The largest wild cats. Wild cats, beautiful and dangerous

South America is a continent of contrasts, where the densest forests grow alongside arid deserts and mountain ranges. The fauna here is as diverse as the climate. This place has become home to 9 species of rare cats - from the majestic jaguar to the cute little Chilean cat.

1. Jaguar

The jaguar is the largest predator in South America and the third largest of the panther family. An adult weighs approximately 160 kg, has a sandy coloration with ringed or solid spots and powerful jaws that allow it to hunt large game. An excellent swimmer, he is at home in the rainforests of South America. Like most cats, the jaguar lives and hunts alone.

Males and females come together only during the breeding season. After mating, the male immediately leaves, leaving the female to take care of the offspring. Jaguars are breeding all year round. Pregnancy lasts 100-110 days.

There are up to 4 cubs in a brood. They are also patterned, like their parents, only the colors of newborns are more muted, matte, and the spots are solid, black.

2. Ocelot

This predatory cat recently stood on the verge of extinction. Due to the unusually beautiful color, the animal was a “tidbit” for poachers, but the 1996 ban. to destroy them, saved the species from extinction.

Outwardly, Ocelot resembles a strong, short-tailed cat. Their length, often, does not exceed 1.5 meters, with 1/3 of the size falling on the tail, and weight - no more than 16 kg. Such parameters allow him to perfectly hunt small animals and birds.

In South America, there are more than 10 varieties of these predatory cats. Indians often tame young ocelots, however, they do not turn out to be real pets.

3. Jaguarundi

Despite the name, this feline has nothing to do with jaguars. Outwardly, it looks more like a weasel or a marten. The jaguarundi has a small, round head and small, rounded ears. The maximum weight of an animal is 9 kilograms.

Unlike other cats, he leads daytime look life. The Indians of Latin America, before the advent of Europeans, tamed the jaguarundi to protect their homes from small rodents and other pests. Young animals are really easy to tame and get used to people.

Eight subspecies of the jaguarundi are known, they live throughout the Americas and are not protected species.

4. Geoffroy's cat

Geoffroy's cat is the size of a domestic cat. The length of her body is approximately 60 cm, and the tail is 30 cm. These cats have a gray or yellowish-brown color, depending on the habitat.
Geoffroy's cat feeds on small rodents and fish. For her love of fishing, she is also called the angler cat.

Unlike other cats, she does not have their natural gracefulness, climbs trees reluctantly and loves to swim. It prefers to live in forest thickets, next to water bodies.

5. Andean cat

This cat has chosen the hard-to-reach regions of the Andes Mountains as its place of residence. Individuals of this species have thick long hair, even in the ears, which protects it well from the cold. Their body is no more than 1 meter in length, and the maximum weight is 7 kg.

The Andean cat is a little-studied, rare species that is listed in the Red Book and is protected by the Washington Convention. A close relative of this cat is the Pampas cat, which lives in the same region.

6. Margay

Margi or long-tailed cat lives in the evergreen forests of South America, up to Mexico. The body length of an adult is 60-80 cm, not counting the 40-cm tail, and the average weight is 6-8 kg.

Margay is very similar to his closest relative - Ocelot, who lives in the same forests. A distinctive feature of Marga is her long legs and tail, due to life in the trees. It feeds on birds, lizards, rodents, frogs and small monkeys.

buy margay at wild nature is on the verge of extinction - the reason for this is its fluffy, valuable fur of amazing colors.

7. Pampas cat

In the flat areas, among the bushes and swamps of South America, the Pampas or Grass cat lives. Its body is dense, densely covered with long, coarse hair.

The Pampas cat prefers to hunt at night and leads a solitary life. It feeds on small rodents, lizards and birds. Virtually untamed.

8. Oncilla

This amazing cat is distributed throughout South and Central America, but practically does not catch the eye of a person. These cats have the most unusual ear color - completely black, with a white mark in the middle. Every fifth oncilla born is completely black.

Outwardly, Oncilla resembles a Jaguar, and in size it is no larger than a domestic cat. An adult does not exceed a meter in length, and its weight is only 2-3 kg.
The menu of a tiger cat is varied: it includes rodents, birds, and frogs with snakes.

Now only about 50,000 thousand individuals live on the planet, and their number is rapidly decreasing.

9. Chilean cat

The Chilean cat, known as Kodkod, lives in the forests and mountain slopes of South America. Locals know many myths and legends about this cat. One of them says that the Chilean cat trades in vampirism and completely bleeds its prey. There are several large feline hybrids in the world: liger, taigon, liliger, taligr. Of these, the largest liger is a hybrid of a lion and a tigress. In the wild, these hybrids are not fixed, because. outside the walls of zoos and circuses, lions and tigers are almost never found. The largest male ligers currently are Sudan, almost four meters tall and Hercules, 3 meters 70 cm tall. The latter weighs just over 400 kg. However, the largest recorded individual entered the Guinness Book of Records with a weight of almost 800 kg. Male ligers are sterile - they do not give offspring, unlike them, females may well reproduce, hybrids of liligers and taligers come from them, which are much smaller than their parents.

Kiara, the daughter of the liger Zita and the lion Samson, was born in the Novosibirsk Zoo in 2004, she became the first liliger in the world. When Zita refused to feed Kiara, the domestic cat Dasha took up the upbringing and feeding of the baby.

It is noteworthy that all representatives of large cat species belong to the genus Panthera. However, it is not itself an independent species, since like albinos, panthers are just leopards and jaguars with a rare black and even less often white color. Their body weight can reach 115 kg, against the background of handsome ligers, this rare representative of the cat family is a kitten.

The largest domestic cat

The largest cat breeds are Maine Coon and Regdol. Some representatives of these breeds of animals weigh from eight to twelve kilograms, which puts them in first place among all domestic cats that have ever existed. The fluffy huge Maine Coon looks like a fabulous Bayun cat, but has a very sociable and affectionate disposition, he loves his family to the point of adoration and is wary of strangers.

