

orientalis) – a lso known as the Far Eastern leopard, Korean leopard and Manchurian leopard). The leopard is one of the four big cats that roar.

Leopard subspecies include the Persian leopard, the Arabian leopard, the Sri Lankan leopard and the Javan leopard. Leopards ( Panthera pardus) inhabit Africa, India, Asia, the Middle East and Malay peninsula. More recent research has concluded there are no subspecies.

At one time it was believed there were several subspecies of jaguar. Jaguars are one of the four big cats that roar. They are very similar in appearance to leopards, but generally larger. Sometimes they are seen in the Southwestern United States. Jaguars ( Panthera onca) roam throughout Central and South America in forests located near rivers and lakes. Found throughout North, Central and South America. Over 30 subspecies of cougar ( Puma concolor) have been documented. Conservation Status: Vulnerable.Īlso called the puma, mountain lion, Florida panther, red tiger and catamount. It is estimated that there are less than 10,000 clouded leopards in the wild. Physical characteristics include a dark grey fur with black spots, blotches and mottled stripes. The clouded leopard ( Neofelis nebulosa) is found in Asia, from the Himalayas (Nepal and India) to China, usually in dense forrest. Northeast African cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii) – Critically Endangered.Southeast African cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus jubatus ).Northwest African cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus hecki ).Asiatic cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) – the only remaining Asian cheetah population.Today there are an estimated 7,000 cheetah’s left in the world. They once ranged throughout India, Pakistan, Russia, Iran and the Middle East, but due to diminishing populations, most cheetahs can only be found in the eastern and southern parts of Africa, and Iran. The Big Cats ListĬheetahs ( Acinonyx jubalus) are the world’s fastest land animal. This list of big cats includes a brief description of each of the largest wild cats and its conservation status. When a species is endangered, it means it is at risk of extinction (disappearing forever). Many big cats are listed as Critically Endangered or Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Big Cat Are Endangeredīig cat populations are declining all over the planet due to illegal wildlife trade, hunting, poaching, habitat loss and the loss of prey. Read more about big cat biological classification. A member of the Felidae family is called a felid. The first category is Kingdom, followed by Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus and Species.Īll cats, including big cats, are members of the Felidae family. Scientists group living organisms into biological categories (taxonomy) based on how similar they are. You can find a combined list of big cats and small wild cats here. We have used the broader meaning of “big cats” for the List of Big Cats below.įor a list of small wild cats, click here. However, there is an expanded definition of big cats that includes the cheetah, snow leopard, cougar (mountain lion/puma), clouded leopard and Sunda clouded leopard. The term “big cats” is often used to describe the four largest wild cats: lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars. After the list, you will find a breakdown of big cats by continent. They live in many different habitats, including grasslands, savannas, swamps, forests and mountain regions. You can find more information about each cat by clicking on its name.īig cats can be found in Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Central America and Europe. Our list of big cats includes common names, scientific names, subspecies and conservation status of the top wild cats on the planet.
