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Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................ ) /he 0ig Cats.......................................................................................................... 2 Fossil 4istory......................................................................................................... < (ions...................................................................................................................... = /igers.................................................................................................................. )0 !umas................................................................................................................. )5 Cheetah............................................................................................................... )> (yn* and bobcats................................................................................................ )? Caracal................................................................................................................ 22 @er al.................................................................................................................. 2< 7aguar................................................................................................................. 2> Acelot.................................................................................................................. 2? (eopard............................................................................................................... 5) @no9 (eopard..................................................................................................... 55 Clouded leopard.................................................................................................. 5> 2arbled cat.......................................................................................................... 5B /igons and (igers................................................................................................ <0 In danger o# e*tinction......................................................................................... <2 6eeping cats........................................................................................................ <5 $lossary.............................................................................................................. <? $%& Free 'ocumentation (icense..................................................................... 5)

Introduction
Foreward to Parents
Wiki:unior books 9elcomes you to C0ig CatsC, a #ree childrenDs book #rom the Wikibooks community. 0ig cats are some o# 8arthDs grandest treasures, and their stories e*cite the imagination o# kids o# all ages. 2any o# these lords o# the 9ild are endangered, and the children 9ho 9ill one day shoulder our responsibilities need to learn to admire and lo e our 9orld...their 9orld. A#ter all 9e appreciate 9hat 9e understand, and sa e 9hat 9e appreciate. /he importance o# this task has led many e*perts here at Wiki to donate their time and talents to bring this olume together. All Wikibooks are #ree, al9ays. Wikibooks is a pro:ect o# the Wikimedia Foundation, aimed at pro iding Euality reading #or adults and children that is #ree o# charge and al9ays a ailable. Rocky the rare Barbary Lion We at Wiki pro:ects are promoting the global spread o# kno9ledge. Aur 9ork embraces the $andhi !rinciple o# 0ene olenceCImagine 9hat good could be done i# it did not matter 9ho got the .C Wikibooks promotes the ongoing democritiFing o# the 9orld by the Internet. 2ost traditional publishing houses make the ast ma:ority o# their income #rom re1 issues o# classic books such as 2ark /9ainDs C/om @a9yer.C A# the remaining titles, the ma:ority o# ne9 books are 9ritten by authors long track records, C/he author o# GH..C %e9 authors get precious little consideration, and the ma:ority o# those people are already celebrities in another #ield. /he chances o# a truly good ne9 9ork being published solely on the basis o# skyrocket 9hen you o erturn the traditional business model and tap the 9ellspring o# ne9 talent out there. this pro:ect 9e ha e reached a crossroad bet9een the book o# yesterday, and the encyclopedia o# e erything #or tommoro9. @imply by reading this book11and hope#ully telling your #riends11you ha e ad anced the cause o# #ree , the cause o# access #or all, the cause o# ne9 publishing, and the cause o# Wikibooks. /hank you, and 9elcome.

!age )

The Big Cats

In A#rica, they say that a male lion roars Ha inchi na yanni? Yangu, yangu, yangu! IWhose land is thisJ It is mine, mine, mineKL. It is hard to listen to this ancient challenge 9ithout edging a little closer to the camp#ire. 0ut 9hat is behind that remarkable callJ Certainly, to some degree, cats are cats around the 9orld. Hou look at one o# the neighborhood tabbies stalking a sEuirrel and you can see in miniature a tiger stalking deer on the meado9s o# 3hanthambore. And yet partly because they are so ma:estic these big cats are di##erent #rom the neighborDs #eline. For one thing they are the lords o# their kingdom and tra el con#idence 9here small creatures scurry and hide. For many years, all they had to #ear 9as each other, but the in ention o# An African lioness surveys her gunpo9der threatened to destroy this kingdom and domain send its #eline lords to e*tinction. Fortunately there are more people like you that see big cats more as a companion to be admired rather than an enemy to be destroyed. (earn more about these great cats and their remarkable 9orld. A#ter all, 9e appreciate 9hat 9e understand, and sa e 9hat 9e appreciate.

Superb Predators
0ig cats are among natureDs grandest predators. A griFFly bear may ha e a slight siFe ad antage o er a siberian tiger, but the tiger is #ar more agile and Euick. A 9ol# may ha e a better sense o# smell than a :aguar, but a :aguar can handle large prey alone. Cats ha e e*cellent night ision, sharp hearing and enormous physical strength. /heir strong yet grace#ul mo ements and camo#lage colors help them sneak up on their prey.

On the Menu
Cats hunt because they need to sur i e. Animals that eat grass and lea es ha e special stomachs that allo9 bacteria time to break do9n comple* plant sugars into the simpler sugars animals can digest. Cats ha e a ery short digesti e tract that Euickly breaks do9n and e*tracts its energy and building materials. Cats cannot sur i e on a o# grass.

!age 2

Intelligence
0ig cats are among the most intelligent species on 8arth. In intelligence they are ranked :ust behind primates Imonkeys and apesL and cetaceans I9hales and dolphinsL. (ions use group strategies to tackle large and dangerous prey. All cats are ery curious and can learn Euickly. (arge predators reEuire intelligence to be success#ul as hunters. 2other cats spend a long time Ione to t9o yearsL teaching their o##spring the many things they need to kno9 in order to sur i e.

Found Everywhere But Safe owhere

0ig cats are #ound on all continents but Australia and Antarctica. And yet e ery9here they are #ound, they are endangered. 0ig cats are o#ten hunted #or their #ur or . /hey are also killed by people 9ho 9ant the animals that big cats hunt. @till other people hunt big cats #or sport. 7ust as bad, the healthy en ironment that big cats need to sur i e is not being treated the respect it deser es. /o keep these superb predators in the 9orld our children and grandchildren 9ill li e in, 9e must learn to make room #or other li ing things to use 8arthDs limited resources.

!age 5

Fossil !istory
!ow carnivores are related
All li ing 1eaters, or carni ores, are related to each other. /hey are descended #rom an ancient ancestor Miacis, a small 1eating 9easel1like tree climber 9hich li ed during the early to late 8ocene period in %orth America, and the late 8ocene period o# 8urope and Asia. I/he 8ocene 9as a time that began 5B million years ago and ended 5> million years ago.L It had a larger brain capacity than other carni ores o# its day, 9hich 9as probably 9hy it is the #ather o# all modern carni ores.

Proailurus, common ancestor of the Family Felidae.

Arder Carni ora Imammals that are carni oresL are di ided into se eral groups o# closely related animals that are called #amilies. 0ig cats are ob iously in the cat #amily IFamily FelidaeL.

!ow old is Family Felidae"

/he #ossil record o# Family Felidae e*tends to the (ate 8ocene, 5< million years ago. I# each o# those years lasted a second, about the time it takes you to say CA thousand and oneC, the Cat Family 9ould ha e been around #or roughly one year and #i e 9eeks. 0y comparison, the $reat !yramid at $iFa 9ould ha e been around #or only B5 minutes, and the Internet #or less than )2 seconds Ias o# 2005L. /he #irst kno9n #eline 9as Aelurogale. Its descendent, Proailurus, ga e rise to the ma:or branches o# the cat #amily 9e see today as 9ell as the t9o sabre1toothed cat lines. Proailurus li ed in 8urope #rom 50120 million years ago.

!age <

ote about scientific na#es

/oday, 8nglish is most 9idespread language o# science. In the late )=00s (atin, the language spoken in Ancient 3ome, 9as the language used by scientists #rom di##erent countries to about their 9ork. 8 en in one language like 8nglish the same animal might ha e many di##erent names. !umas, cougars and mountain lions are all the same animal. Animals also ha e names in other languages like 3ussian, $reek and French. /o cut do9n on con#usion, all scientists in the 9orld agreed on one scienti#ic name #or each animal that came #rom (atin. Ancient animals that are kno9n only #rom #ossils ne er had common names. Actually, some early humans dre9 pictures o# mammoths, mastodons, and 8uropean ca e lions, but their names #or these animals anished long ago. /hatDs 9hy many #ossil big cats ha e an odd scienti#ic name like Miraconyx inexpectatus but no short, grace#ul name like Cheetah.

otable fossil cats

@milodon 1 Smilodon fatalis and others 1 A#ten called the C@abre1toothed /igerC though it is not a tiger, and C@abre1toothed CatC though it 9as not the only line o# cats sabre teeth. /he most 9idely recogniFed o# the #ossil cats, it li ed in %orth and @outh America #rom 5 million to )0,000 years ago. A #ully gro9n @milodon 9eighed about <50 pounds I205 kgL and had #angs = inches I)= cmL long that 9ere used to Ancient painting showing cave subdue its large prey. lions in France /he American (ion 1 Panthera atrox 1 It li ed #rom 25,000 years ago to )0,000 years ago in %orth America. In li#e, this cat 9as about )"< larger than the A#rican lion, e en bigger than the @iberian tiger. /he a erage male at )).5 I5.5 mL in length 9ould ha e a eraged about 520 pounds I255 kgL. Females 9ere smaller, a eraging about 5B5 pounds I)=5 kgL. Fossil e idence indicates it had the most highly de eloped brain o# any kno9n cat. /he 8urasian Ca e (ion 1 Panthera spelaea 1 It li ed #rom 50,000 years ago to )0,000 years ago #rom as #ar as 8ngland to as #ar as @iberia. /he largest cat that e er li ed, it 9as 25M larger than the A#rican lion and e en bigger than the American (ion. Ancient ca e paintings and car ings indicate this cat had #aint stripes, a hint o# a mane in some males, tu#ted tails, and protruding ears. 2iracinony* 1 Miracinonyx trumani and others 1 @ometimes re#erred to as the CAmerican Cheetah,C it is remarkably cheetah like and relied upon the same sprinting tactic to o ertake its prey. It is thought to ha e a common !age 5

ancestor the !uma. 2iracinony* li ed #rom 5 million to )0,000 years ago in the prairies and open plains o# %orth America 9here it specialiFed in hunting ne9ly1e ol ed s9i#t herbi ores such as the !ronghorn.

Cats and hu#ans in history

For many years the domestic cat 9as described as a separate species #rom all other cats, Felis catus. It is no9 thought to be a subspecies Islight ariationL o# the Wildcat IFelis syl estrisL and is gi en the name Felis syl estris catus. Archeological e idence sho9s a relationship bet9een man and cat #or the past B,000 years. /he most unusual relationship e*isted among the Ancient 8gyptians 9ho considered cats as children o# the goddess 0ast. When a cat , #amily members sho9ed grie# by sha ing o## their eyebro9s, and cats 9ere routinely mummi#ied and laid to great re erence. Certain other cats ha e been o er the years #or di##erent reasons, but these relationships ha e ne er been maintained long enough to result in true domestication. /he proper term #or cats such as lions or cheetahs that accept human companionship is Chuman socialiFedC. /his indicates that these animals still possess their entire range o# 9ild instincts, 9hich makes properly and sa#ely handling them more o# a challenge. /here are paintings and engra ings o# ancient rulers big cats seated near their throne. 2any people cheetahs #or hunting s9i#t prey. Certain #ossil species such as @milodon, the Ca e Ancient gyptian statue of a cat (ion and the American (ion 9ere hunted by early humans, 9ho may ha e contributed to their e*tinction. 4ope#ully no #uture scholars 9ill #ind us responsible #or the disappearance o# more splendid animals.

