 ½’ long, not including their tail. They can weigh anywhere from 75 to 250 lbs. Cougars are agile and can jump about 18’ high! Interestingly, cougars have a poor sense of smell.
Resources:
http://science.jrank.org/pages/1281/Cats.html
