Caracal
Felis caracal
With recognizable black tufts above their ears and a
beautiful reddish-brown coat, the caracal can be found throughout
Africa. Their name comes from the Turkish word karakal, meaning
"black-eared." Also called the Desert lynx, caracals are very
similar to the true lynx. Caracals have long slender legs that are
perfect for leaping and jumping. They have been known to jump up to
10 feet vertically to catch birds mid-air. Their eyes have a
distinctive black line running down to their nose, and their chins
and bellies are white. On average caracals weigh 35-40 pounds and
stand 17 inches tall. It has been said that the Desert lynx is the
fastest feline of this size. Caracals can be found in dry areas
(hence the term desert lynx) all over Africa, the Middle East and
Asia; however, the numbers have been dropping throughout Asia. Their
habitats include: dry woodlands, acacia scrub, mountain areas, and
savannahs. Largely nocturnal, the caracal hunts by night. Preying on
mostly rodents, birds, dik-diks, fawns, and antelopes, the caracal
will sometimes drag their prey into trees to avoid competition. They
are very solitary animals, occasionally they will form small groups
consisting of adults and young. Their estimated lifespan in the wild
is 16-17 years.
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Bobcats, a close relative to the lynx, get their
name from their noticeably bobbed tail. Their coat color varies in
color from shades of brown to grey. Their markings form light to
dark spots, as well as small to large streaks. Bobcats range from 9
to 35 pounds, and can grow up to 43 inches in length. They have
small tufts on the tips of their ears, much less noticeable those
found atop the ears of the lynx. Like all small cats, the bobcat has
vertically slit pupils which can exclude more light making hunting
at night much more important.
The bobcat hunts small prey, mostly rabbits,
rodents, and birds. Occasionally they will hunt larger prey, such as
deer. Typically the bobcat will kill their prey and then drag it to
a secluded area to consume it. The bobcat is a very adaptable cat,
living in brush, forest, semi-desert, and even desert habitats. The
hills, rocks, and caves of their habitats lend themselves well to
hunting, shelter, and nurseries. The trees, grasses, and bushes hide
the bobcat as they stalk prey. The range of the bobcat is great;
they can be found from southern Canada, all of the way to central
Mexico. They are solitary, like most cats, but the males range may
overlap slightly with that of other male bobcats.
The biggest threat to bobcats, and most other
species of wildcat, is habitat destruction. Other threats include
hunters, predators, and the trade of skins.
Cougar
(puma concolor)
The cougar is known by many names, such as the puma,
mountain lion, catamount or panther. Despite their large size, the
cougar is not a true “big cat”. The cougar is a member of the
felidae family, as opposed to the panthera family as of the tiger
and lion. The major difference between the two families is the
panthera family’s ability to roar. Felidae cats can not roar,
instead make noises such as purrs, hisses, chirps and screams. These
solitary felines are native to the Americas, and have the greatest
range of any wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere.
Their natural habitat spans from the Yukon of Canada down as south
as the Andes mountain range in South America. An individual’s range
can be anywhere from 60 to 380 square miles.
The largest of the small cats, cougars can weigh 90
to 150 lbs and reach about 8 feet in length from nose to tail. They
have proportionally the most powerful hind legs of any cats,
attributing to their powerful jumping ability of 18 feet vertically
and 20 to 40 feet horizontally.
Cougars are born with dark spots and blue eyes, both
of which they lose with maturity. The tawny colored fur of adult
cougars helps them blend in with rocky and mountainous habitats and
better equips them for stalking prey. Their primary food staple
varies with region, but all cougars will eat nearly what ever they
can catch. Cougars in Canada and northern United States eat large
prey such as elk and deer. The farther south the cats live the
smaller the prey becomes, such as rabbits, mice and porcupine.
Cougars are wild animals, and though they avoid attacking humans in
most circumstances, are still deemed dangerous and should never be
kept as pets. The best and most healthy place for a cougar is in its
natural habitat away from the influences of man.