!age >

$ions
/he ma:estic lion is the embodiment o# 9ild A#rica. /hey are large, bold and ruggedly beauti#ul, #ierce on the hunt, and still tender to their young and loyal to their companions. Hou 9ouldnDt 9ant to get too close, though, as lions are one o# the #our kinds o# cats that can deli er an ear1shattering roarK

%here do lions live"

/he nickname C6ing o# the 7ungleC, most lions li e on the #lat, grassy sa annas in the A#rican countries o# 6enya, @outh A#rica, /anFania, .ambia, and .imbab9e. A #e9 do remain in the $ir Forest o# India. A long time ago, lions li ed nearly all around the 9orld. /hey e en li ed in %orth A#rica and parts o# 8urope.

%hat do lions loo& li&e"

Places where lions live are colored green.

(ions ha e tawny Isand1coloredL #ur. /hey gro9 to a length o# about )0 I5 mL and stand about < I).2 mL tall. 2ale lions are larger than the lionesses I#emalesL, 9eighing as much as #i e men or about 550 lb I250 kgL. /he more slender lioness usually 9eighs about as much as three and a hal# men or <00 lb I)B0 kgL. Adult males can also be recogniFed by the #urry mane around their heads and do9n their necks. For some lions the mane e en runs along the belly. /here is no other big cat such a dramatic di##erence in appearance bet9een males and #emales. 0oth lions and lionesses ha e tu#ts on the end o# their tails, something no other cat has. I# you can e er get close enough to the tail o# a male lion, you 9ill #eel a A lioness sharp bone tucked into the tail tu#t. Ane old legend claims that lions 9ould use the tail spur to 9hip themsel es into a #renFy be#ore #ighting.

!age =

%hat do lions eat' and how do they catch their prey"

(ions eat Febras, gaFelles, 9ild pigs and other large prey that can be easily shared their #riends. 0y 9orking together in hunting groups, they can hunt e en larger animals like gira##es and elephants. When #ood becomes scarce, lions 9ill sometimes sca enge the kills o# other predators. /he #emales usually group together to do most o# the hunting. /he malesD main is to protect the pride #rom takeo er by outsiders. 4e is not laFy, at least by lion standards. 4is bulk and large mane make him a much better de#ender than hunter. An occasion, male lions 9ill charge prey to chase them to9ards a hidden group o# #emales. 0ut no matter 9ho actually kills the A lioness tries to move a buffalo prey, the males eat #irst, #ollo9ed by the #emales and last o# all the young. !ogue males Ithose not li ing in a prideL either hunt alone or :oin in partnerships other rogues. 3ogues depend more on sca enging #ood killed by others. /hey use their superior #ighting skills to dri e o## smaller predators like hyenas and :ackals. /hese pride1less males take no pride in the kind o# #ood they eat.

!ow do lions raise their young"

(ions can ha e litters ranging #rom one to #our cubs year round. (ion cubs are born spotted #ur, 9hich helps protect them as they hide alone in the grass 9hile their mother hunts. /he spots are soon lost, although some lions may al9ays ha e a #e9 spots on their legs. /he cubs are raised in prides 9hich are #amily groups o# related #emale lions, their cubs, and an unrelated male, 9ho #athers the cubs. (ions are the only big cat in 9hich adult males and #emales li e together all year. A#ten more than one litter o# lion cubs is born to a pride in a short time. /hen the mothers share the o# caring #or the young, strengthening the bonds that hold the pride together.
A lioness cubs

Houng male lions lea e their pride 9hen they gro9 up although e ery no9 and then one takes o er his o9n pride instead. /hose 9ho lea e become rogue males and may partner up other rogues. 4a ing a partner makes it easier #or a lion to sur i e and e entually !wo "uvenile lions still have 9in a pride o# his o9n. /his shu##ling around o# male their cub spots !age B

lions makes sure that ne9 cubs are healthy. It also ensures that the strongest, smartest males #ather the most cubs and pass those superior Eualities on to the generation.

Fun facts

/he muFFle o# a lion is like a #ingerprint 1 no t9o lions ha e the same pattern o# 9hiskers. (ions say hello by rubbing cheeks. (ions say goodbye by tugging on each otherDs A male lion has a mane of long stomachs their teeth. fur around his face /he lion is the loudest o# the big cats. A male lionDs roar can be heard #rom up to #i e miles Ieight kilometersL a9ay. (ions normally 9alk 2.< mph I< km"hL, but can run up to 55 mph I>0 km"hL. /hey can also leap distances o# up to 5> I)2 mL. (ions are the only kind o# big cat that li e in a social structure.

Classification
(ions are in the "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and ha e the scienti#ic name Panthera leo.

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- (ion http-""999.sandiegoFoo.org"animalbytes"t1lion.html 1 hear the sound o# a roaring lion. http-""999.tigertouch.org"barbary"inde*.html 1 learn about the rare 0arbary lions o# %orth A#rica.

!age ?

Tigers
/he speed and agility gi e the tiger the title o# top predator o er the larger but slo9er griFFly bear. A 9ell rounded athlete, the tiger can climb Ithough not 9ellL, s9im, leap great distances and pull #i e times the #orce o# a strong human. /he tiger is the largest and most po9er#ul cat. /he tiger is in the same group #$enus Panthera% as lions, leopards, and :aguars. A Bengal tiger /hose #our cats are the only ones 9ho can roar.

%here do tigers live"

/hey li e in #orests and grasslands o# eastern and southeastern Asia. /igers li e in countries such as 0angladesh, 0hutan, China, India, %epal, Cambodia, (aos, 2alaysia, 2yanmar, /hailand and Nietnam, Indonesia #&a a and Sumatra%, and eastern 3ussia. /he 0engal /iger is the national animal o# India.

Places where tigers live are marked in dark green

%hat do tigers loo& li&e"

/igers are usually orange or reddish orange ery bold black stripes, and areas on the chest, neck and inside o# the legs. /heir stripes help them camou#lage into the trees and shrubs keeps them #rom being seen by other animals. A #e9 tigers, all o# them descendents o# tigers that li ed in India, are black stripes. /his bright color ariation ne er became common in nature because it makes it harder #or tigers to hide #rom their prey.

4ead"body length- 5 )0 inches 1 ? ) inch. A large tiger might be )0 I5 metersL long /ail length- 5> inches I?) cmL Weight- 5501550 pounds I)>01250 kgL Nery strong teeth and :a9s 4ea ily padded pa9s Colors- , or bright #a9n O reddish tan, getting lighter and e entually to !age )0

underneath &ne en black stripes all o er them 9hich ary each indi idual tiger. @trong :a9s @hort and thick #ur and thick long 9hiskers.

%hat do tigers eat' and how do they catch their prey"

/igers mostly eat plant1 eaters, or herbivores, like elk, deer, 9ild pigs, and bu##alo. (ike the ma:ority o# other cats, they hunt alone. /igers A #iberian tiger chasing a deer o#ten hide close to the ground and #or the per#ect moment to ambush their prey. !eople a oid tiger attacks by using a #ace1mask on the back o# their heads. /igers think t9ice about pouncing 9hen they can see a #ace, since they usually attack #rom behind. Fortunately, they rarely attack humans unless they are too ill to hunt their normal prey.

!igers have very strong "aws

!ow do tigers raise their young"

/igers ha e )15 cubs per litter, an a erage o# 215. A#ter B 9eeks o# age the cubs begin to :oin the mother #or hunting. /hey usually ha e learned ho9 to success#ully kill prey by the age o# > months but are not ready #or independence until ) )"< to ) )"2 years o# age. /he #ather plays no role in their upbringing, though there are occasionally reports o# male tigers socialiFing their mates and cubs outside the breeding season.

A tiger cub e$plores the world

Fun facts
/igers are striped through and through. I# you 9ere to sha e a tiger, and #e9 e er ha e, you 9ould see the stripes on the skin. 'ote, please do not try this at home(

!age ))

Classification
/igers are in the "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and ha e the scienti#ic name Panthera tigris.

For #ore infor#ation

!igers love water

Wikipedia- /iger @a e the /iger Fund

!age )2

Pu#as
According to an old 2ayan legend, all the animals o# the :ungle once looked the same until the gods o##ered to make them look di##erent. /he :aguar asked, C(et me be spangled stars,C and it 9as so. 4e 9as pleased his gi#t and sho9ed it to the puma. %ot to be outdone, the puma asked the gods that he be as splendid as the :aguar, and it 9as so. !leased A puma hiding behind a rock himsel# the puma out to hunt. &n#ortunately, he #ell and rolled in the dust 9hich clinged to his still19et design. For this #oolishness he and all pumas therea#ter through li#e the color o# the earth. /he Pu#a is a large cat that is sometimes called a Cmountain lionC, though it is more closely related to the smaller cats. (ike smaller cats, pumas cannot roar though they can muster a ery startling snarl or a piercing cry. In some places, these cats are also called cougars, catamounts, painted cats, or painters. @cientists call them is Puma concolor.

%here do pu#as live"

!umas are 9idely spread in %orth, Central and @outh America. /hey can be seen in a ariety o# habitats #rom desert to #orest all the 9ay #rom northern 0ritish Columbia in the north to the @outhern end o# the Andes mountain range. !umas 9ere dri en out o# the eastern hal# o# %orth America by human pressureP a small population remains in Florida and occasionally there are puma sightings in other eastern states.

%hat do pu#as loo& li&e"

Places pumas live are colored green

A mountain lion in Ari%ona

2ost pumas are a light bro9n color, black1tipped ears and tail. /he pumas that li e closest to the 8Euator are the smallest, and increase in siFe in populations closer to the poles. I/his sort o# siFe increase is seen in tigers too. /he smallest ones li e in the tropics, the largest @iberian tigers li e #ar to the north 9here 9inters are ery cold.L /he endangered Florida !anther is the smallest o# the !umas. (ike many other cats, they can retract their sharp cla9s into their pa9s, 9hich ha e #our toes. /he largest !age )5

male pumas can be as big as eight I2.< metersL long, and #emales can be as large as se en I2.) metersL. /he males 9eigh in a bit less than the a erage Adult at about )50 pounds I=0 kilogramsL, #emales 9eighing e en smaller at =5 pounds I55 kilogramsL or less. Although pumas do not ha e a bright pattern, there are distinct black CtearstainsC on their upper lips and a i id #ur around the mouth that emphasiFes #acial e*pressions. Although cougars cannot roar, 9hen they gro9l their Cbusiness endC looks rather intimidating, helped along by the markings.

%hat do pu#as eat' and how do they catch their prey"

!umas mostly eat large animals like deer. 0ecause the puma can run ery #ast, as much as 50 mph I50 km"hL, and because they can :ump 20 #t I> mL #or9ard #rom a standing position, they can ery easily catch slo9er animals. !umas can :ump B #t I2.5 mL straight up and can climb on rocks and in trees to hunt. /heir is ery strong, much stronger than a &!hat's close enough, partner(& strong dogDs , and their largest teeth are about t9ice the siFe o# a large dogDs teeth. !umas ha e a ery po9er#ul hunting instinct, and ha e sometimes been kno9n to chase and catch humans on bicycles. A #a orite #ood #or pumas is the deer, but they 9ill also eat smaller animals. In areas 9here pumas and people li e close together, pumas ha e hunted dogs and cats #or #ood, but they usually do not hunt people #or #ood. I# you are around a puma, it is better not to run #ast or to ride a bicycle, because their instinct is to chase, catch and kill running animals. An 7anuary B, 200< a puma killed and partly ate a mountain biker in Whiting 3anch Wilderness !ark, in Arange County, Cali#ornia, but attacks on humans are rare.

Stay safe around pu#as

/hese are good sa#ety ideas #or areas 9here pumas li e

'o not hike alone, instead, stay together in groups an adult. I# you see a puma, do not run, because their instinct might make them chase you. Instead, stand and #ace the animal, and look into its eyes. 'o not turn a9ay #rom the pumaP do not crouch do9n or do anything that 9ould make you seem like an animal. I# you or someone in your group is attacked, #ight back by thro9ing stones, hitting or kicking. !umas ha e been chased a9ay by using rocks, sticks, garden tools and bare hands. !age )<

/he place to hit a puma is on the nose.

