Tigers are among the most recognisable and popular of the world's charismatic megafauna. They have featured prominently in ancient mythology and folklore, and continue to be depicted in modern films and literature. Tigers appear on many flags, coats of arms, and as mascots for sporting teams. It is the national animal of Bangladesh (specifically the Bengal Tiger), India, Vietnam, Malaysia (specifically the Malayan tiger) and South Korea.
Showing posts with label Big Cats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Big Cats. Show all posts
Friday, 7 March 2014
Snow Leopard
Snow leopards occupy alpine and subalpine areas generally 3,350 to 6,700 metres (10,990 to 21,980 ft)
above sea level in Central Asia. McCarthy and Chapron (2003) compiled
national snow leopard population estimates, updating the work of Fox
(1994). Many of the estimates are acknowledged to be rough and out of
date, but the total estimated population is 4,150–7,350.However, the global snow leopard effective population size (those
likely to reproduce) is suspected to be fewer than 2,500 (50% of the
total population, or 2,040–3,295).
Monday, 17 February 2014
Lions
The lion (Panthera leo) is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg (550 lb) in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger. Wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia (where an endangered remnant population resides in Gir Forest National Park in India) while other types of lions have disappeared from North Africa and Southwest Asia in historic times. Until the late Pleistocene,
about 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land
mammal after humans. They were found in most of Africa, across Eurasia
from western Europe to India, and in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru. The lion is a vulnerable species,
having seen a major population decline in its African range of 30–50%
per two decades during the second half of the 20th century.
Lion populations are untenable outside designated reserves and national
parks. Although the cause of the decline is not fully understood,
habitat loss and conflicts with humans are currently the greatest causes
of concern. Within Africa, the West African lion population is particularly endangered.
Friday, 14 February 2014
Tiger
Tigers have muscular bodies with particularly powerful forelimbs and
large heads. The pelage coloration varies between shades of orange or
brown with white ventral areas and distinctive black stripes. Their faces have long whiskers, which are especially long in males.The pupils are circular with yellow irises. The small, rounded ears have black markings on the back, surrounding a white spot.
These spots, called ocelli, play an important role in intraspecific communication. The pattern of stripes is unique to each animal, and these unique markings can be used by researchers to identify individuals (both in the wild and captivity), in much the same way as fingerprints are used to identify humans. The function of stripes is likely camouflage, serving to help tigers conceal themselves amongst the dappled shadows and long grass of their environments as they stalk their prey. The stripe pattern is also found on the skin of the tiger. If a tiger were to be shaved, its distinctive camouflage pattern would be preserved.
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
Lions
Lions live for 10–14 years in the wild, while in captivity they can
live longer than 20 years. In the wild, males seldom live longer than 10
years, as injuries sustained from continual fighting with rival males
greatly reduce their longevity. They typically inhabit savanna and grassland, although they may take to bush and forest. Lions are unusually social
compared to other cats.
A pride of lions consists of related females
and offspring and a small number of adult males. Groups of female lions
typically hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. Lions are apex and keystone predators,
although they scavenge as opportunity allows. While lions do not
typically hunt humans, some have been known to do so. Sleeping mainly
during the day, lions are primarily nocturnal, although bordering on crepuscular in nature.
Dalmation Pups
The Dalmatian is a mid-sized, well-defined, muscular dog with excellent endurance
and stamina. When full grown, its weight normally ranges between 35 and
70 pounds (16 and 32 kg) and it stands from 19 to 24 inches (48 to
61 cm) tall, with males usually slightly larger than females.
The body is as long from forechest to buttocks as it is tall at the
withers, and the shoulders are laid back. The Dalmatian's feet are round
with well-arched toes, and the nails are usually white or the same
colour as the dog's spots. The thin ears taper towards the tip and are
set fairly high and close to the head. Eye color varies between brown,
amber, or blue, with some dogs having one blue eye and one brown eye, or
other combinations.
Sunday, 9 February 2014
Leopard
The leopard (Panthera pardus) is a member of the Felidae family with a wide range in some parts of Africa and tropical Asia, from Siberia, South and West Asia to across most of sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List because it is declining in large parts of its range due to habitat loss and fragmentation, and hunting for trade and pest control. It is regionally extinct in Hong Kong, Singapore Kuwait, Libya and Tunisia.
The leopard is the smallest of the four "big cats" in the Genus Panthera.
Compared to other members of the Felidae, the leopard has relatively
short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in
appearance to the jaguar, but is smaller and more slightly built. Its fur is marked with rosettes
similar to those of the jaguar, but the leopard's rosettes are smaller
and more densely packed, and do not usually have central spots as the
jaguars do. Both leopards and jaguars that are melanistic are known as black panthers.
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