Lynx, leopard, cheetah, snow leopard... are all strong candidates for the title of the world's largest cat. Which species will hold the crown?
Tiger
The wild cat that holds the title of the largest cat in the world is the tiger. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), tigers (Panthera tigris) can be up to 3m long similar to lions, but tigers can weigh up to 300kg. Tigers mainly live in tropical forests in Asia, including India and Indonesia. They are also found in colder climates such as the far east of Russia and the mountains of Bhutan. Tigers are at the top of the food chain and often hunt animals such as deer, wild boar.
The majority of tiger species live in forests and grasslands (areas where their camouflage is best suited). Among big cats, only tigers and jaguars are good swimmers, and it is common to see tigers bathing in ponds, lakes and rivers. Tigers are inferior to domestic cats and leopards in climbing ability. Tigers hunt alone, their food is mainly medium-sized herbivores such as deer, wild boar, buffalo,...
However, they can also catch larger or smaller sized prey if the situation allows. The tiger is highly territorial and is generally a solitary but highly social predator, requiring large contiguous habitat areas to support its needs for prey and sustenance. raising children. The cubs stay with their mother for about two years, before they become independent and leave their mother's home range to find their own territory. Tigers are one of many carnivores located at the final link of food chains in natural ecosystems. They have an average lifespan of about 20 years.
Lion
According to the National Zoo, lions are the second largest cat species in the world and are often called the "king of all animals." They are the most social cats and often live in groups. Male lions have manes and are larger than female lions. Males can be up to 3m long including the tail and weigh up to 250kg. Lion populations are decreasing and are commonly found in most African countries such as Botswana, Tanzania and the Central African Republic. There is also an isolated population of Asiatic lions in Northwest India. This cat species mainly eats medium to large sized prey, including antelopes and zebras.
Lions live 10–14 years in the wild, in captivity they can live more than 20 years. In the wild, males rarely live more than 10 years, as a result of constant fighting with other competitors. They usually live in savannas and steppes, not in dense forests. Lions have different social behavior compared to other feline species with a group lifestyle. A pride of lions consists of females and their young along with a small number of adult males. Groups of female lions often hunt together, mainly hunting large ungulates. They are key apex predators and feed mainly on raw meat, although they will also scavenge when given the opportunity. Some lions have been known to hunt humans, although this is unusual for them.
Jaguar
The jaguar is a compact and muscular animal. This is the largest cat native to the Americas and the third largest in the world, just behind the size of tigers and lions. Its fur is usually tawny, but ranges in color from reddish brown, to most of its body. The abdomen is white. The fur is covered with spots to camouflage under the dim light of the forest habitat. The spots and their shape vary between individual jaguar species: the spotting may consist of one or several rosettes. The spots on the head and neck are generally quite large, as are the spots on the tail, where they may merge to form a band. Forest leopards are typically darker and significantly smaller than those in open areas, possibly due to the small number of large herbivorous prey in forest areas.
Leopard
According to the San Diego Zoo, leopards are extremely skillful and strong hunters. They are usually up to 1.9m long excluding the tail and up to 2.9m long including the tail. This species can also weigh up to 75kg. Leopards usually eat medium-sized prey, including antelopes. They are also sometimes attacked by other big cats such as lions and tigers.
The jaguar's skin color varies according to climate and habitat from light yellow to golden brown or yellow. Most leopards are brown or light fawn with black spots, but their coats are very diverse. The spots tend to be smaller towards the head, larger and have a pale center towards the body. Jaguars living in forests have darker fur than individuals in arid habitats. The spots fade towards the white underbelly and the inner and lower parts of the legs. The most prominent spots are on the back, flanks and hindquarters. Spots are circular in East African leopard populations, and tend to be square in South Africa and larger in Asian leopard populations. The coat tends to be gray in tone in colder climates and darker yellow in tropical rainforest habitats.
Leopard lion
According to Panthera, the puma (Puma concolor) is the most common big cat in the Americas. Due to their wide living range, they also have many other names such as puma, mountain lion, red tiger, etc. The US Forest Service states that pumas can be more than 2.4 meters long including the tail and weigh from 59-68 kg. Some even weigh up to 100kg. The National Wildlife Federation said that cougars often hunt prey of various sizes, but mainly deer.
Cougars are the most widely distributed of the large terrestrial mammals in the Western Hemisphere. It is an adaptable species that, in general, can occur in most types of habitats of the Americas. Due to their wide range, they also have many names such as puma, mountain lion, red tiger and catamount. In the United States, panther is used to refer to the cougar, although the term panther commonly refers to the melanistic variants of the leopard or jaguar instead of the puma.