Mountain Lion
(puma concolor)
The mountain lion is known by many names, such as
the puma, cougar, catamount or panther. Despite their large size,
the mountain lion is not a true “big cat”. The mountain lion is a
member of the felidae family, as opposed to the panthera family as
of the tiger and lion. The major difference between the two families
is the panthera family’s ability to roar. Felidae cats can not roar,
instead make noises such as purrs, hisses, chirps and screams. These
solitary felines are native to the Americas, and have the greatest
range of any wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere.
Their natural habitat spans from the Yukon of Canada down as south
as the Andes mountain range in South America. An individual’s range
can be anywhere from 60 to 380 square miles.
The largest of the small cats, mountain lions can
weigh 90 to 150 lbs and reach about 8 feet in length from nose to
tail. They have proportionally the most powerful hind legs of any
cats, attributing to their powerful jumping ability of 18 feet
vertically and 20 to 40 feet horizontally.
Mountain lions are born with dark spots and blue
eyes, both of which they lose with maturity. The tawny colored fur
of adult mountain lions helps them blend in with rocky and
mountainous habitats and better equips them for stalking prey. Their
primary food staple varies with region, but all mountain lions will
eat nearly what ever they can catch. Mountain lions in Canada and
northern United States eat large prey such as elk and deer. The
farther south the cats live the smaller the prey becomes, such as
rabbits, mice and porcupine.
Mountain lions are wild animals, and though they
avoid attacking humans in most circumstances, are still deemed
dangerous and should never be kept as pets. The best and most
healthy place for a mountain lion is in its natural habitat away
from the influences of man.
Puma
(puma concolor)
The puma is known by many names, such as the
mountain lion, cougar, catamount or panther. Despite their large
size, the puma is not a true “big cat”. The puma is a member of the
felidae family, as opposed to the panthera family as of the tiger
and lion. The major difference between the two families is the
panthera family’s ability to roar. Felidae cats can not roar,
instead make noises such as purrs, hisses, chirps and screams. These
solitary felines are native to the Americas, and have the greatest
range of any wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere.
Their natural habitat spans from the Yukon of Canada down as south
as the Andes mountain range in South America. An individual’s range
can be anywhere from 60 to 380 square miles.
The largest of the small cats, pumas can weigh 90 to
150 lbs and reach about 8 feet in length from nose to tail. They
have proportionally the most powerful hind legs of any cats,
attributing to their powerful jumping ability of 18 feet vertically
and 20 to 40 feet horizontally.
Puma are born with dark spots and blue eyes, both of
which they lose with maturity. The tawny colored fur of adult puma
helps them blend in with rocky and mountainous habitats and better
equips them for stalking prey. Their primary food staple varies with
region, but all pumas will eat nearly what ever they can catch.
Pumas in Canada and northern United States eat large prey such as
elk and deer. The farther south the cats live the smaller the prey
becomes, such as rabbits, mice and porcupine.
Pumas are wild animals, and though they avoid
attacking humans in most circumstances, are still deemed dangerous
and should never be kept as pets. The best and most healthy place
for a puma is in its natural habitat away from the influences of
man.
Lion - Panthera leo
Often recognized as the “king of the jungle,” the
Lion is most certainly an example of predatory perfection. Adult
lions may range from 250-550 pounds in weight, and 55-98 inches in
body length. Adults are a solid-colored shade of brown, and cubs are
born with spots that gradually fade with maturity. While all lions
share similar physical traits, they are unique in that they exhibit
sexual dimorphism. Easily distinguishable from the lionesses, male
lions typically have a thick mane and are generally larger in size
than their female counterparts. Lions mainly inhabit south-central
African plains, woodlands, savannah, and scrub habitats. They are
adept swimmers when necessary and have been known to climb trees to
get off of the ground, but tend to avoid these activities. Lions are
readily social creatures, living in prides of approximately 15-20
members. These prides are comprised of mostly female lionesses and
cubs, with usually only a small number of males present. The females
do most of the hunting and are responsible for raising the cubs.
