The cheetah is the fastest land mammal and has the ability
to go from 0 to 60 mph in a matter of a few seconds. Even at this high speed,
cheetahs are able to hunt with precise skills and are very agile. Its spotted
coat allows the animal to blend into the surrounding of high dry grasslands. Using
its speed, the cheetah leaps after the pray in an attempt to knock it down
which requires a large amount of energy and is over in about a minute. After conquering
this task, it will drag the kill to a shady spot to eat. Cheetahs only have to
drink once every 3 to 4 days. Male cheetahs either live alone or with a small
group, usually littermates. Females live with their cubs for around two years. These
animals can be found in eastern and southwestern Africa. There are approximately
7,000 to 10,000 of these animals alive in the wild today.
Lions live in groups called prides consisting of up
to three males, many females, and their young. The young females usually grow
up and stay in the pride, while young males leave and start their own pride or
take over another. Lions are the only cats to live in prides. Male lions are
the only ones that have manes and they protect over the pride. Female lions are
the hunters of the group. Today, lions are found in sub-Saharan Africa called African lions. One
small population of lions are found in India’ Gir Forest. This small group are call Asian lions. There are only 200 to 260 Asian lions left in the wild.
Lions live in groups called prides consisting of up
to three males, many females, and their young. The young females usually grow
up and stay in the pride, while young males leave and start their own pride or
take over another. Lions are the only cats to live in prides. Male lions are
the only ones that have manes and they protect over the pride. Female lions are
the hunters of the group. Today, lions are found in sub-Saharan Africa called African lions. One
small population of lions are found in India’ Gir Forest. This small group are call Asian lions. There are only 200 to 260 Asian lions left in the wild. 
Jaguars are the largest cat in South America. The name
Jaguar came from a Native America word (yaguar) which means “he who kills with
one leap.” These cats can hunt in water, unlike other cats. They prey on fish,
turtles, deer, tapirs, etc. and have been known to climb trees to gain an advantage
over their prey. Jaguars are usually an orange color with black spots, but can
also be dark and appear to be spotless from a distance. These animals live
alone in several square miles of territory. Young jaguars are born blind and
learn to hunt from living with their mother for over two years. They are mostly
found in South and Central America near the Amazon basin. Jaguar are still
being hunted for their impressive fur.
Leopards are comfortable and graceful in trees. Many times
after a leopard makes a kill, it drags the prey back up a tree to eat, keeping
the prey safe from other animals. They are nocturnal predators that hunt pigs,
deer, antelope, etc. from the ground and trees. Similar to Jaguars, Leopards
are good swimmers and eat some water prey. These cats are solitary animals
unless a female has cubs. Cubs live with the mother for about two years while
learning to hunt and survive. Leopards are light colors with dark spots. There
are some that are darker in color and appear to be solid at first glance called
black Leopards. Many of these cats are becoming endangered. They live in
sub-Saharan Africa Central Asia, India, China, and northeast Africa.
The Clouded leopard is usually found in the rain forest of
Indonesia. There is little information about these cats. Clouded leopard are also
good climbers and can even hang upside down.
Tigers are the largest of the cat family. At one point,
there was 8 species of tigers but 3 are extinct. Hunting has reduced the number
of tigers from hundreds of thousands to around 2,500. All the species of tigers
that are remaining are endangered and protected. Bengal tigers, which are the
most common, live in India. Siberian tigers live in Russia, China, and North
Korea. There are only 400 to 500 Siberian tigers in the wild. All these animals
live alone and mark their territories. No two tigers have the same pattern
which makes them great nocturnal hunters. Tigers usually avoid humans despite
their reputation, unless the prey in their area is gone.
These facts and more can be found through the National Geographic website:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/big-cats/
These facts and more can be found through the National Geographic website:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/big-cats/