Watch around you 9hen in an area 9here pumas might be. (ike other cats, they like to spring out #rom a hiding place and attack their prey #rom behind. 'onDt go hiking your pet, because any animal can make a puma 9ant to chase and kill it, because o# the Cchase re#le*C that pumas ha e. Also, the puma might be attracted by your petDs #ood.

!ow do pu#as raise their young"

!umas are born in litters o# 21< kittens and raised by their mothers. When they are born they 9eigh about one pound Iabout hal# a kilogramL and are about one #oot I50 cmL in length. /he kittens ha e dark spots that #ade by the time they are B1)2 months old. /he mother teaches them to hunt, and 9hen they are a year and a hal# to t9o years old Iand ha e their adult )ountain lion kittens teethL the kittens separate #rom their mother and #ind their o9n territory, though the siblings might stay together #or a 9hile a#ter they separate #rom their mother.

Fun facts
Female pumas call to potential mates a piercing cry that sounds much like a 9omanDs scream. 8 ery year some panicked people call the police to report an CattackC in progress.

Classification
!umas are in the "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and ha e the scienti#ic name Puma concolor.

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- !uma

!age )5

Cheetah
Cheetahs are built #or speed, a 9hiplike spine, long legs, and a long tail that acts as a rudder #or sudden turns. /hey are the 9orldDs #astest land animal, able to sprint up to =0 miles per hour I))0 kphL #or short distances in pursuit o# prey. For this reason, and because they bond 9ell humans, cheetahs used to be raised in capti ity #or catching 9ild game. /hey are still sometimes kno9n as !unting $eopards. A swift cheetah in flight

%here do cheetahs live"

/oday, most cheetahs that are #ound in sub1@aharan A#rica, though a #e9 are still seen in Iran. In the past, they used to be #ound throughout northern India and Iran. /hey pre#er to li e in 1deserts, sa annas, prairies, and thick brush. 0ecause they rely upon speed to hunt, they a oid dense #orests.

Places where cheetahs live are colored green.

%hat do cheetahs loo& li&e"

Cheetahs are rather doglike medium1siFed spotted cats long legs and slender but muscular, bodies. /hey ha e a belly and a dark stripe that looks like a tear on both sides o# their #ace. In contrast to leopards, 9hich ha e palmette shaped spots, the cheetahs ha e round dark spots on their #ur. Adult cheetahs 9eigh #rom ?0 to )<0 pounds I<01>5 kgL, !wo cheetahs together and are around < to 5 I))21)55 cmL in length. Cheetahs are built to do 9hat they do - 3un. /hey ha e a big chest, a narro9 9aist, and po9er#ul muscles in their hind legs. /hey ha e a small head and muFFle, large nostrils #or increased o*ygen intake, and small round ears. All o# this makes the cheetah ery sleek and aerodynamic 9hen it runs.

!age )>

%hat do they eat' and how do they catch their prey"

Cheetahs mostly eat mammals like gaFelles, impala, gnu cal es, and hares, 9hich are all about the same siFe as, or smaller than, an adult cheetah. Cheetahs stalk their prey until they are closer than about thirty meters #rom each other, and then gi e chase. /he chase is usually o er in less than a minute and i# the cheetah doesnDt catch its prey Euickly it 9ill o#ten gi e up rather than 9aste energy. /his is because cheetahs use a lot o# energy 9hen chasing prey at such high speed. About hal# o# the chases are success#ul. Cheetahs must eat their catch Euickly or risk losing their #ood to other stronger predators. Cheetahs 9ill not #ight a larger animal o er #ood because they canDt risk an in:ury 9hich 9ould mean certain star ation. Cheetahs are 9ell1adapted to li ing in arid en ironments. In the 6alahari desert, ha e been estimated to tra el an a erage o# B2 km bet9een drinks o# 9ater. /hey 9ere seen getting their 9ater #rom the blood or urine o# their prey, or by eating tsama melons.

!ow do cheetahs raise their young"

Females gi e birth to three to #i e cubs at a time. 2any cubs are killed by a lack o# #ood or their natural enemies Ilions and hyenasL. An old A#rican legend says the tear stain marks on the cheetahDs #ace are #rom the mother 9eeping #or her lost cubs. /he mother cheetah must train the young cubs to hunt #ood #or themsel es so they can sur i e on their o9n. /he cubs lea e their mother about one or t9o years A family of *heetahs later, and 9ill usually li e in groups o# t9o or three 9hile reaching adulthood. Female cheetahs e entually go their separte 9ays, but brother cheetahs usually #orm li#elong partnerships and share in the hunt to sur i e.

Fun facts
@ee ho9 much you kno9 about the 9orldDs #astest land mammal

A#ter a #ull1speed rush, a cheetah must at least )5 minutes be#ore running again. Cheetahs do not roar, but they make a number o# ery un1catlike sounds, many o# 9hich resemble bird chirps. Cheetahs 9ere leopards be#ore leopards 9ere. /he 9ord CleopardC is latin #or a cross bet9een a lion and an A#rican leopard, something cheetahs !age )=

9ere once thought to be. /he name outli ed the theory, and no9 is used #or the 9rong cat.

Classification
Cheetahs are in the "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and ha e the scienti#ic name Acinonyx )u*atus.

For #ore infor#ation

A *heetah in +enya

Wikipedia- Cheetah

!age )B

$yn( and bobcats

/hese odd1shaped, ru##1#aced cats are not as lordly as the lion or po9er#ul as the tiger. /hey are mid1siFed predators, too big to bother mice and too small to tackle a healthy adult deer. 0ut they do one :ob rather 9ell11 keeping rabbits in control. their long legs and short tails, they are superbly eEuipped to tackle anything #rom a tiny A bobcat cottontail to a huge sno9shoe hare.

%here do lyn( live"

/he #our species o# lyn* are ery 9idespread. /he 8uropean (yn* li es in northern 8urope and Asia. /he Canadian (yn* li es in %orth America. /he Iberian Ior @panishL (yn* is one o# the most highly endangered cats and only li es in 9ild parts o# @pain. 0obcats are the smallest type o# lyn*, li ing in %orth America. 0ecause they hunt small prey, they li e in a 9ide ariety o# habitats.

%hat do lyn( loo& li&e"

$) *

0ody Weight- 2ales <0 pounds I)B kgL or more, #emales 9eigh )B to 50 pounds IBO)< kgL. 4eight- 50 to <2 in I=< to )0= cmL (i#e @pan- Around )5 years 0ody Weight- 2ales )> to 2B pounds I= to )5 kgL, #emales 9eigh )0 to )B pounds I5 to B kgL. 4eight- )= to 25 in I<5 to 5B cmL (i#e @pan- Around )5 years.

BOBC+T

A lyn$

%ot all lyn* look the same. @ome o# them ha e dark spots, 9hile others ha e plain yello9 or gray #ur. All o# them ha e bellies. (yn* ha e long hairs at the tops o# their ears, and a beard around their :a9. A bobcat is much smaller than a regular lyn*, lacks the distincti e ear tu#ts, and looks more like a big house cat. /hey ha e smaller and shorter legs compared to other lyn*, and almost al9ays ha e spots. /he most uniEue part on the lyn* and bobcat is their tail. /he bobcat 9as named a#ter its tail, because it is CbobbedC or short. /heir tails are about hal# the length o# a normal house catDs tail. %one o# the other big cats ha e this uniEue trait.

!age )?

%hat do lyn( and bobcats eat' and how do they catch their prey"
(yn* eat mainly arctic hares Ia large member o# the rabbit #amilyL. /hey sometimes eat sEuirrels, ptarmigan Ibirds that look like large pigeonsL, and grouse I9hich look like #ancy chickensL. 0obcats eat smaller animals like sEuirrels, rabbits, and mice. /heir odd shape long legs, a short neck and short tail, is an adaptation to hunting prey that A lyn$ hunting must be captured a sudden burst o# speed and a killing pounce. In order to catch their prey, they must #irst sneak up as care#ully and close as they can IstalkingL, and only make a #inal rushing attack 9hen the prey makes a run #or it. Ab iously the closer they can approach be#ore the run, the greater their chances o# success. /hey canDt eat more than three pounds o# at a time.

!ow do lyn( and bobcats raise their young"

(yn* ha e three to #i e cubs, 9hile bobcats usually ha e three cubs. %o male lyn*es help raise their o##spring. /his may sound sel#ish, but it is not. In the animal 9orld, the sole responsibility #or #inding #ood #or the young rests upon the #emale. (yn* and many other carni ores 9ould be too noisy hunting in pairs, and thus they 9ould ha e less o# a chance to catch their prey.

!wo lyn$ kittens playing

(yn* are born #rom 2ay to 7une or as late as 7uly, the time o# the year 9hen prey is most abundant. 0obcats are usually born in April or 2ay. 0e#ore 9inter closes in, the #emale must begin teaching the young ho9 to sur i e on their o9n. 3abbits ha e sensiti e hearing, and the mother must teach her naturally boisterous, play#ul cubs to use patience and stealth to get close enough to the rabbits #or a good charge. %ot all hunts 9ill be success#ul, e en 9hen the young are skilled hunters. In #act, one common prey species #or lyn*, the Arctic 4are, has a secret 9eapon. 8 ery year 9hen the sno9 melts on the Arctic tundra Is9ampy grasslandsL the timid animal sheds its 9inter coat #or a ne9 crop o# bro9n #ur. /his does not happen all at once, so 9hile the hare still has patches o# , it still matches the surroundings 9here o# sno9 still linger on the ground. 0y staying per#ectly still, these hares o#ten accomplish a great deal more than by running a9ay. (yn* learn ho9 to out9it their prey by 9atching their mother. /he young tend to lea e their mother at )0 months o# age, and #rom the same litter may remain together #or a 9hile be#ore they go their separate 9ays. Adult lyn* are mostly solitary. !age 20

Fun facts

@ome bobcats like to sing and 9ill amuse themsel es imitating the sounds o# other animals. /o sho9 their toughness, people used to claim that, in a #ight, they could triumph o er their C9eight in bobcatsC. 4o9e er, bobcat e*perts 9ould not belie e this claim #or a moment.

Classification
(yn* and bobcats are in the "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and ha e the scienti#ic names

Canadian (yn* 1 +ynx canadensis 8uropean (yn* 1 +ynx lynx Iberian (yn* 1 +ynx pardalis 0obcat 1 +ynx rufus

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- (yn* Wikipedia- 0obcat

!age 2)

Caracal
/he Caracal, also called !ersian lyn* or CA#rican lyn*C, is a medium1siFed 9ild cat. /he caracal resembles a lyn* and is related. Caracals are labeled as small cats but are the hea iest o# all small cats as 9ell as the #astest.

%here do caracals live"

Caracals are distributed o er A#rica and Asia. /heir habitat is dry steppes and 1deserts, but also 9oodlands, sa anna, and scrub #orest. /hey are solitary, or paired, territorial cats.

#lanted eyes and long black ear tufts give the caracal a distinctive look

%hat do caracals loo& li&e"

/he length is >5 cm Iabout 5 #tL, plus 50 cm tail Iabout ) #ootL. It has longer legs and a slimmer appearance than a lyn*. /he color o# the #ur may be 9ine1red, gray or sand1colored. Houng caracals bear reddish spots on the underside, 9hile adults do not ha e markings e*cept #or black spots abo e the eyes. /he caracal has long, tu#ted black ears, 9hich also e*plain the origin o# its name11CkarakulakC, /urkish #or Cblack earC.