Domestic cats are similar in appearance to the Domestic Lynx and Manul, rather large representatives can reach up to 6 kilograms. If the Domestic Lynx adapts to the content in the house, then Manul is an exceptionally wild cat.

The largest extinct cat

The largest representatives of extinct felines are the cave lion, miracinonyx and saber-toothed tiger. However, these "dinosaurs" did not have a gigantic size and were much smaller than modern tigers and ligers. Scientists are sure that ligers are an extinct species, revived in an artificial environment. It is possible that earlier lions and tigers were not separated by such large distances as they are now, and joint offspring could have appeared as a result of a natural meeting of representatives of these species.

There are many different animals in the world. All of them are very different from each other. Some live in the sea, others live on land. Some feed on plants, others are predators. Some of them are small, others are huge and heavy.

The heaviest aquatic animal

The largest and heaviest aquatic animal in the world is rightfully the blue whale. Its length can be about 30 meters, and the weight starts from 180 tons and more. Such an animal has a dark blue color with bluish hues on the sides. The heart of a blue whale can be about 600 kilograms, and the tongue is about 2.5 tons, which can be compared with in size.

The volume of the lungs of a blue whale exceeds three thousand liters in size, which is an absolute record among all known animals.

Such whales feed on tiny organisms that are in the sea and have - krill. A blue whale can eat up to 40 million of these per day. Most often, blue whales prefer to stay alone or in pairs. These animals communicate using echolocation. The sound that blue whales utter when communicating is similar to the sound of a working jet aircraft and can be carried over vast distances, more than one thousand kilometers.

Female blue whales give birth to their cubs once every three years after a previous pregnancy that lasts about a year. The mass of a newborn whale fluctuates within 3 tons.

The blue whale is a rather peaceful animal that has lost its warlike abilities, which contributed to the almost complete extermination of this species.

The largest and heaviest land animal

The largest land animal is the elephant. The animal is characterized by a heavy massive body, a short neck and a large head, as well as huge ears and thick limbs. The weight of the male can reach 6 tons, the length is about 7 meters and the height is slightly more than 3 meters.

The females of the animal weigh almost half as much. Their height is about 2.5 meters, and the length is about 5 meters. Adult elephants, due to their large size, most often do not have in their natural habitat, but small elephants are often subjected to bloodthirsty attacks from crocodiles, hyenas and leopards.

According to the latest statistical estimates, the population of these animals in the wild is about 550 thousand individuals. The largest animal killed is an African elephant, which was shot in Angola, its weight was more than 12 tons, which is a record.

Related videos

Hunting, destruction of forests and reservoirs, pollution of nature with waste are factors that have contributed to the extinction of almost 850 species of representatives of the animal world over the past 500 years.

The main reasons for the extinction of species

Any changes on the planet affect the world. Both global (natural disasters, wars) and the most insignificant (forest fires, river floods). The most detrimental consequence of animals is human life, many have disappeared precisely because of it.

10 most famous extinct animals

Types of animals that a person can no longer see in nature:

Tyrannosaurus Rex was one of the largest carnivorous sushi. Could reach 13 m in length, 5 m in height, weigh 7 tons. Bipedal Predator. He had a weapon in the form of a long tail and a powerful skull. Fossilized remains of individuals have been found in North America. According to the hypotheses of scientists, the species, along with the rest of the dinosaurs, more than 60 million years ago as a result of a comet collision with the Earth.

Quagga (extinct since 1883) is a subspecies of the common zebra with stripes on the front half of the body. They occupied a vast territory of Africa. They were exterminated by people for the sake of meat and freeing up space for pastures for livestock.

The Tasmanian tiger (or wolf) was the largest marsupial carnivore of our time. Inhabited the territory of Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea. The name was given for the stripes on the back and habitat. Intensive hunting, diseases (brought by man to territories isolated from civilization), and the appearance of dogs are to blame for the extinction of the species. The species has been considered extinct since 1936, but even today there are people who claim to have seen living individuals.

Sea cow (subspecies of Steller) is an absolutely defenseless animal. The species was discovered in the Bering Sea in 1741 by Georg Steller. Individuals were similar to modern manatees, only much larger. An adult sea cow was 8 m long and weighed about 3 tons. In just 27 years, the animals were exterminated by man for the sake of dense skin and fat.

Chinese river dolphin - extinct as a result of pollution of the river waters with waste from cargo and industrial ships. In 2006, the extinction of the species was recorded.

The Caspian tiger (extinct in the 1970s) - ranked third in size among all species. It was distinguished by unusually long hair, huge fangs and an elongated body. The coloration resembled a Bengal.

Tur (extinct since 1627) is a primitive bull. They were hunted only by aristocrats. When, in the 16th century, the species was threatened with extinction, hunting was prohibited and violation of the ban was severely punished. This did not save the population from destruction. At the beginning of the last century in Germany, they tried to revive the species, but to no avail.

Great auk (extinct since 1844) - flightless, reaching 75 cm in height and weighing about 5 kg. Representative of an extensive family, the only one who is up to modern history.

The cave lion is the largest lion. The main part died out during the ice age, the remnants of the species could not recover after a series of cataclysms and finally disappeared 20 centuries ago.

Dodo (extinct at the end of the 17th century) is a flightless bird from the island of Mauritius. It belonged to the family of pigeons, however, it reached 1 m in height. The species was also exterminated by man.

Related videos

Advice 4: What kind of feline did domestic cats come from?

Domestic cats descended from wild representatives of the species of forest cats, although so far most biologists attribute them to this species and consider them only a separate subspecies. The period of domestication dates back to the Neolithic Revolution, which took place about 10,000 years ago.

domestic cats

Biologists have not yet come to a consensus on whether cats should be classified as a separate species or not. For a long time, the most common and beloved pets among people were considered representatives of the forest cat species, forming a separate subspecies along with such groups as the Oman cat, steppe cat, cat and others. Despite some differences in appearance and behavior, all these groups really belong to the same species, as they can interbreed with each other and produce healthy offspring.