Cubs learn to hunt on their own at around one year old. Living in
these large communal groups works to aid the lion’s territory
defense, group hunting, and protection of cubs from other predators.
Solitary lions are also quite opportunistic hunters, scavenging many
of their meals from kills left behind by other various predators.
Lions’ life span in the wild is typically 12-14 years, while those
in captivity may live up to 20 years of age.
African Lion - Panthera leo
Often recognized as the “king of the jungle,” the
African Lion is most certainly an example of predatory perfection.
Adult African Lions may range from 250-550 pounds in weight, and
55-98 inches in body length. Adults are a solid-colored shade of
brown, and cubs are born with spots that gradually fade with
maturity. While all lions share similar physical traits, they are
unique in that they exhibit sexual dimorphism. Easily
distinguishable from the lionesses, male lions typically have a
thick mane and are generally larger in size than their female
counterparts. Lions mainly inhabit south-central African plains,
woodlands, savannah, and scrub habitats. They are adept swimmers
when necessary and have been known to climb trees to get off of the
ground, but tend to avoid these activities. African Lions are
readily social creatures, living in prides of approximately 15-20
members. These prides are comprised of mostly female lionesses and
cubs, with usually only a small number of males present. The females
do most of the hunting are responsible for raising the cubs. Cubs
learn to hunt on their own at around one year old. Living in these
large communal groups works to aid in territory defense, group
hunting, and protection of cubs from other predators. Solitary
African Lions are also quite opportunistic hunters, scavenging many
of their meals from kills left behind by other various predators.
The African Lion’s life span in the wild is typically 12-14 years,
while those in captivity may live up to 20 years of age.
Serval - Felis serval
The African Serval is a small but feisty exotic cat.
Often resembling a small version of the cheetah, the Serval is
characterized by a coat of yellow fur full of dark spots an in many
cases dark rings around the legs and tail. The Serval has almost
disproportionately large, round ears atop its head, and long,
slender legs. The Serval is typically found in the south-central and
south-coastal regions of Africa, inhabiting streamside, grassland,
and wetland areas usually among the reeds. African Servals prey on a
variety of smaller wetland animals such as birds, fish, rats, frogs,
and even some larger insects. The Serval is an especially efficient
hunter, catching its prey on nearly 50% of attempts, a much higher
percentage than most other cat species. Aiding in the hunt, the
Serval can leap up to 13 feet horizontally and 4 feet high to catch
airborne prey. Weighing in between 20-45 pounds, the Serval is
approximately 25-40 inches in body length, and may live up to
anywhere between 12-20 years of age. The Serval is able to swim and
climb, but rarely does either. The African Serval population now
suffers in some areas of South Africa due to human cultivation of
land, and it is also hunted for its pelt.
Tiger
Panthera tigris
As the largest member of the cat family, the tiger
captivates humans with its bright orange coat and astonishing black
stripes. The chin, neck and underbelly of the tiger is white or
cream colored. They range from 250-650 pounds, and reach 4.5 to 9.5
feet in length. The females are typically a little more than half
the size of the males. The tiger lives in a variety of habitats,
though they require an abundant water source, access to prey, and
foliage in which to camouflage and seek shelter. Their stripes work
by breaking up their body’s outline, making it hard to define them
amongst the jungle grass. This works well for a tiger on the attack.
Tiger’s are stalk and ambush hunter, they are built with stamina to
stalk for miles and the ability to have short bursts of speed to
kill. They eat a variety of deer, pig, and cattle. A tiger can eat
up to 90 pounds at one sitting, and will come back to munch on their
prey for up to 6 days after their kill.
