"Cat got your tongue" and you don't have
anything interesting to contribute to a conversation? With these facts about wild
cats, you won't be at a loss for words. By making others
aware of exotic cats, you can help prevent
their extinction.
Tigers weigh between 160-790 pounds,
depending on the species. The male Siberian tiger is the largest cat,
measuring up to 13 feet in length and weighing up to 800 lbs.
The smallest wild cats are the Rusty Spotted Cat, weighing 2 pounds, and the Black
Footed Cat of Africa. It's less than 28 inches long and weighs less than 3.3 pounds.
The cheetah is the fastest land animal on
earth, traveling for short distances at a speed of almost 70 miles per hour.
Jaguars have a bite so powerful, they can
pierce the armor of reptiles such as large river turtles and land tortoises.
A female lion has a litter of 2-4 cubs
every 2 years and gives birth to about 10-15 cubs during her entire lifetime.
Lions in captivity can live for up to 20
years, but in the wild only about 10-12 years. Captive lions are not at risk
from injury due to fighting for prey and territory.
Lions in the wild frequently get an eat
bitten off or their eyes clawed during a
crowded attempt to obtain food in a
pride.
The notorious man eater,the Champawit Tigress, claimed the lives of 436 humans and
was killed by
Jim Corbett in 1907.
Wild cats sweat and pant to keep cool,
the same as humans do. They try to spend most of the day in the shade to
conserve water.
The paw pads of the Sand Cat are covered with long hairs to protect it from the hot sand
of the Sahara desert in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Biologists believe that the African
Wildcat is the ancestor of the present day, domestic housecat.
A cheetah's claws are always extended
like a dog. They wear down and become dull.
No 2 leopards have the exact same pattern
of spots. Some have circular patterns and others have patterns like flowers.
The black panther is really a leopard and
upon very close inspection, dark spots can be seen.
Female lions are the hunters of a pride.
The males protect the females.
A tiger is so strong it can knock down
and kill an elephant.
Jaguars feed on capybaras, the largest
rodent in the world.
Leopards are only found in Africa and
Asia.
There are more tigers being killed each
year than are being born.
The eyes of newborn cubs are closed and
don't open until they are 4-11 days old.
Wild cats rarely attack humans unless
they are cornered or provoked.
