Big Cat Trivia - Wild Cat Facts

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Cheetah Trivia

Did you know….

• The Cheetah is the fastest mammal in the world, capable of sprinting at speeds up to 62 mph over short distances.
• They are built for speed with a light body, weighing on average 145 lbs and distinctively long legs.
• In India, cheetahs were widely kept. The father of the Mogul Emperor Jahangir kept a thousand cheetahs for hunting purposes and bred them successfully. Jahangir was shown a white cheetah in 1611, he described it as the white body had a bluish tone and its markings were blue rather than black.

Fishing Cat Trivia

Did you know….

• These cats do actually fish by sitting on a bank or rock and scooping fish that come close out of the water with one of their front paws.
• Weighing up to 26 ½ lbs., they have a reputation of ferocity and are said to be capable of driving a pack of dogs off when cornered.
• Another example of the strength of the Fishing Cat is the story of a male that was captured and housed in an enclosure adjoining an enclosure holding a female leopard. The Fishing Cat broke through its enclosure to the leopards and killed it, which the leopard was twice the size of the Fishing Cat.

Jaguar Trivia

Did you know….

• Melanistic jaguars, or black jaguars have been seen on occasion in various parts of South America. Albinos with white claws are also known to occur.
• Male are larger than females , averaging 122 lbs. , but much heavier jaguars have been recorded weighing as much as 300 lbs. , in the Pantanal area of Brazil.
• Jaguars roam close to rivers and lakes, they catch fish as well as otters, caimans, and snakes including the fearful anaconda. They are also known to eat river turtle eggs.

Leopard Trivia

Did you know….

• Melanistic leopards or black panthers as well as albinos are known to occur but are very rare.
• Leopards will catch and eat anything from insects and rodents up to giraffe calves, which can weigh up to about 200 lbs.
• In areas where scavengers such as hyenas can be a problem, larger kills are often taken up into trees and eaten there.

Snow Leopard Trivia

Did you know….

• Snow Leopards are found in mountainous areas of Central Asia, in parts of the former USSR, India, China, Afghanistan and Himalayan countries.
• They are frequently found above the tree line at altitudes between 9,000 and 19,700 feet.
• Snow Leopard Cubs are more intensely marked when born and they also have a full coat of fur.
• Creamy white undersides set against dark rosettes with light centers and smaller black spots , give them an unmistakable appearance. The eye color is also unusual, being a grayish green. The thick tail, with a black tip, is almost as long as the entire body. It is used to wrap around the body of the Leopard when it is resting for warmth.

Clouded Leopard Trivia

Did you know….

• Clouded Leopards are named for the cloud-like pattern of markings, with blackish edges and pale centers. Base colors can vary from yellowish to gray, with black spots on the head, legs and tail.
• Shy by nature and largely nocturnal, these Leopards are primarily found in dense evergreen forests.
• Male cubs grow faster then females from six weeks on and are heavier weighing up to 49 lbs. When mature.

Lion Trivia

Did you know….

• The lion is the only big cat to display a prominent mane, present in mature males.
• The Barbary Lion which is extinct, was not only one of the largest, but one of the most spectacular. Mature males had a very large and prominent mane that extended over half the body , reaching the under parts and the middle of the back. The last wild Barbary was shot in 1922, though some hybrids may still be represented in zoological collections.
• The Cape Lion also had a profuse mane, which was black. Sadly these are also extinct, the last known example being killed in Natal in 1865.
• Lions tend to inhabit more open areas of country than most cats, and since they live in groups, known as prides, they are probably more vulnerable to hunting pressures.
• Female Lions do most of the hunting and prefer to hunt in the early evening. Working in groups, they can take down large animals such as giraffes in relative safety.

Ocelot Trivia

Did you know….

• They range from Arizona, southwestern Texas and New Mexico to as far as Peru, Paraguay and northern Argentina.
• Ocelots usually live in pairs, which sets them apart from most other cats, although the pair does not usually hunt together or spend time together in their territory. Mewing calls and scent marking keeps them in touch and allows the male to know when the female is ready to mate.
• The base color of their coats range from pale yellow, reddish gray to pure gray. The markings on the back and sides are elongated and have pale centers, the legs are spotted on the outer sides with blotches on the inner surfaces. There are white spots in the center of the dark round ears, and the entire underside of the legs and body is whitish.

Puma Trivia

Did you know….

• Pumas are known under a wide range of local names including cougar, panther, mountain devil, Mexican lion and mountain lion.
• Shy, wary and elusive and nocturnal in their habits, especially in areas where they may encounter people.
• They can jump considerable distances approaching 40 feet.

Tiger Trivia

Did you know….

• Siberian tigers are both the palest in coloration and the largest in size, weighing as much as 700 lbs. Making them the biggest cat species in the world.
• Tigers stripes are like human fingerprints, no two tigers are striped alike.
• One of the four great cats that include Lions, Leopards and Jaguars. Only the great cats are able to roar.
• 3 subspecies of tiger are now extinct: Caspian Tiger- Javan Tiger - Bali Tiger
• 5 subspecies of tiger still exist including the Bengal, Siberian, Sumatran, Indochinese, South China.
• White tigers are a result of a dormant mutated gene found in Bengal tigers. They are very rare in the wild, white tigers are found mostly in zoos.
• Tigers and dragons together symbolize the two great forces of nature. In Taoism, tigers represent yin, or evil and dragons represent yang, or good. Although the role of the tiger is reversed in Buddhist thought, in which the tiger represents yang , or good.