What is a big cat? The way people determine whether or not a cat is a big cat or not is if the cat roars. Big cats also carry the name of Panthera. Although only 4 carry the Panthera name, recently other non roaring cats have been accepted as big cats. Still, the original 4 are the ones below:
Tiger (Panthera Tigris):
Tigers are the largest cats of them all. Siberians are the biggest subspecies and can weigh 700+ lbs and measure in at over 10 ft in length. Siberians differ from the rest because their stripes are brown instead of black. Sumatran tigers are the smallest while Bengals are the second biggest. Tigers are solitary animals that are built for hunting instead of fighting.
Lion (Panthera Leo):
Contrary to popular belief, the king of the jungle is not the biggest cat of them all; however, he does live up to his title. Male lions can grow to be 8 ft in length and weigh 550 lbs while females grow to be around 5 feet in length and weigh 300 lbs. Lions live in groups called prides, and the male is the leader of the pack. The male protects the pride while the females go out to hunt. Talk about a pimp.
Jaguar (Panthera Onca):
Jaguars are right in the middle. Jaguars are basically leopards on steroids. The Jaguar lives in South America but has been known to be seen in the lower regions of the US (states like Arizona for example). Jaguars weigh up to 250 lbs and can be black or orange/yellow with spots. The Jaguar is believed to have the strongest jaw force out of the big cats. These guys can carry animals that weigh 3-4x their bodyweight. In the Amazon, the jaguar stalks and hunts you. Don't mess with these guys.
Leopard (Panthera Pardus):
The smallest of the big cats. Leopards look similar to jaguars except they are smaller, and their coat patter is a bit different. The Leopard's rosettes are open without dots in the center while Jaguar's are closed with dots in the center. Leopards can weigh close to 200 lbs. Leopards are agile and are still very strong despite being the smallest big cat.
Post your favorite big cat pics (doesn't have to be of these 4 cats) in this thread
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