The same applies to domestic cats: once in wild conditions and running wild, they can find a mate among their wild counterparts and continue the genus, which allows them to be classified as the same species.

However, some biologists have proposed a separate species of domestic cat on the basis that a huge gulf separates them from their brothers: it is difficult to imagine that smooth sphinxes or blunt-nosed Persian cats belong to the same species as the graceful, aggressive and forest cat.

History of domestic cats

Thus, the ancestors of all domestic cats were forest cats - small predatory mammals that today live in Africa, northern Asia and Europe. They are fast, cunning, shy and aggressive animals.

They, in turn, descended from more ancient representatives of the cat genus and have close family ties with the dune cat - a small animal resembling a small lynx.

Several thousand years ago, forest cats inhabited the territory of the Middle East and at first tried not to meet representatives of the human race. During the Neolithic Revolution, people learned to grow plants, and the stocks of grain began to attract rodents to the dwellings of people. It is believed that the small mammalian pests were followed by predatory cats that preyed on them.

Gradually, people began to cooperate: the neighborhood was beneficial to both. The domestication of these animals took place about 10 thousand years ago, presumably in the region of the so-called Fertile Crescent, where the first settled settlements and the beginnings of human civilizations were formed.

Genetic studies have made it possible to identify the origin of domestic cats more accurately: all representatives of the domestic subspecies descended maternally from several steppe cats. Steppe cats are a subspecies of forest cats, which separated from other predators of this species about 130 thousand years ago. It was these animals that lived in the Middle East, it was they who were domesticated by the ancestors of modern people.

Related videos

Maine Coon is a large muscular cat with wide strong paws and large ears. On the head and neck, the hair of these animals is short, but on the back and sides it lengthens. In addition, Maine Coons have a luxurious fluffy collar and tassels on their already long ears. The coat color of this breed can vary. The color may include black, white, gray, brown, as well as any combination of these shades. There are also bright red Maine Coons.

The fruit of love between a cat and a raccoon

"Maine Coon" in translation means "Maine raccoon". The breed got this name due to the similarity of animals with raccoons. For a long time, people who did not understand biology considered the shaggy Maine Coon with tassels on the ears and a characteristic striped color to be the result of a love affair between a raccoon and a cat. Of course, there are no raccoons among the Maine Coon ancestors, but the name was assigned to the breed.

Huge cat character

Despite its impressive size, the Maine Coon is a meek and docile animal. These cats are strongly attached to the owner, for which they received the nickname cat-dog. They can, like a devoted dog, spend all day around the house, watching what he is doing and patiently waiting for the owner to be free and able to pay attention to them. At the same time, Maine Coons are not intrusive. They won't rest on your keyboard when you're working on your laptop, and they won't fit between your face and a book while you're reading. Raccoons are usually wary of strangers, but do not show aggression.

In appearance, the Maine Coon may seem clumsy, but in fact it is very active. This breed is better for people living in their homes or spacious apartments, as the Maine Coon loves to run, hunt for a ball or. Until recently, the ancestors of cats caught mice on farms, so the hunting instincts in them are very strong.

Related videos

Tigers, lions, cougars, panthers, cheetahs and leopards are considered the largest cats on planet Earth. In total, there are about 37 species of the cat family, and almost all of them are large. Big cats themselves are quite secretive animals, they avoid human interaction because of the danger that threatens them.

All representatives of the cat family differ from each other in color, behavior, character, habitat, etc. But there are amazing creatures that differ from others in their incredible size.

Show all

Tiger

The tiger is the largest wild cat in the world. Representatives of this breed can weigh up to 250 kg. Height at the withers is 1.15 cm. An adult predator reaches 3 meters in length. The habitat of these predators is concentrated mainly in Asia.

External signs of a tiger:

strong muscular body;
round head with a convex skull;
bright color (red with black stripes).

The tiger hunts alone. Its feeding territory is from 300 to 500 km. For predators, hostility between themselves was not noticed, if the amount of prey decreases, then tigers attack livestock and people. The predator hunts in the morning and in the evening, thanks to excellent vision, he sees perfectly in the dark. Attacks from an ambush, chasing the victim in the footsteps.

Tigers are very clean, unlike other members of the cat family. Before hunting, he always bathes to bring down his smell, which will interfere with him during the hunt.

Humans are the easiest prey for the tiger. But he can attack only when a person violates the territory of a predator or the tiger's food supply runs out.

Now there are no cases of attacks of tigers on people. This is due to the decline in the population of the animal. All subspecies of tigers disappear and are listed in the Red Book.

Amur (Siberian) tiger

Compared to other tigers, the fur of this representative is thicker and longer. On his stomach there is a fatty layer that protects from the cold. The largest population falls on the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, there are about 500 individuals. In eastern countries, its population is very low due to the fact that its fur is very valuable in alternative medicine.

A few decades ago, the population of the Amur tiger was quite large; over time, it was reduced to 200 individuals. But thanks to the efforts of biologists, the number of Siberian tigers is gradually increasing. But they are still in the Red Book.

Wild steppe cats - lifestyle, character, the possibility of taming

a lion

One of the largest cats on Earth. This dangerous predator in weight reaches 250 kg, and the height at the withers is 123 cm. The length of the body is 170 - 250 cm. In structure, it is somewhat similar to a tiger. The color can be either dark brown or sandy. A distinctive feature is the brush at the end of the tail. The main decoration of a lion is a luxurious mane, which only males have.

Warns of hunting with its majestic roar. The only ones from the cat family live in prides. They are led by the leader of the pack. In hunting, males are in ambush, and females are beaters of prey. It is almost impossible to get into the pride of the lions. There is a certain number of animals in the flock, which is determined by the food supply. The habitat of lions is located in Africa and in India (less).

