Tiger  

The biggest of the cats, tigers can reach 13 feet in total length and weigh up to 660 lbs. Known for their stripes and great size.

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Historical range is from the Middle East to the Caucuses in the North and most of South and East Asia. There are nine modern subspecies of Tigers, three of which are now considered extinct. The surviving species are: Bengal tiger, Indochinese tiger, Malayan tiger, Sumatran tiger, Siberian tiger

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and the South China tiger. All are considered endangered in the wild today. The three extinct modern tigers are: Balinese tiger (extinct since 1937), Javan tiger (considered extinct since 1979 but reports of sightings since then still exist) and the Caspian tiger or Persian tiger (extinct since 1970 but reports of sightings still exist). All tigers have the ability to roar and will eat humans.

Lions 

Not Kings of the Jungle but of the Savannah. Lions do not really live in jungles today.

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Up until about 10,000 years ago lions were the most common land mammal on the planet after humans. The second biggest cat living today, lions can be up to 9 feet in length and weigh up to 550 lbs. They can be found in Africa below the Sahara Desert and about 300 lions live in Gir National Park of India. Lions are a threatened species today but due to protected designated reserves and national parks are not in immediate danger of extinction.

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All lions have the ability to roar and will eat humans.

Jaguar 

The third largest of the big cats. Jaguars can measure up to 6 feet in body length and weigh up to 300 lbs. They are largest living cats in the Western Hemisphere.

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Jaguars can be found in the wild today in Mexico, most parts of Central America and throughout most of South America. The jaguar has very powerful jaws which allow it to dine on turtles as they can puncture turtle shells. Jaguars are considered a near endangered species today with their habitats continually being diminished. Jaguars can roar and will eat humans.

Leopard 

Fourth largest of the big cats. Leopards can measure up to 5′ 10″ in length and weigh up to 200 lbs. The leopard mainly exists today in Africa south of the Sahara Desert with some still existing in parts of Pakistan, India, Indochina, Malaysia, and China. Though it is considered a near threatened species it is the least threatened species of the big cats. Known for its famous spots,

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leopards can roar and will eat humans.

Cougar 

Fifth largest of the big cats. Cougars can measure up to 5′ 10″ and weigh up to 190 lbs. The cougar has a wide range in which it can be found in the Western Hemisphere. Cougars have been found as far north as the Yukon in Canada and as far south as the Southern Andes in South America.

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The cougar is considered a near threatened species today but since its range is so large it is a hard cat to classify. Cougars do not roar but do purr like domestic cats which they resemble except for size. They will eat humans given the chance.

Cheetah 

The cheetah is well known for its brilliant speed and is the 6th largest of the big cats. It is the fastest land animal and can reach speeds of 75 miles per hour and can reportedly go from 0 to 65 miles per hour in 3 seconds. Cheetahs can measure up to 4′ 6″ and weigh up to 150 lbs.

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Found mainly in Africa some cheetahs do exist in parts of Asia with a small population now being protected in Iran. Cheetahs do not roar but do purr and do not eat humans.

Snow Leopard 

The seventh largest of the big cats and known for its beautiful thick coat. Snow leopards can measure up to 4′ 3″ and weigh up to 140 lbs. They can be found in mountainous regions of central and south Asia.

Snow Leopard

It is believed that there are between 4,000 and 7,000 snow leopards living in the wild today and they are considered endangered. One of the great scenes from Discovery Channel’s “Planet Earth” series is the Snow Leopard Hunt. Snow leopards do not roar and do not eat humans.

Clouded Leopard

The smallest of the big cats. The clouded leopard can measure up to 3″ 6″ in length and weigh up to 50 lbs. Considered a big cat because it more closely resembles the genetics of big cats than smaller species of cats. The clouded leopard can be found in most of Southeast Asia from Nepal and southern China through Thailand, Indonesia, and Borneo.

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The clouded leopard found on the islands of Sumatra, Borneo and the Batu Islands differs enough from the mainland clouded leopard that it is now considered a different species. It is estimated there are 10,000 of these cats in the wild today and they are on the Vulnerable list of animals and the United States lists the Clouded Leopard under the Endangered Species Act. Clouded leopards do not roar and they do not eat humans.

The big cats of the world are magnificent creatures!

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