Large Cats of the World Standard: “Variations exist within a group of the same kind of organism” (5.3.2.E.1) Objectives (2): For this lesson students will be able to…  Identify various species of large cats in the world and describe distinct characteristics of each type of cat.  Compare and contrast differences and similarities within the various types of large cats in the feline group of animals. An Interactive Multimedia PowerPoint Presentation

Large Cats of the World Lion Tiger Cheetah Cougar Leopard Jaguar To view a short video about these large cats, click on the globe above.

Lion  Male lions have thick manes of hair that encircle their necks and protect them while fighting.  Lions live in the southern and eastern parts of Africa, mainly in the Sahara Desert area.  Lions have an average top speed of 50 miles per hour for short distance sprints.  The African Lion is known as “the king of the jungle.”  Generally, most lions have light yellow- brown colored coats.

Tiger  The largest member of the feline family is the tiger.  Tigers are mainly found in South and Southeast Asia, China, and the Russian Far East.  Tigers have a variety of different habitats such as jungles, evergreen forests, savannah grasslands, and snowy mountain regions.  Tigers are mostly nocturnal and are ambush predators that rely on their strips for camouflage.  Tigers are excellent swimmers and are known to kill prey in the water.

Cheetah  Cheetahs are the fastest land animal in the world, reaching speeds over 70 miles per hour.  Cheetahs have slender, long-legged bodies that are designed for speed.  Cheetahs use their tails to help them steer when running; similar to a boat rudder.  Cheetahs are found in parts of eastern, central and southwestern Africa and a small portion of Iran.  Cheetahs cannot roar, but they can purr like domestic cats.

Cougar  The cougar is the second largest cat in North America.  Cougars are also known as mountain lions, pumas, or panthers.  Cougars have body types similar to domestic cats, but on a much larger scale.  Cougars typically range from Western North America, to a small region of Florida, and most parts of South America.  Cougars generally sit at the top of the food chain within their environments.

Leopard  The Leopard is the smallest of the four “big cats”.  There are nine different species of leopard.  All species except the African leopard can be found in parts of Asia and India.  Leopards live in a variety of different climates such as savannah grasslands, rainforests, mountainous land, deciduous forests, and desert areas.  Leopards are considered to be solitary and nocturnal animals; they are active at night and sleep most of the day.

Jaguar  The Jaguar is the third-largest living feline species in the world.  Jaguars typically have a compact body structure, broad head, and powerful jaws.  Jaguars live in a variety of different habitats including deciduous forests, rainforests, swampy marshes, pampas grasslands, and mountain scrub areas.  Jaguars are mainly solitary animals that live and hunt alone, except when mating.  Unlike many of the other large cats, jaguars love being in the water.