%hat do caracals eat' and how do they catch their prey"

A caracal may sur i e 9ithout drinking #or a long period 1 the 9ater demand is satis#ied the body #luids o# the prey. It hunts at night Ibut in colder seasons also in the daytimeL #or rodents and haresP rarely it may e en attack a gaFelle, a small antelope or a young ostrich. /hey are picky eaters, and discard the internal organs o# the mammals they catch, partially pluck the #ur o## o# hyra*es and larger kills, and a oid eating hair by shearing neatly #rom the skin. 0ut they 9ill eat the #eathers o# small birds and are tolerant o# rotten . Caracal ears are controlled by 20 di##erent muscles. /u#ts o# #ur on their ears help them pinpoint their prey accurately.
A ,uiet moment

/hey are most 9ell1kno9n, ho9e er, #or their skill hunting birdsP a caracal is able to snatch a bird in #light, sometimes more than one at a time. Caracals can :ump and climb e*ceptionally 9ell, 9hich enables it to catch hyra*es better than !age 22

probably any other carni ore.

!ow do caracals raise their young"

Caracals are born in litters o# )1< kittens, 2 on a erage. /hey stop drinking their mothers milk at ten 9eeks old, and stay her #or up to one year be#ore lea ing.

Fun facts
A caracal kitten

/he caracal is the #astest cat in its siFe range. @ometimes called a desert lynx or African lynx because o# its tu#ted ears, it is not a lyn* at all. /ame caracals are sometimes used to assist hunters in Iran and India.

Classification
Caracals belong to "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and their scienti#ic name is Caracal caracal.

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- Caracal

!age 25

Serval
/he serval is a little1kno9n but #ascinating creature, a light9eight cat li ing in tall grass 9here the lions hunt gaFelles and bu##alo. It does not attempt to compete the mighty Cking o# beastsC, content to tackle smaller prey. $liding along on stilt1like limbs, a long neck and large ears, the ser al looks like no other cat, and #or a reason... From the tall grass a startled #lock o# A #erval birds takes #light only to be chased in the air. a spring o# its po9er#ul limbs, a ser al shoots straight up, battering one o# the birds back to earth its long #ront limbs.

%here do servals live"

@er als li e in the sa annahs IgrasslandsL o# A#rica. /his allo9s them to see both their prey and their predators. As a medium siFed cat they ha e to be 9ary o# lions and hyenas. @er als are good s9immers and o#ten li e near open 9ater 9here they can take an occasional dip to hunt #or #ish or s9ipe at the birds that stop by.

Places where servals live are colored green.

!age 2<

%hat do servals loo& li&e"

/he ser alDs lanky body gi es them the most ad antage #or their bulk in coping the tall grass 9here they roam. It gi es them the appearance o# being larger than they really are. In #act, the smaller #emale ranges #rom less than t9enty pounds up to about thirty1#i e pounds. 2ales generally 9eigh thirty to #i#ty pounds. /heir large ears gi e them an ad antage in hearing their prey be#ore it hears them. !he serval is built for tall grass /heir #ur is yello9 black spots. An the back o# the ears are horiFontal gray bars. @er als use the position o# their ears to communicate each other. /hey also hiss a great deal, but this sound can ha e #riendly meanings too. !eople o#ten think a capti e raised ser al is being aggressi e that is only trying to say hello.

%hat do servals eat' and how do they catch their prey"

@er als usually eat birds, #ish and small rodents. When hunting a bird, the ser al 9ill :ump up in the air and bat the bird its #ront pa9s. /his stuns the bird and makes it #all to the ground. When hunting rodents, the ser al uses its large ears to listen #or them under the ground. It then :umps straight up into the air si* or higher, and comes straight do9n on its prey. (ike most cats, a ser al 9ill take ad antage o# other opportunities that come along, taking on anything it #eels it can sa#ely subdue. 4o9e er a ser al ne er poses a threat to humans.

!ow do servals raise their young"

/here are usually t9o or three young ser als, called kittens, in a litter. /hey are born in areas o# long grass, but are mo ed around o#ten, because many animals eat ser als. /hey learn to hunt #rom 9atching their mother. @he 9ill chase males a9ay as soon as they can hunt, at about B to )0 months o# age, but 9ill let #emales stay her #or a little longer, up to a year.
Five week old serval kitten

!age 25

Fun facts

@er als can :ump up to )0 straight up to catch birds. /heir hearing is so acute they can hear burro9ing rodents underground and dig them up. A cross bet9een a male ser al and a #emale domestic cat is called a sa annah cat.

Classification
@er als belong to "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and their scienti#ic name is +eptailurus ser al.

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- @er al http-""999.totally9ild.net"animals.phpJanimalQ@er al

!age 2>

,aguar
/he -aguar is sometimes called ,l -igre Ithe tigerL by @outh and Central Americans. (ong ago, they called it Yaguara, the cat that kills a single spring. 0oth names con ey the a9e and re erence this largest %e9 World cat inspires. 4is gold coat spangled black rosettes 9as said to be the stars o# night. In the 2ayan religion, the sun took the #orm o# a :aguar A spotted "aguar 9hen tra elling through the under9orld at night. 7aguars are closely related to lions, tigers, and leopards.

%here do -aguars live"

7aguars li e in the rain #orests and more open countryside in @outh and Central America, and are the largest members o# the cat #amily there. 7aguars are strong s9immers and climbers, and they o#ten pre#er to li e by ri ers, in s9amps, and in dense #orest thick co er #or stalking prey. 7aguars once li ed as #ar north as the south9estern &nited @tates. /he last 9ild :aguar in the &nited @tates around )?>0, ho9e er some o# these cats are once again migrating north #rom 2e*ico.
Places where "aguars live are colored green.

%hat do -aguars loo& li&e"

7aguars look ery similar to leopards, but they beha e more like tigers. /he :aguar has the strongest :a9 structure in the cat #amily. Its po9er#ul cheek muscles and lo9er :a9 gi es the 7aguar a much more rounded #ace than the leopard. /he purpose o# all this strength is to allo9 these cats to kill thick shelled turtles and to crush the skull o# prey animals rather A black "aguar clearly showing than su##ocating them a neck like most cats. /hey its darker spots are also rather short1legged compared to other cats, designed #or strength rather than speed. 7aguars are usually orange1yello9 in color, and ha e numerous rings on their #lanks and spots on their heads and necks. 7aguars and leopards can be !age 2=

distinguished by the #act that :aguars ha e spots 9ithin their ring markings, 9hile leopards do not. Also :aguars are nati e to the %e9 World 9hile leopards are nati e to the Ald World. @ome scienti#ic e idence suggests these t9o cats are ery closely related. /here are some :aguars that seem to be entirely black in color, but the spots can still be seen i# you look closely. /hese are sometimes called black panthers, but they are really :aguars.

%hat do -aguars eat' and how do they catch their prey"

7aguars mostly take large prey, 9hich they mainly hunt on the ground at night. /heir ery strong :a9s let them hunt deer and peccaries, but they are great opportunists and 9ill eat anything #rom #rogs and mice to birds, #ish, and domestic li estock. /hey can e en crunch through a turtleDs shell Euickly. 7aguars can run Euickly, but do not ha e much endurance and rarely make long chases.

!ow do -aguars raise their young"

7aguars usually li e and hunt alone, but they do meet up during the breeding season. Female :aguars gi e birth to as many as #our cubs in each litter, but usually can raise no more than t9o o# them to adulthood. /he young cubs are born blind and can see a#ter t9o 9eeks. /hey remain their mother #or a long time, up to t9o years, be#ore lea ing to establish a territory #or themsel es.

A "aguar cub some attention from mom

Fun facts

7aguars 9ill sometimes by the 9ater, hitting it occasionally their tail. When #ish are attracted by this, they s9ipe out a pa9, spearing the #ish in their cla9s. Ane #ilmmaker doing a sound le el check heard an odd sound coming through his headset. (ooking around he sa9 a large male :aguar sni##ing the microphone.

Classification
7aguars belong to "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and their scienti#ic name is Panthera onca. !age 2B

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- 7aguar 7aguar pictures and short ideohttp-""999.beliFeFoo.org"Foo"Foo"mammals":ag":ag).html

!age 2?

Ocelot
/he ocelot is a beauti#ul small1to1medium siFed cat 9hose markings resemble the much1larger :aguar. /hat beauty once brought them close to e*tinction, though they ha e #ared better in recent years legal protection.

%here do ocelots live"

Acelots mostly li e in @outh and Central America, but there are some as #ar %orth as /e*as in the &nited @tates o# America. /here are are ele en di##erent types Ior su*speciesL o# ocelot. /hese li e in di##erent parts o# the south o# the Americas. /hree o# these ele en subspecies li e in 2e*ico, some o# one o# those in /e*as, and a di##erent subspecies li es in each o# the AmaFon 3ain#orest, the %orthern Andes, NeneFuela and $uyana, all o# Central America, Argentina and !araguay, Colombia, 8cuador and 0oli ia.

Places where ocelots live are colored green

Acelots are e*cellent climbers, but they do most o# their hunting on the ground. Acelots mostly come out at night. 'uring the day they sleep in trees, bushes and thick grasses. @ome ocelots li e alone, 9hile others ha e been reported to li e in pairs, maintaining contact by me9ing to each other. 2any ocelots in capti ity become highly social certain people.

%hat do ocelots loo& li&e"

Acelots gro9 up to 5 and 2 inches I)00 cmL in length, plus a #oot and a hal# I<5 cmL tail length. It is similar in appearance to the oncilla and the margay, 9ho inhabit the same region, but the ocelot is larger. /heir #ur is gold black spots. /hey are ery thin, ha e huge teeth, and can :ump #ar.

%hat do ocelots eat' and how do they catch their prey"

Acelots like to eat small animals. /hey 9ill catch monkeys, snakes, rodents and birds i# they can. Almost all o# the animals that the ocelot hunts are #ar smaller than it is. @cientists think that ocelots #ollo9 and #ind animals to eat IpreyL by smell, sni##ing #or 9here theyD e been on the ground. /hey can see ery 9ell in the dark, and mo e ery stealthily, too. !age 50

!ow do ocelots raise their young"

Acelots typically ha e t9o o##spring in a litter, sa#ely in a rocky den or hollo9 log. In the tropics there is no set breeding season, but #urther north young are usually born in the autumn months. While little is kno9n about ocelot social structure, obser ers indicate that ocelot kittens stay the mother #or about one year, and that they may remain in their motherDs territory #or up to an additional year be#ore going out entirely on their o9n

-celot kitten

Fun facts

"celot comes #rom the AFtec 9ord tlalocelot 9hich means C#ield tiger.C Acelots ha e only 5> pairs o# chromosomes 9hile most other cats ha e 5B. /heir close relati es the margay and oncilla are the others to share this distinction. Acelots o#ten sit per#ectly still #or a hal# hour or more 9aiting #or unsuspecting prey. @ome obser ers belie e that ocelots remain #aith#ul to their chosen mates.

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- Acelot http-""999.totally9ild.net"animals.phpJanimalQAcelot

!ow to catch an ocelot" @cientists at a 9ildli#e re#uge in southern /e*as 9ere ha ing a hard time #inding the #e9 ocelots that li ed in the area. /hey tried using all kinds o# animal smells but the ocelots 9ould ne er sho9 up. @o it 9as ery lucky #or the scientists 9hen an amaFing accidental disco ery took place. A 9orker at the re#uge 9ore the scent o# Absession, a menDs cologne Ithink o# it as a per#ume #or menL. Ane day an e*cited ocelot tried to rub against the 9orker to better catch the scent. /he scientists then kne9 that ocelots lo e AbsessionK /hey are no9 trying to use the cologne to help in their pro:ect to raise the number o# ocelots.