Puma (mountain lion)

Proudly bears the name of the second largest wild cat in America. The height at the withers is 60-70 cm, the length of the body reaches 180 cm, and the weight is up to 100 kg. The body of the animal is massive, elongated, the hind legs are larger than the front ones, the head is small. Color - reddish or gray.

It lives in almost all areas, from the plains to the mountains. It is not particularly picky in food, it can eat both ungulates and insects. There are known cases of attacks on people, mostly children and short people walking alone.

Hunting this predator does not affect its population in any way. This is due to the fact that the animal perfectly adapts to various conditions. It mainly lives in South America, in the western regions of North America and in the Yucatan.

Leopard

The leopard is the most insidious representative of the predatory cats. Although it differs in size from a lion and a tiger, it is not inferior to them in terms of jaw power. Growth at the withers is not more than 80 cm, and the weight of the animal is gaining up to 100 kg. The length of the body is from 120 to 195 cm. Because of their spotted color, leopards are attacked by poachers. It differs from other wild cats in that:

1. excellent tree climber;
2. overcomes water barriers;
3. eats fish;
4. sits in ambush for a long time;
5. hunts at night and alone;
6. drags food up a tree to protect it from other predators.

Panthers, whose coloration is black, are considered more aggressive. They got this color due to the increased content of the hormone melatonin.

Jaguar

It is very similar to a leopard, but much more massive and larger than it. Height at the withers 63-75 cm, weight about 90 kg. The body length is up to 185 cm. By nature, it is a lone predator, jaguars carefully guard their territory. Males protect their family, and females raise kittens until they grow up.

They can eat both crocodiles and livestock. Attacks on humans are extremely rare. In most countries, this representative of the cat family is listed in the Red Book, but in Mexico, its shooting is allowed in limited quantities.

Irbis

It is also called snow beauty. It lives high in the mountains, descends to the foot only in case of pursuit of herbivorous ungulates. Outwardly, the leopard looks like a leopard, but more stocky. It stands out for its unusual smoky fur, strewn with black spots. The body of the snow leopard is elongated and raised at the sacrum. the height at the withers is about 60 cm, and the body length varies from 103 to 130 cm. It lives in regions of South and Central Asia.

Wild cats are distributed on all continents and large islands, with the exception of Antarctica, Australia, Madagascar, Greenland, the islands of New Guinea and Sulawesi. All types of wild cats are listed in the Red Book, many of which are either on the verge of extinction or under the threat of destruction.

Animal sizes vary greatly. The rusty cat is the smallest feline, it weighs around 1.5 kg, and its body length reaches an average of 40 cm. The tiger has the largest body weight. Individuals of this species often reach a mass of more than 300 kg, and the body length reaches 3.8 m. Nevertheless, all species of the cat family are very similar to each other both in external data and in their way of life. These are excellent hunters, ideally suited for stalking and killing prey.

