A tiger - the largest and heaviest living species of the cat family

The term big cat - which is not a biological classification - is used informally to distinguish the larger cat species from smaller ones. One definition of "big cat" includes the four members of the genus Panthera: the tiger, lion, jaguar, and leopard. Members of this genus are the only cats able to roar. A more expansive definition of "big cat" also includes the cheetah, snow leopard, and cougar. These "roaring cats" are also sometimes distinguished from the other big cats by the term great cats.

Despite enormous differences in size, the various species of cat are quite similar in both structure and behavior, with the exception of the cheetah, which is significantly different from any of the big or small cats. All cats are carnivores and efficient predators. Their range includes the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe.

[edit] Roaring

The ability to roar comes from an elongated and specially adapted larynx and hyoid apparatus.^[1] (However, the snow leopard cannot roar, despite having hyoid morphology similar to roaring cats.) When air passes through the larynx on the way to the lungs, the cartilage walls of the larynx vibrate, producing sound. The lion's larynx is longest, giving it the most robust roar.

[edit] Threats

The principal threats to big cats are habitat destruction and poaching. In the United States, 19 states have banned ownership of big cats and other dangerous exotic animals as pets, and the Captive Wildlife Safety Act bans the interstate sale and transportation of these animals^[2]. Nevertheless, there are still an estimated 15,000 big cats kept captive in the United States, and only a small percentage of them are in accredited zoos.^{[citation needed]} The remainder are in private homes and nonaccredited roadside zoos. Poachers are also a threat.

[edit] Species

The lion, a species in the genus Panthera

Family Felidae

• Genus Panthera (roaring or great cats)
  • Leopard, Panthera pardus (Asia and Africa)
  • Lion, Panthera leo (Africa, Gir Forest in India; extinct in former range of southeast Europe, Middle East, much of Asia, and North America)
  • Jaguar, Panthera onca (the Americas; from the Southern United States and Mexico to northern Argentina)
  • Tiger, Panthera tigris (Asia)
• Genus Acinonyx
  • Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus (Africa and Iran; extinct in former range of India)
• Genus Puma
  • Cougar, Puma concolor (North and South America)
• Genus Uncia
  • Snow Leopard, Uncia uncia (mountains of central and south Asia)
• Genus Neofelis
  • Bornean Clouded Leopard, Neofelis diardi (Borneo and Sumatra)
  • Clouded Leopard, Neofelis nebulosa (southeast and south Asia)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikibooks' Wikijunior has more about this subject:

Big Cats

• NatureFootage Big Cat pictures and video clips
• How big are the Big Cats - an article at Big Cats Online which includes a chart comparing the body lengths of several cat species.
• ARKive - images and movies of endangered big cats
• Humane Society of the United States -- article on big cats as pets
• Big Cat Rescue -- Tampa, Florida sanctuary dedicated to care and conservation of big cats
• In-Sync Exotics -- Wylie, Texas rescue sanctuary
• FCF Big Cat Policy -- recommendations against casual private ownership
• WHF -- Wildlife Heritage Foundation (European Endangered Species Breeding Programmes (EEP))
• WHF Photos -- Wildlife Heritage Foundation photos
• [1] -- Exotic Cat Conservation