!age 5)

$eopard
/he leopard is the champion athlete o# the cat 9orld. 2ost big cats can pull #i e times as much #orce as the same 9eight o# human athletes. /he leopard can pull se en times as hard. It 9ould take three olympic class 9eightli#ters merely to achie e a dra9 at tug o# 9ar one )00 pound leopard. /his amaFing strength is demonstrated 9hen a success#ul hunter scrambles up the side o# a tree a #ull gro9n antelope in its :a9s Leopard rela$ing in a tree to eat in peace.

%here do leopards live"

(eopards li e in the 2iddle , parts o# Asia, and A#rica. /his means they li e in more places than any other big cat. (eopards spend a lot o# time in trees, o#ten sleeping draped o er a branch. /hey 9ill e en pull entire prey animals up into the branches 9here they can eat 9ithout other predators trying to steal their #ood.

%hat do leopards loo& li&e"

(eopards are usually >.5 to )0 I215 mL long, including 251<5 inches I5B1))0cmL o# tail, and 9eigh about the same as a human, >51)55 pounds I501=0 kgL. /hey stand )=.5O50.5 inches I<51=B cmL tall. Female leopards are usually only t9o1thirds the siFe o# male leopards. A leopardDs coat is short and sleek. 'epending on Black African leopard cubs 9here it li es, a leopardDs coat can be a pale stra9 color, grey, ochre, or black. 0ecause the #ur in a leopardDs spots is thicker and more coarse, they can be as 9ell as seen. All leopards ha e black spots, e en solid black leopards. &nder bright light, black leopardsD spots appear darker than the surrounding purplish black #ur.

%hat do they eat"

(eopards eat many di##erent animals 1 insects, mice, #ish and big animals like antelope and e en dogs. Accasionally, they 9ill e en eat carrion Idead animalsL. /hey hunt Isearch #or their #oodL at night, hiding their catch in trees. /hey creep up on animals and attack them by biting the neck. !age 52

Panther or blac& leopard"

0lack leopards are sometimes called panthers, and they 9ere once thought to be a separate species. /hough they are all black, they still ha e black spots that are slightly darker and sho9 up in bright light, 9hereas the background looks a lighter, purplish black.

!ow do leopards raise their young"

(eopards are born in litter o# ) O 5 cubs. /he cubs lea e home a#ter )5 O )B months, and siblings Icubs born togetherL may remain together #or a #e9 months be#ore separating.

Fun facts

(eopards are spotted through and through. I# A young leopard practicing to you dared to sha e one, you 9ould #ind their pounce on a target skin to be spotted. @ha ing a leopard to see its spotted skin is ery dangerous. (eopards are the most tempermental cats to handle in capti ity. While they can be a##ectionate, they cause an unusually large number o# animal1 related in:uries.

Classification
(eopards belong to "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and their scienti#ic name is Panthera pardus.

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- (eopard /he Cyber .oomobile http-""home.globalcrossing.net"Rbrendel"leopard.htm 0ig Cats Anline http-""dspace.dial.pipe*.com"agarman"bco"#act2.htm (eopards at the @an 'iego .oo http-""999.sandiegoFoo.org"animalbytes"t1leopard.html

!age 55

Snow $eopard
@no9 (eopards dare to li e 9here icy gales 9ould #reeFe a manDs blood in minutes. /heir bodies are adapted to sur i e and thri e in an icy 9ilderness o# breathtaking beauty and great danger. &ntil recently no one had photographed a sno9 leopard in the 9ild. /o this day ery #e9 ha e had the pri ilege o# seeing one, much less taking its picture. /he sno9 leopards A snow leopard's coat protects it like it that 9ay11they are painted the grays and blacks from the cold o# a rocky outcrop and 9hen they 9ant to disappear they :ust stay still.

%here do snow leopards live"

/hey li e in the high mountains o# China and Central Asia, such as the 4imalayas. @no9 leopards typically ha e a range o# )00 sEuare miles I2>0 sEuare kmL, since it is hard #or them to #ind prey.

Places colored green are where snow leopards live

%hat do snow leopards loo& li&e"

@no9 leopards ha e gray1and1 #ur rosettes on the #lanks and spots on the head and neck, like :aguars. /his color resembles the rocks and sno9 o# their en ironment and helps them stalk their prey. /heir tails are unusually long, thickly #urred, and striped. /heir pa9s are co ered in #ur to keep them 9arm and to act like sno9shoes. 'uring bliFFards, they 9rap leopards are masters of their tails around their #ace like a mu## to keep 9arm. #now vertical space /heir eyes are round in shape, ranging #rom pale yello9 to green1grey in colour. 2ale sno9 leopards 9eigh bet9een ?01))5 pounds I<0152 kgL, and #emales 9eigh bet9een =51?0 pounds I5<1<0 kgL.

!age 5<

%hat do snow leopards eat' and how do they catch their prey"
@no9 leopards eat almost anything they can catch, o#ten eating animals three times their siFe. /heir main sources o# #ood include 9ild sheep and goats, pikas, hares, and game birds. In the summer, they eat mostly smaller prey such as marmots. Ather prey include 9ild boars, gaFelles, markhor, bobak, tahr, ibe*, bharal, mice, and deer. /hey stalk their prey and usually attack 9hen they 20 to 50 I>1)5 mL a9ay. /he sno9 leopardDs broad pa9s act as sno9 shoes to gi e them traction as they chase their prey. /hey are at their 9hen they can run across the hard upper crust o# #irn Iicy, hard sno9L 9hile their hoo ed prey breaks through and is mired in the so#t underlayer o# loose sno9.

.ote the intense ga%e

!ow do snow leopards raise their young"

@no9 leopards gi e birth to t9o or three cubs in a litter, but there can be as many as se en. At t9o months old, they begin to eat solid #ood. At three months old, they #ollo9 their mother on hunts. /hey stay her #or their #irst 9inter be#ore lea ing, at around )B122 months o# age. A#ter they lea e, siblings may stay together #or a9hile.

Fun facts

#now leopard cub

/he sno9 leopard has the longest tail o# any cat. @no9 leopards 9ill attack prey 9eighing #our times as much as themsel es. /he large, thickly #urred pa9s o# the sno9 leopard act as built1in sno9shoes.

Classification
@no9 leopards belong to "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and their scienti#ic name is .ncia uncia. @ome older 9orks list sno9 leopards as Panthera uncia but that name is no longer used. !age 55

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- @no9 (eopard

!age 5>

Clouded leopard
Clouded leopards are not truly leopards at all, but like the A#rican leopards they spend a lot deal o# time in trees. /hey are also kno9n, because o# their large markings, as #int leopards.

%here do clouded leopards live"

Clouded leopards li e trees throughout southern China, the eastern 4imalayan mountains, south1 Asia, and Indonesia. /hey pre#er to li e in tropical or subtropical #orests, yet they are can also be #ound li ing in mangro e s9amps and grasslands.
A clouded leopard is at home in

/he clouded leopard has short legs #or its siFe, and the longest canine teeth #or a cat its siFe I2 inch #angsL o# any member o# the cat #amily ali e today. Anly the sabretooths had longer canine teeth #or their body siFe. 0ecause their ma:or prey animals li e in trees, clouded leopards are e*cellent climbers. @hort, #le*ible legs, large pa9s, and keen cla9s combine to make them ery sure1#ooted. Clouded leopards can ha e tails as long as their bodies, helping them balance. @urprisingly, the cats can hang upside1do9n under branches, and can e en climb do9n tree trunks head1#irst. /he beauti#ul pattern o# the clouded leopard is its most interesting #eature. /he large sEuare rosettes look like clouds to some people, and that is ho9 they got the name Cclouded leopard.C Ather people think the blotches look more like mint lea es, so they are also called Cmint leopards.C

Areas where the clouded leopards live are colored green

%hat do clouded leopards loo& li&e"

%hat do they clouded leopards eat' and how do they catch their prey"
While not much is kno9n about their beha ior in the 9ild, their prey is thought to be mostly mammals that li e in trees, particularly monkeys, along small mammals, deer, birds, porcupines, and domestic li estock.

!age 5=

!ow do clouded leopards raise their young"

Clouded leopards usually ha e litters o# bet9een one and #i e cubs. /he young are blind and helpless at #irst, then begin to see 9ithin ten days o# their birth, and are ready to lea e their mother by about ten months o# age. Clouded leopards are #ully gro9n at t9o years old.

Fun facts
@ee ho9 much you kno9 about the clouded leopard

A clouded leopard cub

/hey can climb do9n tree trunks head #irst. (ike ocelots and margays, they 9ill sometimes hang head1do9n #rom branches using their hind legs. Houng clouded leopards are born solid spots that become open sEuares as they get older.

Classification
Clouded leopards are in the "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and ha e the scienti#ic name 'eofelis ne*ulosa.

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- Clouded leopard

!age 5B

Marbled cat
/he #arbled cat is the big cat that isnDt big at all, only slightly larger than a domestic cat. @cientists place it in the same closely related group as the lion, tiger and leopard, the Su*family Pantherinae, and e en though itDs much smaller than the clouded leopard it has the same long #angs and a ery similar #ur pattern. @cienti#ic e*amination o# their blood Iblood A marbled cat serum analysisL suggests that they are similar in #orm to the #orest ancestors o# the big cats some ten million years ago. 4o9e er, they may ha e also decreased in siFe more recently due to competition other big cats.

%here do #arbled cats live"

/he marbled cat may be #ound in the #orests o# the 2aylay peninsula, @umatra, 0orneo and some neighboring small islands.

%hat do #arbled cats loo& li&e"

2arbled cats look similar to clouded leopards but they are smaller, ha e shorter #aces more like a domestic cat, and ha e a #uFFier tail. Its beauti#ul, striking coat is pale bro9n, irregular slightly darker bro9n blotches sharply outlined in dark bro9n or black. Its long cylindrical tail is #ull #rom rump to tip and carries its body pattern.
Places where marbled cats live are colored green.

%hat do #arbled cats eat' and how do they catch their prey"
2arbled cats spend a great deal o# time in the trees and it is likely that they catch much o# their prey there, hunting birds, sEuirrels, rodents, #rogs and reptiles. /hey ha e been seen hunting on the ground on the island o# 0orneo, and this may be a local habit. %ot much is kno9n about their habits because they are rare in the 9ild and there are no specimens currently in Foos.

!ow do #arbled cats raise their young"

Ane #emale that 9as in capti ity had #our kittens. 2ost litters seem to be only t9o kittens, during any season o# the year. As most cats, the #ather plays little, i# !age 5?

any role in raising the young. /hey are born a mottled pattern and only begin to resemble their mother as they mature. /hey probably become independent at around eight months o# age, and they are #ully mature at 2) months o# age. /he longest that marbled cats e er li ed in capti ity 9as )2 years.

Fun facts

2arbled cats make sounds similar to a domestic cat, but they purr rarely and their meo9 is some9hat like a t9ittering bird call.

Classification
2arbled cats belong to "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and their scienti#ic name is Pardofelis marmorata.

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- 2arbled cat

!age <0

Tigons and $igers

$igers and tigons are hybrids, the o##spring o# the pairing o# a lion and a tiger. $igers ha e lion #athers and tiger mothers. /hey usually gro9 much larger than their parents, and #emale ligers Isometimes called ligressesL can sometimes ha e babies. Tigons all ha e tiger #athers and lion mothers. /hey are usually smaller than their parents.