Show all
Oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus)
The brindle cat, better known as the oncilla, is relatively small in size. It is slightly larger than an ordinary domestic cat, the weight of an adult male rarely exceeds 3 kg, and the body length reaches 65 cm. The eyes and ears of the animal are noticeably larger compared to the skull than other representatives of this genus.
Oncilla is the owner of a soft short coat of an ocher hue. On the muzzle, in the abdomen and chest, the color turns into whitish. Thanks to the pattern on the skin, the little predator is very similar to a jaguar cub. On the back and sides of the animal in longitudinal rows are annular irregularly shaped spots. In the region of the tail, the spots become transverse, gradually merging into rings closer to its end. There is a white spot on the black rounded ears.
A representative of this breed lives in subtropical forests, preferring moist evergreen forests in mountainous areas at an altitude of up to 3 thousand meters above sea level. You can meet oncilla in Costa Rica, northern Argentina, northern Panama, Brazil and in the dry forests of Venezuela. In most of the animal's habitat, hunting for them is prohibited, as the species is endangered.
This species is little studied due to its secretive lifestyle in nature. The main activity of the animal is at night, during the day it prefers to hide in the branches of trees. The predator feeds mainly on birds and small rodents. But it can also attack small primates, non-poisonous reptiles.
The reproduction of the breed in the wild has not been studied, all the information collected has been obtained by observing the oncilla in captivity. The duration of a cat's pregnancy is 2.5 months. There are usually 1 or 2 kittens in a litter. Individuals become sexually mature at the age of 1-2 years.
Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
This type of cat is considered quite ancient. The body length of the representatives of the breed reaches 1 meter, the tail can be up to 92 cm, and the height at the withers varies between 50–55 cm. Adult males of the clouded leopard weigh up to 21 kg, females are somewhat smaller, their weight reaches 15 kg
A beautiful pattern on the yellowish fur of the animal is formed by large dark spots of various shapes. In the neck and back, the spots have an elongated shape. There are few spots on the belly and chest of the clouded leopard, the color of the coat is almost white. The skull of the animal is noticeably longer than that of other felines. Another distinguishing feature of the beast is the larger fangs compared to the size of the body. The cat's tail is large and heavy, towards the end of its color becomes darker.
The habitat of the clouded leopard covers southeast Asia. The predator is found in the south of China, you can meet it in the territory from the eastern Himalayas to Vietnam. The species is currently under threat of extinction. Because of the beautiful spotted skin, which was highly valued, the leopard was hunted for a long time. But the main threat to the existence of the cat is the massive deforestation of the tropical forests that are the home of the animal.
The predator prefers to lead a solitary lifestyle and mostly hides in the thickets. The animal skillfully climbs trees and swims perfectly, a massive tail helps to maintain balance. These magnificent cats hunt reptiles, birds, goats and small deer. A monkey can also become a victim of a leopard. The predator prefers to hide on the branches of trees, suddenly jumping on its prey from above.
It has not yet been possible to collect information on the reproduction of the animal in the wild. All knowledge on this subject was obtained by observing individuals in captivity. Pregnancy lasts about 3 months, after which 1 to 5 cubs appear on the account. The mother feeds the offspring with milk for 5 months, but from the age of 2 months their diet begins to be supplemented with the food of adults. By 9 months, young leopards become independent and fully prepared for life separately from their mother.
Wild steppe cats - lifestyle, character, the possibility of taming
Temminka (Catopuma temminckii)
The temminka cat, whose second name is the Asian golden cat, looks very similar to the cougar, but differs in size and fur color. The body length of an adult individual reaches an average of 90 cm, weight can reach up to 16 kg.
The coat of a cat is most often golden or dark brown, but there are other color options, such as black or gray. On a small head near the eyes there are stripes of white and black. Depending on the region in which the animal lives, spots may be noticeable on the skin of an individual.
The territory inhabited by these graceful predators covers southeastern Tibet, Vietnam, and China. And also a cat is found on the island of Sumatra. The animal prefers tropical and subtropical forests, can climb mountains to a height of up to 3 thousand meters above sea level. Hunting for individuals of this species and deforestation in their habitat has led to the fact that the temminka is included in the list of rare animals.
Introduced breeds prefer to live alone. They are shy, very wary and nocturnal. Moving mainly on the ground, the golden cat nevertheless perfectly climbs trees. In search of prey, the animal often travels long distances. The cat's diet includes young deer, birds, small mammals and reptiles.
The process of bearing cubs takes 80 days. The number of kittens in a litter is from 1 to 3 pieces. Feeding babies with milk lasts up to 6 months with a gradual transition to an adult diet. The male takes part in rearing the offspring.
Red Lynx (Lynx rufus)
The red lynx is a species of lynx native to North America. It differs from the usual lynx by its noticeably smaller size. The length of her body rarely exceeds 80 cm, the tail is short. The height of the animal at the withers is up to 35 cm, the weight varies between 6–11 kg.
The coat color of representatives of the species is reddish-brown with a clearly visible gray tint and small spots. The tip of the animal's tail has a white spot on the inside. The ears of the animal are triangular in shape with pointed tips, on which small tassels are located. The muzzle is round, along its edges noticeably longer hair grows.
The red lynx is distributed throughout the territory from the east to the west coast of the United States, in Canada and Mexico. The animal lives in coniferous and deciduous forests, in wetlands, in the subtropics and even in arid regions. Can be found near cities. The existence of the species is not threatened.
Moves on the ground, climbing trees only in search of shelter and prey. The cat's diet includes snakes and rodents, often it attacks birds, including domestic ones. But the main source of food for this predator is the American rabbit. Hunting for prey, it can travel up to 10 km per night.
The mating season starts in February. The duration of pregnancy is 50 days. Upon completion, up to 6 blind babies are born. A month later, the young begin to diversify their menu with adult food. Sexual maturity in females occurs at the 12th month of life, in males - at 2 years.
Lion (Panthera leo)
Representatives of this species are one of the largest cats that exist at the moment. The body weight of individual males reaches 250 kg or more. The length of the powerful muscular body of the predator is up to 3 meters, the tail reaches up to 90 cm. The females are slightly smaller in size and their weight rarely exceeds 180 kg.
The appearance of the animal is very peculiar. In addition, it is one of the few species with clearly visible sexual dimorphism. The males of these cats differ not only in weight and body size, but also in the presence of a mane. Her hair covers the head, part of the back, chest and shoulders of the animal. The skin of the beast is covered with short sandy-gray hair. The thick mane can be either the same shade as the main color, or darker, up to black. There is a brush at the tip of the tail.
The habitat of the predator has undergone the strongest changes under the influence of man. Previously, the distribution area of this species was much wider, for example, cats could be found in the Middle East and in the southern part of modern Russia. Now animals can be found in Africa south of the Sahara. Not a large number of individuals lives in the Gir forest in the south of the Kathiyawar peninsula.
Unlike other representatives of the cat family, lions are social animals and they live in whole groups called pride. Most often, a lion family consists of cubs, several related females, and 1–2 adult males. All females are engaged in feeding and protecting the young, regardless of whose litter it is. If one of the mothers dies for some reason, her kittens are raised by the rest. Females from the side of the pride are reluctant to accept. Young grown males are expelled from the pack, after which, at the call of instincts, they look for families of lionesses and fight for supremacy in the new pride.
The pride is engaged in hunting at dusk, while in the daytime, cats prefer to rest in the shade. Mostly prey is taken by females, lions rarely take part in this event. Hunting for large prey, the pride tries to isolate it from the herd, after which they attack and kill. The target of a lion family can be a buffalo, wildebeest or zebra.
Tiger (Panthera tigris)
Being the most massive and heaviest member of the cat family, the tiger can weigh up to 320 kg. The elongated and flexible body of a predator sometimes reaches 2.9 m in length without a tail. The height at the withers is 1.15 m. The sizes depend on the habitat: in more northern territories, the size of cats is larger than in the southern ones.
Depending on the subspecies of the animal, the ground color of the coat varies from light yellow to rusty brown. The whole body is decorated with brown or black vertical stripes arranged asymmetrically. The lower part of the body is white. The outer side of the ears is black with a white spot in the middle.
This mighty predator lives in the northern parts of Iran and Afghanistan, in Nepal, Thailand, and in some provinces of China. You can meet the animal in India, Indonesia, Russia, Vietnam and Pakistan. Tigers have inhabited many types of landscapes: dry deserts and semi-deserts, tropical rainforests, taiga, highlands and mangrove swamps. The species is on the verge of extinction, hunting for it is prohibited worldwide.
Tigers are territorial solitary animals, fiercely defending their possessions. Despite its impressive size, the predator silently moves through forests and mountain slopes. He is well camouflaged and endowed with incredible strength and agility. Can climb trees, but rarely does it. The animal hunts for rather large prey, including wild bulls, deer, elks, wild boars and even bears. This beast is an excellent swimmer and can catch fish and small crocodiles. If times of famine come, the tiger can feed on amphibians, reptiles, rodents, birds, and even plants. Carrion eats in exceptional cases.
Cat breeding occurs throughout the year. The duration of pregnancy is 3.5 months. Before giving birth, the female is looking for a suitable den. Most often, 2-3 blind kittens appear in one litter. From the age of two months, in addition to milk, babies begin to eat adult food. The tigress is a caring mother. Having reached the age of 2 years, the young begin to participate in the hunt with her. At 3–4 years old, juveniles leave their home and look for a separate territory.
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
Outwardly, this graceful predator differs from its feline counterparts. The structure of his flexible body in anatomical terms resembles the structure of a greyhound dog. The cheetah has long and strong legs, on which the claws are located, which are retracted only partially, which is not typical for cats. A large chest and voluminous lungs serve for active breathing in the process of running.
The cheetah is considered the fastest mammal: the speed that the animal is able to develop when hunting is about 130 km per hour.

