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.

To view a short video about these large cats, click on the globe above.

 The African Lion is known as “the king of the jungle.”
 Generally, most lions have light yellowbrown colored coats.
 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 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.

 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.

 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.

 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.

 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.