%hy there are no wild tigons or ligers

Bertram the Liger has a lion for a father and a tigress for a mother.

0reeding o##spring o# a lion and tiger reEuires human inter ention, since the t9o species do not li e near each other in the 9ild. In the past, some Foos e*perimented breeding lions and tigers one another. 'ue to conser ation e##orts, deliberate hybridiFation is prohibited in most Foos. 4o9e er, it happens regularly by accident, and some pri ate breeders try to breed ligers #or no elty purposes.

%hat do tigons and ligers loo& li&e"

(igers are the largest o# the 0ig Cats. /hey can 9eigh up to about )500 pounds I>B0kgL, and stand up to )5 I< mL tall on their hind legs. /igons are sometimes called d9ar#s, tions and tilonsP 9hile they do not e*hibit many signs o# d9ar#ism, #ully gro9n tigons o# both se*es usually 9eigh less than 550 pounds I)>0 kgL, 9hich is small #or male lions or tigers. 0oth hybrids ha e a combination o# lion and tiger physical characteristics. 4o9e er, the (igers look more like their lion #athers a hint o# light striping on their backs and #aces. /igons ha e more de#ined striping like their tiger #athers. (ike tigers, each striping pattern is uniEue to each indi idual animal.

!ow do they raise their young"

(igers 9ere originally assumed to be sterile, 9hich is true #or most hybrid species, such as the mule, a cross bet9een a horse and a donkey. 4o9e er, #emales can be #ertile. /here are such things as li1ligers and li1tigons along ti1 ligers and ti1tigons S these are mi*es o# ligers and tigons lions and tigers. (ions are ery social animals 9hile tigers tend to be solitary. /he o##spring o# a lion1tiger share the con#licting instincts o# both parents. @ometimes they seek out interaction other big cats, but other times they 9ill attack them. @o, they can be !age <)

a danger i# they are raised other big cats. In general, ho9e er, ligers are gentle, e en1tempered and tolerant.

Fun facts
0oth ligers and tigons communicate either lion roars or tiger 9hu##s, and 9hen they interact #ull blooded tigers or lions they change their CdialectC accordingly.

Classification
(igers and tigons belong to "rder Carni ora, Family Felidae, and as hybrids their scienti#ic name a combination o# both species- Panthera leo x Panthera tigris.

For #ore infor#ation

Wikipedia- /igon Wikipedia- (iger

!age <2

In danger of e(tinction
E(tinction is Forever
@ome big cats throughout history ha e become e*tinct because they 9ere replaced ne9er species better suited to the en ironment. /he @abretooth I@milodon #atalisL is one e*ample o# a large Ice1Age predator that out because the large prey it needed retreated the glaciers. !umas and :aguars no9 roam 9here the mighty 1toothed cats once ruled. %atural e*tinction is part o# the grand drama o# li#e on earth. !he only known photo of an 4o9e er, many more cat species are in danger o# e$tinct Bali tiger dying out due to unnatural e*tinction, the killing o# an entire species by man #or reasons ha ing nothing to do #itness #or sur i al. /hese species are not replaced better ones, their merely lea es a hole in the #abric o# li#e on earth.

Predation
2any big cats ha e been killed because they either compete humans #or the same prey animals or because they occasionally attack human1raised li estock. @ome big cats that become too 9eak to hunt their o9n natural prey #ind domestic li estock much simpler to acEuire. Ather big cats de elop a taste #or li estock out o# sheer opportunity. /here are times 9hen control o# indi idual predators, through mo ing or killing, appear to be :usti#ied. 4o9e er there is a much more dangerous approach to predator control 9here an entire population or e en an entire species is classi#ied as a CC and open to e*termination. 8*termination is an attempt to kill e ery last indi idual o# a population or species. /here 9ere times 9hen pumas 9ere targeted #or e*termination in large areas o# the American . 0obcats and :aguars ha e also been targets o# e*termination campaigns. /hese days most go ernments in the 9orld agree that e*termination is not a iable #orm o# human inter ention, but sometimes local peoples ignore la9s designed to protect species #rom e*termination.

Sport !unting
/he ma:ority o# people in 9estern countries no longer gi e big game hunters the same re erence they once held in the 9ritings o# 8rnest 4emming9ay, especially 9hen they kill animals that are the hunters rather than the hunted. /he mystiEue o# the C$reat 4unterC no longer leads the ma:ority o# outdoorsmen to seek trophies #or their mantles and entrance halls. 4o9e er a number o# people still consider locating, out9itting and de#eating large predators to be the ultimate test !age <5

o# courage and a satis#ying #orm o# en:oying the out o# doors. While this practice is losing popularity, it should be said in all #airness that more and more sport hunters support la9s and practices that pre ent the species they hunt #rom becoming e*tinct.

Poaching
!eople 9ho de#y e*isting la9s to kill predators #or money, animal parts, or personal reasons are called poachers. As outla9s, many poachers are dangerous people 9ho are 9illing to protect their li lihood through iolent means. Famous conser ation leaders $eorge Adamson and 'iane Fossey 9ere killed by poachers 9ho sa9 them as a threat. @topping poaching is ery di##icult because most big cat habitat is remote land that is di##icult to patrol and e*ists in some o# the 9orldDs poorest countries 9ithout many la9 en#orcement resources. /he most e##ecti e 9ay to curb poaching is to reduce the demand #or the products they pro ide.

Fol& Medicines
A number o# people belie e, 9ithout any scienti#ic e idence, that #olk medicines made #rom parts o# big cats can treat or e en cure certain illnesses and conditions. 0elie# in sympathetic magic, that like1causes1like, leads people to seek the attributes they most admire about big cats by using parts o# their bodies. !eople seeking courage, strength, or a greater capacity #or physical intimacy attempt to acEuire those things through eating, drinking, applying or 9earing parts o# the animals that are supposed to possess those traits. For nearly e erything supposedly treatable #eline #olk medicines, there are e##ecti e, sa#e and pro en remedies a ailable in modern medicine.

The Fur Trade

/he so#t, 9arm, boldly patterened pelts Iskins #urL o# big cats 9ere long considered the ultimate e*pression o# #ashion and e*tra agence. 8 en today, most #ashion items made real #ur come #rom carni ores such as bobcats and mink. /hose legal #or sale are produced #rom animals raised on #ur #arms rather than taken #rom the 9ild. /he ast ma:ority o# natural leopard, ocelot, lyn* and :aguar #urs are banned on the international market by la9s protecting endangered species.

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!abitat $oss
4abitat loss is the silent killer. An animalDs habitat is an area 9here it can li e, and #or most large predators that means co er, adeEuate prey, #reedom o# mo ement, and 9ater. 'ue to their predatory li#estyle, most big cats reEuire large areas o# land 9ithout many manmade barriers 9here they can hunt and raise young unmolested. &ncontrolled /abitat loss is the silent killer de elopment o# 9ild areas, including such 9aste#ul practices as slash1and1burn agriculture, reduce the number o# places 9here big cats can sur i e and thri e. /o some degree protected areas kno9n as !arks and Wildli#e @anctuaries help preser e endangered species habitat. 4o9e er in many poor countries there is not adeEuate la9 en#orcement to pre ent poaching or illegal de elopment o# land inside park boundaries. In addition, animals need more land than the human race can a##ord to protect in parks. 2ore enlightened use o# habitat by man can increase the number o# big cats and preser e their genetic di ersity. For instance, a timber plantation can pro ide both high Euality 9ood and habitat #or predators and their prey. &sing sustaina*le management techniEues, land can pro ide a ne er1ending source o# Euality 9ood products 9hile continuing to preser e 9ildli#e.

It Is .p To )ou
As someone interested in big cats, you can make your lo e o# big cats kno9n through the 9ay you ote, your li#estyle, and your charitable gi ing. $o ernments can only do so much to #orestall e*tinction. For big cats to be sa ed, they must be sa ed by all o# us 9orking together. (earn 9hat you can about the challenges #acing your #a orite animals, and get in ol ed. Al9ays remember- CWe appreciate 9hat 9e understand and sa e 9hat 9e appreciate.C

!age <5

/eeping cats
Capti e management o# big cats is part o# a strategy to keep endangered species #rom becoming e*tinct. It also pro ides a source o# education and inspiration to Foo isitors and helps us study 9hat these cats need to sur i e and thri e. What #ollo9s is #rom an inter ie9 7ohn 0urkitt o# /iger /ouch.

The Four Types of Fitness

Ance Foos 9ere terrible places #or big cats. )issy *ougar at !iger !ouch likes cameras ... really. /heir needs 9ere poorly understood, and there#ore poorly met. /oday 9e understand that there are #our types o# #itness, all eEually important. Physical Fitness is more than basic li#e support. Aniamls e ol ed in a comple* en ironment, and meeting their 9hole range o# needs makes their li#e longer and better. Mental Fitness is as important in capti ity as it is in the 9ild. It promotes natural social beha ior 9ithin and bet9een species and reduces neurotic beha iors such as pacing and sel#1in:ury. ,motional Fitness is the cornerstone o# a humane, trusting partnership bet9een man and animal. When 9e bring li#e into the 9orld, 9e o9e it happiness and contentment. Moral Fitness is a clear understanding o# rules and e*pectations by man and animal that promotes trust, minimiFes stress, reduces accidents, and helps cooperation.

Safety
Ideally, sa#ety is guaranteed #or the animals, their sta##, and the isiting public. /he animals are protected as 9ell as possible against items thro9n o er the #ence that may in:ure the cats or be eaten. When big cats eat the 9rong sort o# ob:ects, such as toys or bottle #ragments, it causes potentially deadly blockages o# the intestines. /he sta## is protected by the use o# ClockoutsC and Cair locksC. C(ockoutsC are )issy *ougar also likes love ... really. areas 9here big cats can be con#ined 9hile someone per#orms maintenance on their li ing area. It is the only sa#e 9ay to remo e 9astes, cut grass, remo e #oreign ob:ects, or repair #i*tures. CAir (ocksC are small chambers a door on each end that allo9 people to enter and a cat enclosure 9ithout ha ing an opening clear to the outside at any one moment. !age <>

!eople come in the outer door, close it behind them, then open the inner door to enter the cat enclosure. At no time can a cat push past the keeper and escape. $uard rails around certain e*hibits keep isitors at least #i e I).B metersL a9ay #rom the animalDs outer #ence at all times. /his pre ents people #rom being tempted to touch animals through the mesh or bars and get in:ured. @uch in:uries are more o#ten #atal to the cat than to the isitor since most states reEuire the animal to be killed and tested #or rabies i# the ictim re#uses to take precautionary rabies accination shots. /oo isitors that follo0 the rules are completely safe( Ane less ob ious sa#ety #eature o# Foos and animal parks are the o##1hours security systems that protect the animals against nighttime intruders. 2otion sensors, in#rared cameras, and perimeter #ences pre ent people #rom disturbing the animals a#ter hours. Finally, the animals are usually con#ined to smaller areas during o## hours, and only released into their large enclosures shortly be#ore opening time.

Species Survival Plans

Ane #unction o# Foos is to pro ide sa#e places 9here endangered animals can breed. /o be e##ecti e in producing healthy cats that are genetically di erse Iborn to unrelated parentsL, Foos 9ill o#ten ship animals long distances to #ind mates that 9ould make a good match. I# you let closely related cats ha e o##spring together, their young 9ould be considered in*red, 9hich means they donDt ha e a healthy mi* o# di##erent backgrounds in their physical makeup. Inbred animals are prone to be sick or e en die. Computer technology helps Foos be sure 9hich animals 9ould make the mates #or each other and a oid inbreeding. Animals used in a @pecies @ur i al !lan are sometimes taken out o# the public ie9ing areas #or a pri ate, less stress#ul area to breed and care #or their o##spring in the #irst critical 9eeks. &sually you can tell i# animals on display in a Foo are in ol ed in an @@! because there 9ill be a sign posted on their enclosure. Ane o# the most important di##erences in Foos today #rom Foos long ago is that they are more than :ust li ing museums. /hey are also aluable partners in the battle to sa e endangered species.

