Although you’d never usually see these cats lying around a couch at home or chasing a laser pointer around, these massive wild cats are natural predators that top the food chain wherever they are seen.
Here are the top ten big wild cats and information about these majestic felines.
10.
Caracal
They’re also called the desert lynx. These cats are commonly seen in areas around Southwest Asia, Central Asia, parts of India and Africa. Althoughthey are tagged as least concern, they are threatened in North Africa and are rarely seen in India and Central Asia. They commonly weigh in at 42 pounds.
9.
Clouded Leopard
Clouded Leopards are seen along the Himalayan foothills, mainland Southeast Asia,Northeastern India and China. These cats are tagged asvulnerable back in 2008 as their total population is estimated to be less than 10,000 mature specimens. They are considered to link big cats and small cats. These leopards can reach a weight of 51 pounds.
8.
Eurasian Lynx
These medium-sized cats are native to East Asia,Central Asia, Siberian forests and Europe. They’re also called the Russian or Siberianlynx, northern lynx,common lynx and European lynx. Lynx are slowly being reintroduced in Western Europe where their population almost despaired. They commonly get as heavy as 79 pounds.
7.
Cheetah
Cheetahs are one of the fastest animals alive. They can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3 seconds, making them the ideal predator. They’re commonly seen in Northern Iran and Sub-Saharan Africa, reaching 119 pounds.
6.
Leopard
Commonly seen in parts of Asia andAfrica, these big cats can reach a weight of 143 pounds, which is the same as a full grown adult human. They’re known to have short legs, a long body and large heads. These cats are tagged as near threatened because of hunting.
5.
Snow Leopard (Unciauncia)
Snow leopards are native to Tibet, South and Central Asia. These black and white cats have been tagged as endangered since 2003. Their global population is estimated to be around 4,080-6,590 adults with less than 2,500 individuals reproducing in the wild. They can reach a weight of 165 pounds.
4.
Cougar
Also called Puma and Mountain Lion, these cats can grow to reach 264 pounds. They’re commonly found in the Americas, specifically around Southeastern Alaska, Chile and Southern Argentina. They’ll prey on ungulates likebighorn sheep, elk,deer, moose, and domestic cattle, sheep andhorses.
3.
Jaguar
Another native to the Americas, they can be found in the Southwestern United States, Mexico, much of Central America,Paraguayand Argentina. Weighing in at 299 pounds, they are the 3rd biggest cats on the planet.
2.
Lion
Reaching a weight of 598 pounds, lions are the most popular big cats around. About 10,000 years ago, these giant cats we hunting us a prey. Now, poachers and hunters threaten their population. They’re seen in Sub-Saharan Africa.
1.
Siberian Tiger
Along with the Bengal tiger, these big cats are the biggest amongst all of them. Siberian Tigers can reach a whopping 931 pounds and are very powerful. They roam Northeastern China, Russia, some parts of India and the Himalayas.