The height of the predator at the withers is 80 cm. The body length of an adult cat can reach 130 cm, the tail can be up to 80 cm. The weight of a mature individual varies from 40 to 75 kg. The animal's coat color is sandy yellow. The entire skin is covered with small black spots. On the side of the muzzle are thin black stripes.
Almost the entire population of cheetahs has survived only in African countries: South Africa, Tanzania, Algeria, Angola, Zambia, Kenya and others. The number of these cats in Asia is minimal, their presence is confirmed only in the central part of Iran. The conservation status of the species is vulnerable animals.
Cheetahs are diurnal, hunting either in the morning or in the evening, since it is at this time that it is quite light and not very hot. The main prey of these cats is Thomson's gazelle, but they also prey on impala, wildebeest and hares. Sometimes they attack ostriches. Unlike other cats, cheetahs hunt by stalking rather than ambushing. The speed developed by the animal is high, but does not allow running for long distances. If a predator does not catch prey in the first 10–20 seconds, then most likely it will end the pursuit.
The gestation period for a female cheetah is 3 months. 2-6 kittens are born. Feeding babies with milk occurs up to 8 months. The young remain with their mother for up to 20 months. Average life expectancy in captivity is 20 years.
Puma (Puma concolor)
Puma is in 4th place in terms of size among felines. Larger than a cougar, only a lion, a tiger and a jaguar. An adult male of this species can reach 105 kg in weight. The height of the animal at the withers is on average 80–90 cm, the length of the flexible elongated body is 150–180 cm, and the length of the tail is about 70 cm.
The coat of the animal is thick and short. The color is uniform, ranging from brown-yellow to brown-gray. The lower part of the body is light. On a relatively small head are round ears. Paws are strong with wide feet and retractable claws. The tail is dark in color.
The cougar is distributed in the south of North America and almost throughout South America. The population of the species is such that its existence is not threatened. It lives in many types of landscape: highlands, forests, plains and marshes.
With the exception of the breeding season, cougars lead a solitary lifestyle. In the daytime, cats prefer to relax, basking in the sun, but go hunting at dusk. Moose, deer, wild pigs, small crocodiles, squirrels, beavers, etc. become the prey of a predator. It attacks from ambush, does not like long chases, quickly fizzles out.
Pregnancy in an animal lasts about 3 months, in one litter there are from 2 to 6 kittens. Kittens at birth differ from an adult animal in color: they are darker with black spots, and the tail is girded with dark rings. The young live with their mother until they are 2 years old.
Caracal (Caracal caracal)
Outwardly, the caracal is very similar to a lynx, but differs in its smaller size and color. At the withers, the animal reaches about 45 cm, the body length is not more than 86 cm, the tail is 30 cm. Tassels are clearly visible on the tips of the ears, sometimes reaching up to 5 cm in length. The weight of the cat is not more than 22 kg.
The dense and short coat of the caracal has a sandy or reddish-brown color, in the abdomen and chest, the color approaches white. There are black markings on the side of the head. The outer side of the ears and brushes are black.
The predator chooses arid regions as its home. The animal is well adapted to a long life without water, usually the liquid that it receives from prey is enough for it. The caracal lives in Asia Minor and Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. It is rare in the CIS. The existence of the species is not threatened.
The main activity of the predator is closer to the night, but in winter period hunting in daylight. Despite strong and long legs, the caracal does not like a long run, so it hunts from ambush. Its food can be rodents, birds, reptiles and small ungulates.
Caracals breed throughout the year. The pregnancy of a cat lasts 80 days, in one litter the female brings up to 6 babies. Every day, a caring female transfers kittens from one secluded place to another until they reach the age of one month. Already at the age of 6 months, young individuals begin to live independently.
Jaguar (Panthera onca)
Being the third largest among the felines, the jaguar can reach a weight of 90-120 kg. The height of the animal at the withers is 75 cm, the body length reaches 1.8 m, the tail length is up to 75 cm. Females of this species are on average 20% lighter than males.
Outwardly, the animal is very similar to a leopard, but noticeably exceeds its size. The paws of the jaguar are strong and short, rounded ears are on the massive head. Outside, the ears are black with a yellow spot in the middle. The thick short fur of the animal has a pattern similar to that of a leopard. The main coat color is sandy or bright red. The lower part of the body is white. Inside the spots, the color of the skin is slightly darker than the main one.
The animal is widely distributed in North and South America. The population of the species is not threatened, but controlled. The jaguar can inhabit almost all kinds of terrain, but tries to avoid open spaces. Prefers rainforests with high humidity.
Movement is carried out on the ground, but climbs trees well. This feline is also a great swimmer and loves to spend time in the water. It is active at any time of the day, but hunts mainly at night. The predator feeds on ungulates, crocodiles, birds, wild pigs, sea turtles and even fish.
For a pregnancy lasting 3-3.5 months, the female brings up to 4 spotted kittens, which she hides in the den. At the age of 1.5 months, the babies begin to come out of hiding and watch the mother hunt. Among the young of this species, mortality is high, only half of the litter survives to the age of 2 years. At the same age, young individuals begin to live independently.
Manul (Felis manul)
Outwardly, this steppe cat is very similar to domestic cats, and even in size it practically does not differ. The length of the dense and massive body of the animal is from 50 to 65 cm, the tail is from 23 to 30 cm. The weight of an adult varies between 3–5 kg.
Manul has a very thick and fluffy coat. The color is combined and consists of a mixture of light gray and pale ocher, while the tips of the hair are white. There are dark stripes on the muzzle, as well as on the back of the body. The lower part of the body is slightly lighter, and the tip of the long thick tail is painted black. An interesting feature of the cat are round, rather than the usual feline pupils.
These beautiful animals are listed in the Red Book, their number is not known for certain, but the species is endangered. Pallas are common in Central and Central Asia. On the territory of Russia, this species lives in three zones:
- in the steppe zone of the Chita region;
- steppe and forest-steppe zones of Buryatia;
- in the southeast of Tuva and Altai.
Manul is well adapted to survive in a sharply continental climate with low temperatures in winter. The animal leads a sedentary lifestyle, being active at night and early in the morning. Lives in a lair among rocks or in abandoned burrows of various animals. The main prey of manul is rodents, sometimes it catches birds and hares. It hunts by stalking, in which its camouflage color helps a lot.
The breeding season for these animals falls on February-March. The duration of pregnancy is 2 months, from 2 to 6 kittens are born. Spots can be traced in the color of babies. Young animals begin to hunt independently at the age of 3-4 months. The average life expectancy is 12 years.
Margay (Leopardus wiedii)
The size of this type of cat is small: the body length does not exceed 80 cm, the tail length is 40 cm. The average weight varies from 4 to 6 kg. The appearance of this type of cat is very similar to the ocelot. The yellow-brown fur of the margay is covered with black ring-shaped spots. The lower part of the body is lighter, almost white. Outside, the ears are dark with a white spot.
Margay lives in areas with tropical rainforests: evergreen rainforests of South America. Cats are nocturnal, live alone. This small predator loves to climb trees and spends most of its life on their branches. The hind limbs of the animal are so strong that they allow it to move upside down along tree trunks like a squirrel. As prey margay chooses birds, rodents and small primates.
The species does not have specific periods for mating. The duration of gestation by the female is about 84 days, after which from 1 to 2 kittens are born. The gray coat of young animals is dotted with spots from the very beginning of life. From the shelter, babies are selected only at the age of 2 months. Full independence is acquired closer to 9-10 months. Margay is one of the species that is threatened with extinction. Hunting for them is prohibited.