!age <=

Food Preparation
Food has to be 9holesome and #ree #rom disease and parasites. It may be , a prepared such as .u!reem or 2aFuri, or a combination o# both. Food is ser ed ra9 to pre ent nutrient loss #rom cooking. Additi es make up #or the loss o# calcium and micronutrients a ailable in regular prey. Finally as part o# good animal husbandry, 0etonator the !iger &!ucks 1n& when it's #ood is indi idually prepared #or each dinner time at !iger !ouch. animal based on 9eight control and medication needs.

0eterinary Care
(ike all other animals in capti ity, Foo animals reEuire occasional trips to the et. /he eterinarians that handle Foo animals are specially trained in exotic medicine, the diseases and conditions o# animals not usually as . Neterinary care usually is done at the Foo in a special health care building that has the special eEuipment needed to #ill ca ities in a tigerDs teeth or per#orm surgery on a lion.

The

ursery

When, #or one reason or another, the parents o# young big cats cannot raise their o9n o##spring, the cubs and kittens are to a nursery 9here specially trained Foo sta## and olunteers pro ide them the #ood, stimulation, and a##ection. Houng cats o# all species cannot properly pass solid 9astes on their o9n. A 9arm, 9et 9ashrag or sponge is used to 9ipe the backside o# kittens and cubs to stimulate them to pass 9astes, something they usually do in the 9ild 9hen their mother cleans them her tongue. !roper nursing is especially important- cubs and kittens are ne er gi en milk 9hile they are lying on their back. /his can cause pneumonia. /he milk gi en to cats is di##erent than the milk gi en to human children in a number o# 9ays. .oo personnel kno9 the right 9ay to mi* milk #or the di##erent species o# large and small cats in their care. /emperature is care#ully controlled since these young animals are not as good at controlling their body temperature as are adults.

!age <B

Enrich#ent
6eeping animals happy as 9ell as healthy is a challenge. /he 9ay is a combination o# se eral things- physical interaction others o# its o9n kind or specially1trained human companions, desirable #eatures in the enclosure such as s9imming pools and ledges #or perching and sleeping, and toys to play . @ometimes #ood is hidden about or .ala the Lioness at !iger !ouch loves to play put on ropes 9here it can be :erked a9ay to anything not nailed down. stimulate chase, hunt, and play beha iors and reduce boredom. 2any Foo animals are #ond o# isitors and de elop routines to impress the people that come to see them. (arge, natural enclosures gi e the animals more #reedom o# mo ement and encourage physical acti ity.

Training
While most modern Foos do not teach animals to per#orm CtricksC, they do train animals to respond to certain commands to make them sa#er to handle, mo e and e*amine. /his training emphasiFes re9ards #or good beha ior rather than punishment #or bad beha ior. &sing the re9ard system not only makes training easier and more humane, it a oids the e er1present danger that an angry cat may #ind a chance to lash out at its tormentor. /hat only needs to happen once brie#ly #or tragedy to occur.

End of $ife Issues

Although it is unpleasant to think about, is a part o# li#e. When a decision is made by the Foo sta## that a certain cat is in too much pain to ha e a good li#e, the li#e o# that cat is humanely ended. /he phrase put to sleep or put do0n is not accurate and does not con#er the dignity that usually accompanies the act. .ookeepers almost al9ays e*perience grie# 9hen one o# their long1term #riends . Whene er possible, someone the cat lo es is allo9ed to be them as the drug is administered. /his special drug is designed to calm the cat and lull it to sleep be#ore occurs. A#ter has been certi#ied by the eterinarian, a necropsy Ianimal autopsyL is per#ormed to determine the e*act cause o# the animalDs illness or in:ury. /his in#ormation is used to help protect other animals. 2any Foos, and most sanctuaries and animal parks, ha e special plots 9here belo ed animals are laid to . /hese are rarely open to the public. Animals that are not buried are usually cremated IburnedL #or health reasons or used to pro ide skeletons and skins #or educational use at the Foo or in museums and uni ersities.

!age <?

1lossary
A glossary o# terms used in this book

Canine teethCaptivity- Animals that are by humans Carnivore- An animal that Carrion- eaten by carni ores that 9ere not the ones that killed it ClassificationConservation- Ways o# using natural resources that do not destroy them 2iurnal- Acti e during the day and asleep at night. 2o#estication- /aking animals #rom their natural habitat into the human habitat, then changing them in 9ays that make them more suitable to li ing humans. Endangered- Animals that are almost e*tinct. E(tinction- When all animals o# a kind are gone, that kind o# animal is e*tinct. /hey can ne er come back. Fa#ily- Ias in the classi#ication di isionL Fertile- Able to ha e o##spring Flan&s- /he side part o# an animalDs body !abitat- An area able to support a type o# animal !erbivore- An animal that plants such as lea es and berries !ybrid- /he o##spring o# t9o animals o# di##erent but similar kinds, such as a lion and a tiger. !ybridi3ation- When t9o animals o# di##erent kinds ha e o##spring together. Instinct- An animalDs inherited kno9ledgeP kno9ledge that did not ha e to be learned. ,ungle- A large #orest in 9arm countries many di##erent kinds o# animals and plants. $ife span- 4o9 long an animal usually li es $itter- A group o# baby animals the same parents Ma##al- A 9arm1blooded animal that has hair on its skin and gi es its children milk to drink Mane- /he #urry cro9n around a male (ionDs head Mu33le- /he part o# an animalDs #ace that includes the nose and :a9s ational Par&- (and that is in a natural state by #or a ariety o# reasons, all o# them important ature preserve- (and that is in a natural state #or conser ation reasons 9here the 9el#are o# plants and animals is more important than any other uses ew %orld- %orth, Central and @outh America. octurnal- Acti e at night and asleep during the day. Offspring- /he children o# an animal !age 50

Old %orld- 8urope, Asia, Australia and A#rica. OrderPoaching- Illegally killing an animal Prairie- A large, #lat plain a lot o# grass and almost no trees, such as the $reat !lains o# %orth America Predator- An animal that hunts other animals and them Prey- An animal hunted by another animal #or #ood 4ainforest- A large #orest that stays 9arm and 9et year round many di##erent kinds o# animals and plants 4osette4etract 5claw6- /he hiding o# cla9s inside a pa9 Savannah- A large, #lat plain a lot o# grass and scattered groups o# trees, such as in Central A#rica ScavengeScientific na#eSiblings- All the o##spring #rom one litter, or sometimes o##spring the same parents #rom t9o di##erent litters Steppes- A large, #lat plain a lot o# grass and almost no trees. Sterile- %ot able to ha e children SubtropicalTropical%ildlife refuge- (and that is used to protect o# 9ild animals. @ometimes parts o# a 9ildli#e re#uge are not in a natural state to gi e certain species o# animals a little e*tra help. !lanting rice in a 9ater bird area is one e*ample. 7oo- A type o# li ing museum 9here animals are #or people to learn about them and ha e #un

!age 5)

1 . Free 2ocu#entation $icense

Nersion ).2, %o ember 2002
Copyright ICL 2000,200),2002 Free @o#t9are Foundation, Inc. 5) Franklin @t, Fi#th Floor, 0oston, 2A 02))01)50) &@A 8 eryone is permitted to copy and distribute erbatim copies o# this license document, but changing it is not allo9ed.

89 P4E+MB$E /he purpose o# this (icense is to make a manual, te*tbook, or other #unctional and use#ul document C#reeC in the sense o# #reedom- to assure e eryone the e##ecti e #reedom to copy and redistribute it, or 9ithout modi#ying it, either commercially or noncommercially. @econdarily, this (icense preser es #or the author and publisher a 9ay to get #or their 9ork, 9hile not being considered responsible #or modi#ications made by others. /his (icense is a kind o# Ccopyle#tC, 9hich means that deri ati e 9orks o# the document must themsel es be #ree in the same sense. It complements the $%& $eneral !ublic (icense, 9hich is a copyle#t license designed #or #ree so#t9are. We ha e designed this (icense in order to use it #or manuals #or #ree so#t9are, because #ree so#t9are needs #ree documentation- a #ree program should come manuals pro iding the same #reedoms that the so#t9are does. 0ut this (icense is not limited to so#t9are manualsP it can be used #or any te*tual 9ork, regardless o# sub:ect matter or 9hether it is published as a printed book. We recommend this (icense principally #or 9orks 9hose purpose is instruction or re#erence. :9 +PP$IC+BI$IT) + 2 2EFI ITIO S /his (icense applies to any manual or other 9ork, in any medium, that contains a notice placed by the copyright holder saying it can be distributed under the terms o# this (icense. @uch a notice grants a 9orld19ide, royalty1#ree license, unlimited in duration, to use that 9ork under the conditions stated herein. /he C'ocumentC, belo9, re#ers to any such manual or 9ork. Any member o# the public is a licensee, and is addressed as CyouC. Hou accept the license i# you copy, modi#y or distribute the 9ork in a 9ay reEuiring permission under copyright la9. A C2odi#ied NersionC o# the 'ocument means any 9ork containing the 'ocument or a portion o# it, either copied erbatim, or modi#ications and"or translated into another language. A C@econdary @ectionC is a named appendi* or a #ront1matter section o# the 'ocument that deals e*clusi ely the relationship o# the publishers or authors o# the 'ocument to the 'ocumentDs o erall sub:ect Ior to related mattersL and contains nothing that could #all directly 9ithin that o erall sub:ect. I/hus, i# the 'ocument is in part a te*tbook o# mathematics, a @econdary @ection may not !age 52

e*plain any mathematics.L /he relationship could be a matter o# historical connection the sub:ect or related matters, or o# legal, commercial, philosophical, ethical or political position regarding them. /he CIn ariant @ectionsC are certain @econdary @ections 9hose titles are designated, as being those o# In ariant @ections, in the notice that says that the 'ocument is released under this (icense. I# a section does not #it the abo e de#inition o# @econdary then it is not allo9ed to be designated as In ariant. /he 'ocument may contain Fero In ariant @ections. I# the 'ocument does not identi#y any In ariant @ections then there are none. /he CCo er /e*tsC are certain short passages o# te*t that are listed, as Front1 Co er /e*ts or 0ack1Co er /e*ts, in the notice that says that the 'ocument is released under this (icense. A Front1Co er /e*t may be at most 5 9ords, and a 0ack1Co er /e*t may be at most 25 9ords. A C/ransparentC copy o# the 'ocument means a machine1readable copy, represented in a #ormat 9hose speci#ication is a ailable to the general public, that is suitable #or re ising the document straight#or9ardly generic te*t or I#or images composed o# pi*elsL generic paint programs or I#or dra9ingsL some 9idely a ailable dra9ing , and that is suitable #or input to te*t #ormatters or #or automatic translation to a ariety o# #ormats suitable #or input to te*t #ormatters. A copy made in an other9ise /ransparent #ile #ormat 9hose markup, or absence o# markup, has been arranged to th9art or discourage subseEuent modi#ication by readers is not /ransparent. An image #ormat is not /ransparent i# used #or any substantial amount o# te*t. A copy that is not C/ransparentC is called CApaEueC. 8*amples o# suitable #ormats #or /ransparent copies include plain A@CII 9ithout markup, /e*in#o input #ormat, (a/eG input #ormat, @$2( or G2( using a publicly a ailable '/', and standard1con#orming simple 4/2(, !ost@cript or !'F designed #or human modi#ication. 8*amples o# transparent image #ormats include !%$, GCF and 7!$. ApaEue #ormats include proprietary #ormats that can be read and edited only by proprietary 9ord processors, @$2( or G2( #or 9hich the '/' and"or processing tools are not generally a ailable, and the machine1generated 4/2(, !ost@cript or !'F produced by some 9ord processors #or output purposes only. /he C/itle !ageC means, #or a printed book, the title page itsel#, plus such #ollo9ing pages as are needed to hold, legibly, the material this (icense reEuires to appear in the title page. For 9orks in #ormats 9hich do not ha e any title page as such, C/itle !ageC means the te*t near the most prominent appearance o# the 9orkDs title, preceding the beginning o# the body o# the te*t. A section C8ntitled GH.C means a named subunit o# the 'ocument 9hose title either is precisely GH. or contains GH. in parentheses #ollo9ing te*t that translates GH. in another language. I4ere GH. stands #or a speci#ic section name mentioned belo9, such as CAckno9ledgementsC, C'edicationsC, C8ndorsementsC, or C4istoryC.L /o C!reser e the /itleC o# such a section 9hen you modi#y the 'ocument means that it remains a section C8ntitled GH.C !age 55

