Big Cats of India
- September 16, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
Big Cats of India
Subject : Environment
Concept:
- The cheetah, which is being re-introduced to India from Africa, is not to be confused with the leopard, which too has spots that look somewhat similar. Here’s a list of members of the ‘cat’ genus Panthera, Puma, and Acinonyx.
| Species | Key Features | IUCN Status |
| Tiger (Panthera Tigris) | Largest of all wild cats and also the earliest Panthera member to exist. They range from the Siberian taiga to the Sunderban delta. National animal of India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and South Korea | Endangered |
| Lion (Panthera Leo) | Native to Africa and Asia, the lion is the most social cat, and lives in groups called prides. They prefer open forests such as scrubland, and adult males have a prominent mane. | Vulnerable |
| Jaguar (Panthera Onca) | The largest cat in the Americas, the Jaguar has the strongest bite force of all wild cats. Melanistic (black) Jaguars are common and are often called black panthers. | Near Threatened |
| Leopard (Panthera Pardus) | The most adaptable of all big cats, they occupy diverse habitats at all altitudes across Africa and Asia. | Vulnerable |
| Snow leopard (Panthera Uncia) | This smokey-grey cat lives above the snow line in Central and South Asia. The most elusive of all big cats, it cannot roar, and has the longest tail of them all. The snow leopard is the state animal of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh. | Vulnerable |
| Cougar (Puma) | The cougar is the second-largest cat in the Americas. (The Jaguar is the largest.) Cougars are also called ‘mountain lion’ and ‘panther’ across their range from the Canadian Yukon to the Southern Andes. | Least Concern |
| Cheetah( Acinonyx) | Cheetah is the only living member in this genus. Found in Africa and Asia. However, the asian population is around 40 to 50 which is found only in Iran. African cheetahs are bigger in size as compared to Asiatic Cheetah. | Vulnerable(African)
Critically Endangered(Asian)
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