Let’s Discover Together 8 Species Of Felines
These carnivorous mammals have slender bodies, keen hearing, exceptional eyesight, are reserved and feed on live prey. Additionally, they can retract their sharp claws, (with the exception of the cheetah) and live in all parts of the world, except in Oceania and Antarctica. In this article we will tell you about some species of felines.
Cat species: large, fast and strong
If you have a cat at home, you will surely want to know more about your pet’s family. The best known feline species are:
1. Tiger
It belongs to the genus Panthera, and lives only on the Asian continent. It is considered, together with the lion, one of the largest cat species in existence. It is a solitary animal, it is very territorial and lives in the woods and savannas.
In addition, it hunts medium and large prey, is an excellent swimmer and has the ability to roar. The tiger’s worst enemy is man, because of his coat.
2. Leo
It lives in various areas of sub-Saharan Africa and north-east of India. Females can reach 14 years of age, while males only 8. The male gender is very easy to recognize, due to the mane.
It has a powerful jaw and teeth which it uses to kill large animals. As for the reproduction, it mates in any period of the year, and the gestation lasts 110 days; litters can be composed of up to 4 members.
3. Jaguar
Also called Panthera onca, it is one of the felines that inhabit America. The jaguar is the third largest feline in the world, and is similar to the leopard, but is larger in size and prefers humid forests.
It is solitary, to hunt it uses ambushes and bites the temporal bone of the skull of its preys, of diurnal mammals. The puppies are born blind after 100 days of gestation, and are completely dependent on the mother, who accompanies them up to two years of age.
4. Leopard
This is another feline that has the ability to roar, and was originally thought to be a cross between a lion and a panther. As for the habitat, it is found in different areas, with the exception of deserts, and chooses places where it can hide.
All its claws are retractable, it has 4 toes in the hind legs and 5 in the front ones. It is solitary, except during the mating period. Gestation lasts 3 months, and the female can give birth to up to 6 cubs.
5. Snow leopard
This feline lives in the mountains more than 6000 meters above sea level and, for this reason, there is not much information about it. It has a long tail almost like its body which allows it to repair itself. As for hunting, he practices it during the day and chooses any type of wild animal as its prey.
The gestation in this leopard lasts 100 days, and up to 5 cubs are born that remain with the mother up to 2 years. It is the only Panthera that cannot roar.
6. Cheetah
Also called cheetah, it is a member of the felidae family. It is the fastest animal that exists, (reaches 115 km / h) and is also distinguished by its developed eyesight. Its main prey is the gazelle, but also the impala, the wildebeest and the zebra.
It is a polygamous animal, gestation lasts three months and each litter is composed of up to 4 members, whose mortality rate up to three months of age is quite high. It can neither roar nor retract its claws.
7. Puma
This large feline is found mainly in America, especially in Canada and in Argentine-Chilean Patagonia. The puma is the fourth largest member of the family, lives for approximately 10 years, and feeds mainly on deer and guanacos.
It prefers habitats with a lot of vegetation to seclude itself without being discovered, although it also lives in open spaces. It is very territorial, it is a large predator and only the females take care of the cubs.
8. Wild cat
The wild cat lives in Africa and Eurasia, can live up to 12 years and can be of three subspecies: European, Asian and African. On several occasions he has been crossed with domestic cats.
Small in size, it can weigh up to 6 kg, has gray hair with yellow tones. In addition, it breeds once a year, and the females use caves or empty caves to give birth and to protect their young.