Big cats are the largest members of the cat family. And yet the main criterion for belonging to big cats is not size, but structure.

So, big cats include the lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard, but not such species as the cougar and cheetah.

Let's get to know these most beautiful and graceful predators in the wild.
a lion

A lion. King of beasts. One of four representatives of the genus Panthera, belonging to the subfamily of big cats. It is the second largest cat after the tiger - the weight of males can reach 250 kg. But in terms of shoulder height, the lion is the champion among all cats.

This species originally evolved in Africa about 800,000 - 1 million years ago.

The appearance of a lion is very characteristic: males are much larger than females and have a luxurious mane up to 40 cm long. No other cat has anything like it. The mane visually enlarges the lion, and also helps to intimidate other males and attract females who prefer "men" with more luxurious hair.

Both the lion and the lioness have a fluffy tuft at the end of the tail - a “tassel” about 5 cm long. At birth, it is absent and begins to appear at about 5 months of age.

The color of the lion is usually yellow-gray in various shades, the mane is the same color as the skin, but it can be dark, even black.

At the end of the 20th century, evidence of the existence of white lions appeared. Before that, for hundreds of years, they were considered the fruit of legends wandering around South Africa:

These are very rare cats:

Lions are super predators, i.e. occupy the top position in the food chain. However, besides humans, there is another predatory animal that can pose a threat to a lion - this is a crocodile. In a collision, these two species are capable of inflicting very serious injuries on each other. Lions are able to attack crocodiles when they come out onto land, while the oldest reptiles attack lions when they enter the water.

Unlike other cats, they do not live alone, but in special family flocks - prides. Hunting and getting food is usually done by females, who act in groups. Males are engaged in the protection of the territory, expelling uninvited guests from them. Another reason why males do not hunt is the mane, which can interfere with camouflage. The fangs of a lion are 8 cm long, so these cats are able to kill fairly large animals. Despite the fact that lionesses have very sharp teeth, prey in most cases is killed by strangulation.

In nature, lions live from 10 to 15 years, in captivity they can live more than 20 years. True, males rarely live more than 10 years, since constant fights with other lions significantly reduce their life expectancy.

Unfortunately, these big cats are classified as vulnerable species due to the irreversible decline in their population. Over the past 20 years, the number of lions in Africa has decreased by 35-50%.

Jaguar

This is the third largest cat in the world, and the largest cat in the New World. One of four members of the Panthera genus. The body length without a tail is usually 120-185 cm, and in some cases the weight is up to 120 kg. The record in nature is 158 kg. In the Guarani language, yaguara means "a beast that kills with one leap."

The oldest remains of the jaguar date back to the late Pliocene (about 2 million years). According to morphological features, the jaguar is most closely related to the leopard, it is very similar to it, but larger and heavier.