Bengal Tiger
Panthera tigris tigris
As the largest member of the cat family, the tiger
captivates humans with its bright orange coat and astonishing black
stripes. The chin, neck and underbelly of the tiger is white or
cream colored. They range from 250-650 pounds, and reach 4.5 to 9.5
feet in length. The females are typically a little more than half
the size of the males. The tiger lives in a variety of habitats,
though they require an abundant water source, access to prey, and
foliage in which to camouflage and seek shelter. Their stripes work
by breaking up their body’s outline, making it hard to define them
amongst the jungle grass. This works well for a tiger on the attack.
Tiger’s are stalk and ambush hunter, they are built with stamina to
stalk for miles and the ability to have short bursts of speed to
kill. They eat a variety of deer, pig, and cattle. A tiger can eat
up to 90 pounds at one sitting, and will come back to munch on their
prey for up to 6 days after their kill.
There are 8 recognize subspecies of tigers; however,
3 are now extinct. There are many variations in coat color, size,
weight, and markings in accordance with each subspecies. The Bengal
tiger is the most common of the tigers. They reside in India where
they are still highly endangered. The Bengal tiger is the only
subspecies of tiger than can produce white tiger cubs. Commonly
mistaken as the Siberian tiger, all white tigers, captive and wild,
are actually Bengal tigers.
Siberian Tiger
Panthera tigris altaica
As the largest member of the cat family, the tiger
captivates humans with its bright orange coat and astonishing black
stripes. The chin, neck and underbelly of the tiger is white or
cream colored. They range from 250-650 pounds, and reach 4.5 to 9.5
feet in length. The females are typically a little more than half
the size of the males. The tiger lives in a variety of habitats,
though they require an abundant water source, access to prey, and
foliage in which to camouflage and seek shelter. Their stripes work
by breaking up their body’s outline, making it hard to define them
amongst the jungle grass. This works well for a tiger on the attack.
Tiger’s are stalk and ambush hunter, they are built with stamina to
stalk for miles and the ability to have short bursts of speed to
kill. They eat a variety of deer, pig, and cattle. A tiger can eat
up to 90 pounds at one sitting, and will come back to munch on their
prey for up to 6 days after their kill.
There are 8 recognize subspecies of tigers; however,
3 are now extinct. The remaining five are: the Bengal tiger,
Siberian tiger, Sumatran tiger, Indo-Chinese tiger, and the South
Chinese tiger. There are many variations in coat color, size,
weight, and markings in accordance with each subspecies. The
Siberian tiger is the largest of all tigers and therefore the
largest living cat. They are found in Siberia and Manchuria. The
Siberian tiger has the fluffiest and most dense coat of the tigers.
Amur Tiger
Panthera tigris altaica
As the largest member of the cat family, the tiger
captivates humans with its bright orange coat and astonishing black
stripes. The chin, neck and underbelly of the tiger is white or
cream colored. They range from 250-650 pounds, and reach 4.5 to 9.5
feet in length. The females are typically a little more than half
the size of the males. The tiger lives in a variety of habitats,
though they require an abundant water source, access to prey, and
foliage in which to camouflage and seek shelter. Their stripes work
by breaking up their body’s outline, making it hard to define them
amongst the jungle grass. This works well for a tiger on the attack.
Tiger’s are stalk and ambush hunter, they are built with stamina to
stalk for miles and the ability to have short bursts of speed to
kill. They eat a variety of deer, pig, and cattle. A tiger can eat
up to 90 pounds at one sitting, and will come back to munch on their
prey for up to 6 days after their kill.
There are 8 recognize subspecies of tigers; however,
3 are now extinct. The remaining five are: the Bengal tiger, Amur
(Siberian) tiger, Sumatran tiger, Indo-Chinese tiger, and the South
Chinese tiger. There are many variations in coat color, size,
weight, and markings in accordance with each subspecies. The Amur
tiger is the largest of all tigers and therefore the largest living
cat. They are found in Siberia and Manchuria. The Amur tiger has the
fluffiest and most dense coat of the tigers. The Amur tiger is also
known as the Siberian tiger.
