CONSERVATIONTO PROTECT AND RESTORE SPECIES

CARN

IVOR

EAN

IMAL

THAT

EATS

MEA

T TERRITORY

AREAOF

LAND

PREDATORANIMAL THAT HUNTS OTHER ANIMALS

Big Cats

Copyright © 2010 Top That! Publishing plcTide Mill Way, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 1AP, UK

www.topthatpublishing.comTop That! is a trademark of Top That! Publishing plc

All rights reserved

Big CatsPages 4–5

Hunting MachinesPages 6–8

The BodyPages 9–11

HabitatPages 12–13

DietPages 14–15

TigerPages 16–17

JaguarPages 18–20

LeopardPages 21–23

BobcatPages 24–25

LynxPages 26–28

Lioness (Female)Pages 32–33

CONTENTS

2

Lion (Male)Pages 29–31

CaracalPages 34–35

ServalPages 36–37

CheetahPages 38–39

Mountain LionPages 44–45

Clouded LeopardPages 46–48

OcelotPages 42–43

CONTENTS

Snow LeopardPages 40–41

Cat ConservationPages 58–59

3

Black PantherPages 49–51

Leopard CatPages 52–54

Big Cat AttacksPages 55–57

Cat Myths andLegendsPages 60–61

Big cats are threatened with extinction for a numberof reasons. Some are hunted by humans for theirskins, which are used to make clothes, fashionaccessories or rugs. Over 90,000 animal skins are sold throughout the world each year. Although

illegal in most countries, the hunting of big cats stillgoes on in some areas of the world.

Extinction means the complete disappearance of a certain typeof creature from the face of ourEarth. A creature which has definitely not been sighted inthe wild for 50 years is saidto be extinct. Some animalsare said to be endangered. This meansthat there are very fewof them left in theworld and that theyare in danger ofbecoming extinct.

The lion has long been considered the ‘king of the jungle’. However, alongwith several other magnificent giant cats, it is in danger of becoming extinct.

BIG CATS

What is extinction Why are big cats threatenedwith extinction

An Amur leopardperched upon anice-covered rock.There may be as few as 50 left inthe wild.

Sumatran tigers are the smallest subspeciesof tiger. They inhabit dense forest areas.

5

According to the International Union for theConservation of Nature, the ten most endangered catsin the world today are: the Amur leopard, theAnatolian leopard, the Asiatic cheetah, the easternpuma, the Florida cougar, the North American leopard, the Siberian tiger, the South Arabian leopard,the South China tiger and the Sumatran tiger.

Which big cats are endangered

In some areas, building projects mean land is used forpurposes other than providing natural habitat for animals. Pollution causes additional problems whichcan also reduce their number.

What else causes extinction

The Siberian tiger is an endangered species.It is the largest member of the cat family.

Male lions dominate theirgroup, or pride.

6

Cats are the ultimate hunters. They are fast, stealthy, sneaky creatures, withexcellent vision, hearing, and an acute sense of smell. They have sharp clawsand teeth which they use to seize their prey.

What is the biggest cat

HUNTING MACHINES

What do big cats eat

Big cats are carnivores, which means they feed on theflesh of other animals. They have long, sharp claws tograsp their prey. Their sharp, dagger-like teeth andpowerful jaws are used to kill their prey once it hasbeen caught. Then, once the prey has been knocked

to the ground, their other teeth are used totear at the meat.

A Siberian tiger on the prowl. Its striped markingsmean that it is tricky to spot in dense undergrowth.

The largest of the big cats is the Siberian tiger from thefar east of Asia. The males can weigh as much as thecombined weight of five adults.

A Bengal tiger showing its sharp, dagger-like teeth. Big cats use theirteeth to grab and kill prey.

Most species of cats love to climb, which is good, asmany of them live in areas of forest. However, manybig cats are too heavy to do this, so they spend mostof their time on the ground.

Do cats climb

What is the smallest cat

The smallest cats to inhabit Earth are the black-footedcat of southern Africa and the rusty-spotted cat ofIndia. They are even smaller than pet cats as theyonly measure 50 cm long, and weigh less than 2 kg.The tail length of a rusty-spotted cat is usually only15–25 cm long.

There are seven true ‘big cats’ – tiger, lion, cheetah,jaguar, leopard, clouded leopard and snow leopard.They differ from other cats in several ways. Big catscan roar; other cats can’t. Big cats have furry noses;others have a fur-less patch just above the nose. Bigcats can eat lying down; other cats usually crouch.

How many big cats are there

A close-up view of a lion. Notice the beautiful,golden mane on his neck and shoulders. Onlymale lions have manes.

A black-footed cat inundergrowth. Black-footed cats tend to livein brushland and semi-desert areas.

To purchase this book and others in theseries, vistit www.topthatpublishing.com.

What is a pride? How fast does a cheetah run?Why is a black panther black?

Bursting with bite-sized facts, illustrations and photographs, this engaging 64-page book contains

answers to all the questions you always wanted to askabout big cats – and more!

No question is too tough, no answer too difficultto explain – Focus On titles are the ultimate in

addictive reading!

Published by Top That! Publishing plcCopyright © 2010 Top That!Publishing plcTide Mill Way, Woodbridge,Suffolk, IP12 1AP, UKwww.topthatpublishing.comTop That! is a registered trademark of Top That! Publishing plcAll rights reserved.0 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1Printed and bound in China