The main body color of the jaguar is closer to sand. Spots are scattered over the body, which are darker than the general background of the body: solid, rings and rosettes. There are also completely black jaguars that look like panthers:

Unlike lions, the lifestyle of jaguars is solitary. Like all cats, jaguars are territorial predators; The hunting area of one jaguar occupies 25-100 sq. km, depending on the landscape and the amount of prey, and is usually a triangle.

The jaguar is a crepuscular predator. He hunts after sunset and before dawn. The main prey of the jaguar are capybaras and ungulates like deer, bakers, although it also hunts turtles: its powerful jaws can even bite through the shell. When attacking, this cat tries to injure the victim with the strongest blow at the time of the fall. This is a one-shot hunter: if the prey takes off running, the jaguar never pursues it.

The main hunting method of the jaguar is ambush in a tree or in tall grass. Also, prey will not be able to escape in the water - jaguars are excellent swimmers.

In a significant part of its former range, this species is almost or completely exterminated. The jaguar is included in the international Red Book.

Snow Leopard

The irbis, or snow leopard, lives in the mountains of Central Asia. This is a rather large cat, but smaller than a leopard, with a long, flexible body, relatively short legs and a very long tail. Length with tail - 200–230 cm, weight - up to 55 kg. Recent studies show that snow leopards were distributed probably from 1.2 to 1.4 million years ago.

The color of the fur of the snow leopard is light smoky gray with circular and solid dark spots. Since the irbis is an inhabitant of the high rocky mountains of Central and Central Asia, its coat is very thick, its length on the back reaches 55 mm - it provides protection from cold, harsh habitat conditions. So, in the Himalayas, the snow leopard was met at an altitude of 5400-6000 meters above sea level.

Snow leopards lead a solitary lifestyle. In a territory with a low amount of prey, an area of \u200b\u200b1,000 square kilometers, only up to 5 cats can live. The snow leopard's lair suits in caves and clefts of rocks.

The snow leopard is able to cope with prey three times its mass. He hunts in most cases before sunset and at dawn, attacking from behind a shelter. The snow leopard tries to grab a large prey by the throat, and then strangle it.

Currently, the number of snow leopards is catastrophically small. In the 20th century, this cat was included in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and in the Red Book of Russia.

Leopard

The leopard is another representative of big cats, significantly inferior in size to the lion and tiger, one of the four representatives of the panther genus. Outwardly, it looks like a jaguar, reduced in size. Body length without tail - up to 190 cm, weight - up to 75 kg. According to fossil remains, the first ancestor of the leopard appeared in Asia as early as 3.8 million years ago.

The skin of the animal is a golden background, on which black spots are randomly scattered or in the form of rings. Usually the color of the fur is paler and duller in winter than in summer. As in the case of the jaguar, in nature (usually in Southeast Asia) there are melanistic leopards, which are called black panthers. Leopard is perhaps one of the most graceful and beautiful cats.

The leopard is a solitary and nocturnal animal. He climbs trees so deftly that sometimes he even catches monkeys. However, the leopard hunts mainly on the ground, using two techniques: sneaking up on prey and waiting in ambush.

To prevent the prey from getting to the hyenas, the leopards drag it into the trees. The area of the hunting area of a leopard can reach 400 sq. km. depending on the region, topography and abundance of prey.

Like lions and tigers, there are cannibals among leopards; usually these are old or sick individuals, unable to hunt their usual prey. Man for this predatory cat is a very easy target. So, in the 20s of the 20th century, the “Rudraprayag cannibal” was operating in India. On account of this leopard was 125! cases of officially registered murders of people.

For many nations, the leopard is a symbol of cruelty, ferocity, aggressiveness, fearlessness. Unfortunately, the leopard is an endangered species. In the XX century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, in the Red Book of Russia.

clouded leopard

The clouded leopard is a large cat that lives in Southeast Asia and vaguely resembles a leopard. This is a fairly ancient species, as well as a possible ancestor of the current large cats.

The clouded leopard is the smallest "big cat": its size is approximately the size of a shepherd dog. Body length - 80–100 cm, weight - up to 21 kg. A characteristic feature of this cat is a long tail.
Small but toothy:

Clouded leopards are found in southeast Asia and live alone. Among cats, clouded leopards are the best at climbing trees, even better than the leopard itself. They wait for their victims (deer, wild boars, monkeys and birds) on the branches and suddenly attack from above.
The pattern on the coat of a smoky leopard is unusual: large, unequal in shape black spots are scattered on a yellowish background. The entire species is classified as endangered.

Tiger

The tiger is the largest and heaviest cat and one of the largest land predators, second in mass only to the white and brown bears, one of the four representatives of the panther genus. Already about 2 million years ago, tigers were widespread in eastern Asia.

Tiger subspecies vary greatly in size and weight, but the largest are the Bengal and Amur. Males can reach up to 2.4–2.8 meters in length without a tail and weigh up to 275 kg, and in some cases up to 300–320 kg. The record in captivity is 423 kg for the Amur tiger. For comparison, the weight of lions usually does not exceed 250 kg with approximately the same length.

The entire body of the tiger is covered with stripes that vary in color from brown to completely black, and the tail always ends with a black tip.

Due to mutation, there are very rare animals in nature - white tigers. The frequency of their appearance is one individual per 10,000 with normal coloration. These are Bengal tigers with black and brown stripes on white fur and blue eyes. Zoos now contain 130 white tigers:

An even more rare discoloration is gold. There are only 30 golden tigers in zoos around the world:

Tigers are solitary and territorial predators. The territory of one male is usually 60–100 sq. km. During the hunt, tigers use two techniques: sneaking up on prey, moving with short cautious steps, often falling to the ground, and waiting in ambush.

During the attack, the tiger can reach speeds of up to 60 km / h on almost any terrain, as well as jump to a height of up to 5 meters and 9-10 meters in length. Sometimes the prey weight of this powerful cat is 6-7 times higher than its own.

These majestic cats are also endangered species. In the XX century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, in the Red Book of Russia.