Indo-Chinese Tiger
Panthera tigris corbetti
As the largest member of the cat family, the tiger
captivates humans with its bright orange coat and astonishing black
stripes. The chin, neck and underbelly of the tiger is white or
cream colored. They range from 250-650 pounds, and reach 4.5 to 9.5
feet in length. The females are typically a little more than half
the size of the males. The tiger lives in a variety of habitats,
though they require an abundant water source, access to prey, and
foliage in which to camouflage and seek shelter. Their stripes work
by breaking up their body’s outline, making it hard to define them
amongst the jungle grass. This works well for a tiger on the attack.
Tiger’s are stalk and ambush hunter, they are built with stamina to
stalk for miles and the ability to have short bursts of speed to
kill. They eat a variety of deer, pig, and cattle. A tiger can eat
up to 90 pounds at one sitting, and will come back to munch on their
prey for up to 6 days after their kill.
There are 8 recognize subspecies of tigers; however,
3 are now extinct. The remaining five are: the Bengal tiger, Amur
(Siberian) tiger, Sumatran tiger, Indo-Chinese tiger, and the South
Chinese tiger. There are many variations in coat color, size,
weight, and markings in accordance with each subspecies. The
Indo-Chinese tiger can be found in Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand,
and Vietnam. Not much is known about this specific species, but it
appears that the Indo-Chinese tiger has the longest skull of all
tigers.
Sumatran Tiger
Panthera tigris sumatrae
As the largest member of the cat family, the tiger
captivates humans with its bright orange coat and astonishing black
stripes. The chin, neck and underbelly of the tiger is white or
cream colored. They range from 250-650 pounds, and reach 4.5 to 9.5
feet in length. The females are typically a little more than half
the size of the males. The tiger lives in a variety of habitats,
though they require an abundant water source, access to prey, and
foliage in which to camouflage and seek shelter. Their stripes work
by breaking up their body’s outline, making it hard to define them
amongst the jungle grass. This works well for a tiger on the attack.
Tiger’s are stalk and ambush hunter, they are built with stamina to
stalk for miles and the ability to have short bursts of speed to
kill. They eat a variety of deer, pig, and cattle. A tiger can eat
up to 90 pounds at one sitting, and will come back to munch on their
prey for up to 6 days after their kill.
There are 8 recognize subspecies of tigers; however,
3 are now extinct. The remaining five are: the Bengal tiger, Amur
(Siberian) tiger, Sumatran tiger, Indo-Chinese tiger, and the South
Chinese tiger. There are many variations in coat color, size,
weight, and markings in accordance with each subspecies. The
Sumatran tiger is the smallest of the tiger subspecies and can be
found in the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
The Sumatran tiger is critically endangered with
fewer than 400 left in the wild.
South Chinese Tiger
Panthera tigris amoyensis
As the largest member of the cat family, the tiger
captivates humans with its bright orange coat and astonishing black
stripes. The chin, neck and underbelly of the tiger is white or
cream colored. They range from 250-650 pounds, and reach 4.5 to 9.5
feet in length. The females are typically a little more than half
the size of the males. The tiger lives in a variety of habitats,
though they require an abundant water source, access to prey, and
foliage in which to camouflage and seek shelter. Their stripes work
by breaking up their body’s outline, making it hard to define them
amongst the jungle grass. This works well for a tiger on the attack.
Tiger’s are stalk and ambush hunter, they are built with stamina to
stalk for miles and the ability to have short bursts of speed to
kill. They eat a variety of deer, pig, and cattle. A tiger can eat
up to 90 pounds at one sitting, and will come back to munch on their
prey for up to 6 days after their kill.
There are 8 recognize subspecies of tigers; however,
3 are now extinct. The remaining five are: the Bengal tiger, Amur
(Siberian) tiger, Sumatran tiger, Indo-Chinese tiger, and the South
Chinese tiger. There are many variations in coat color, size,
weight, and markings in accordance with each subspecies. The South
Chinese tiger is the more critically endangered of all subspecies of
tiger. They can be found in southern China, though less than 30
South Chinese tigers are predicted to be left in the wild.
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