according to this de#inition. /he 'ocument may include Warranty 'isclaimers to the notice 9hich states that this (icense applies to the 'ocument. /hese Warranty 'isclaimers are considered to be included by re#erence in this (icense, but only as regards disclaiming 9arranties- any other implication that these Warranty 'isclaimers may ha e is oid and has no e##ect on the meaning o# this (icense. ;9 0E4B+TIM COP)I 1 Hou may copy and distribute the 'ocument in any medium, either commercially or noncommercially, pro ided that this (icense, the copyright notices, and the license notice saying this (icense applies to the 'ocument are reproduced in all copies, and that you add no other conditions 9hatsoe er to those o# this (icense. Hou may not use technical measures to obstruct or control the reading or #urther copying o# the copies you make or distribute. 4o9e er, you may accept compensation in e*change #or copies. I# you distribute a large enough number o# copies you must also #ollo9 the conditions in section 5. Hou may also lend copies, under the same conditions stated abo e, and you may publicly display copies. <9 COP)I 1 I =.+ TIT) I# you publish printed copies Ior copies in that commonly ha e printed co ersL o# the 'ocument, numbering more than )00, and the 'ocumentDs license notice reEuires Co er /e*ts, you must enclose the copies in co ers that carry, clearly and legibly, all these Co er /e*ts- Front1Co er /e*ts on the #ront co er, and 0ack1Co er /e*ts on the back co er. 0oth co ers must also clearly and legibly identi#y you as the publisher o# these copies. /he #ront co er must present the #ull title all 9ords o# the title eEually prominent and isible. Hou may add other material on the co ers in addition. Copying changes limited to the co ers, as long as they preser e the title o# the 'ocument and satis#y these conditions, can be treated as erbatim copying in other respects. I# the reEuired te*ts #or either co er are too oluminous to #it legibly, you should put the #irst ones listed Ias many as #it reasonablyL on the actual co er, and continue the onto ad:acent pages. I# you publish or distribute ApaEue copies o# the 'ocument numbering more than )00, you must either include a machine1readable /ransparent copy along each ApaEue copy, or state in or each ApaEue copy a computer1net9ork location #rom 9hich the general net9ork1using public has access to do9nload using public1standard net9ork protocols a complete /ransparent copy o# the 'ocument, #ree o# added material. I# you use the latter option, you must take reasonably prudent steps, 9hen you begin distribution o# ApaEue copies in Euantity, to ensure that this /ransparent copy 9ill remain thus accessible at the stated location until at least one year a#ter the last time you distribute an ApaEue copy Idirectly or through your agents or retailersL o# that to the public.

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It is reEuested, but not reEuired, that you contact the authors o# the 'ocument 9ell be#ore redistributing any large number o# copies, to gi e them a chance to pro ide you an updated ersion o# the 'ocument. >9 MO2IFIC+TIO S Hou may copy and distribute a 2odi#ied Nersion o# the 'ocument under the conditions o# sections 2 and 5 abo e, pro ided that you release the 2odi#ied Nersion under precisely this (icense, the 2odi#ied Nersion #illing the role o# the 'ocument, thus licensing distribution and modi#ication o# the 2odi#ied Nersion to 9hoe er possesses a copy o# it. In addition, you must do these things in the 2odi#ied Nersion

+9 &se in the /itle !age Iand on the co ers, i# anyL a title distinct #rom that o# the 'ocument, and #rom those o# pre ious ersions I9hich should, i# there 9ere any, be listed in the 4istory section o# the 'ocumentL. Hou may use the same title as a pre ious ersion i# the original publisher o# that ersion gi es permission. B9 (ist on the /itle !age, as authors, one or more persons or entities responsible #or authorship o# the modi#ications in the 2odi#ied Nersion, together at least #i e o# the principal authors o# the 'ocument Iall o# its principal authors, i# it has #e9er than #i eL, unless they release you #rom this reEuirement. C9 @tate on the /itle page the name o# the publisher o# the 2odi#ied Nersion, as the publisher. 29 !reser e all the copyright notices o# the 'ocument. E9 Add an appropriate copyright notice #or your modi#ications ad:acent to the other copyright notices. F9 Include, immediately a#ter the copyright notices, a license notice gi ing the public permission to use the 2odi#ied Nersion under the terms o# this (icense, in the #orm sho9n in the Addendum belo9. 19 !reser e in that license notice the #ull lists o# In ariant @ections and reEuired Co er /e*ts gi en in the 'ocumentDs license notice. !9 Include an unaltered copy o# this (icense. I9 !reser e the section 8ntitled C4istoryC, !reser e its /itle, and add to it an item stating at least the title, year, ne9 authors, and publisher o# the 2odi#ied Nersion as gi en on the /itle !age. I# there is no section 8ntitled C4istoryC in the 'ocument, create one stating the title, year, authors, and publisher o# the 'ocument as gi en on its /itle !age, then add an item describing the 2odi#ied Nersion as stated in the pre ious sentence. ,9 !reser e the net9ork location, i# any, gi en in the 'ocument #or public access to a /ransparent copy o# the 'ocument, and like9ise the net9ork locations gi en in the 'ocument #or pre ious ersions it 9as based on. /hese may be placed in the C4istoryC section. Hou may a net9ork location #or a 9ork that 9as published at least #our years be#ore the 'ocument itsel#, or i# the original publisher o# the ersion it re#ers to gi es permission. !age 55

/9 For any section 8ntitled CAckno9ledgementsC or C'edicationsC, !reser e the /itle o# the section, and preser e in the section all the substance and tone o# each o# the contributor ackno9ledgements and"or dedications gi en therein. $9 !reser e all the In ariant @ections o# the 'ocument, unaltered in their te*t and in their titles. @ection numbers or the eEui alent are not considered part o# the section titles. M9 'elete any section 8ntitled C8ndorsementsC. @uch a section may not be included in the 2odi#ied Nersion. 9 'o not retitle any e*isting section to be 8ntitled C8ndorsementsC or to con#lict in title any In ariant @ection. O9 !reser e any Warranty 'isclaimers.

I# the 2odi#ied Nersion includes ne9 #ront1matter sections or appendices that Euali#y as @econdary @ections and contain no material copied #rom the 'ocument, you may at your option designate some or all o# these sections as in ariant. /o do this, add their titles to the list o# In ariant @ections in the 2odi#ied NersionDs license notice. /hese titles must be distinct #rom any other section titles. Hou may add a section 8ntitled C8ndorsementsC, pro ided it contains nothing but endorsements o# your 2odi#ied Nersion by arious parties11#or e*ample, statements o# peer re ie9 or that the te*t has been appro ed by an organiFation as the authoritati e de#inition o# a standard. Hou may add a passage o# up to #i e 9ords as a Front1Co er /e*t, and a passage o# up to 25 9ords as a 0ack1Co er /e*t, to the end o# the list o# Co er /e*ts in the 2odi#ied Nersion. Anly one passage o# Front1Co er /e*t and one o# 0ack1Co er /e*t may be added by Ior through arrangements made byL any one entity. I# the 'ocument already includes a co er te*t #or the same co er, pre iously added by you or by arrangement made by the same entity you are acting on behal# o#, you may not add anotherP but you may replace the old one, on e*plicit permission #rom the pre ious publisher that added the old one. /he authorIsL and publisherIsL o# the 'ocument do not by this (icense gi e permission to use their names #or publicity #or or to assert or imply endorsement o# any 2odi#ied Nersion. ?9 COMBI I 1 2OC.ME TS Hou may combine the 'ocument other documents released under this (icense, under the terms de#ined in section < abo e #or modi#ied ersions, pro ided that you include in the combination all o# the In ariant @ections o# all o# the original documents, unmodi#ied, and list them all as In ariant @ections o# your combined 9ork in its license notice, and that you preser e all their Warranty 'isclaimers. /he combined 9ork need only contain one copy o# this (icense, and multiple identical In ariant @ections may be replaced a single copy. I# there are multiple In ariant @ections the same name but di##erent contents, make the title o# each !age 5>

such section uniEue by adding at the end o# it, in parentheses, the name o# the original author or publisher o# that section i# kno9n, or else a uniEue number. 2ake the same ad:ustment to the section titles in the list o# In ariant @ections in the license notice o# the combined 9ork. In the combination, you must combine any sections 8ntitled C4istoryC in the arious original documents, #orming one section 8ntitled C4istoryCP like9ise combine any sections 8ntitled CAckno9ledgementsC, and any sections 8ntitled C'edicationsC. Hou must delete all sections 8ntitled C8ndorsements.C @9 CO$$ECTIO S OF 2OC.ME TS Hou may make a collection consisting o# the 'ocument and other documents released under this (icense, and replace the indi idual copies o# this (icense in the arious documents a single copy that is included in the collection, pro ided that you #ollo9 the rules o# this (icense #or erbatim copying o# each o# the documents in all other respects. Hou may e*tract a single document #rom such a collection, and distribute it indi idually under this (icense, pro ided you insert a copy o# this (icense into the e*tracted document, and #ollo9 this (icense in all other respects regarding erbatim copying o# that document. A9 +114E1+TIO I 2EPE 2E T %O4/S A compilation o# the 'ocument or its deri ati es other separate and independent documents or 9orks, in or on a olume o# a storage or distribution medium, is called an CaggregateC i# the copyright resulting #rom the compilation is not used to limit the legal rights o# the compilationDs users beyond 9hat the indi idual 9orks permit. When the 'ocument is included in an aggregate, this (icense does not apply to the other 9orks in the aggregate 9hich are not themsel es deri ati e 9orks o# the 'ocument. I# the Co er /e*t reEuirement o# section 5 is applicable to these copies o# the 'ocument, then i# the 'ocument is less than one hal# o# the entire aggregate, the 'ocumentDs Co er /e*ts may be placed on co ers that bracket the 'ocument 9ithin the aggregate, or the electronic eEui alent o# co ers i# the 'ocument is in electronic #orm. Ather9ise they must appear on printed co ers that bracket the 9hole aggregate. B9 T4+ S$+TIO /ranslation is considered a kind o# modi#ication, so you may distribute translations o# the 'ocument under the terms o# section <. 3eplacing In ariant @ections translations reEuires special permission #rom their copyright holders, but you may include translations o# some or all In ariant @ections in addition to the original ersions o# these In ariant @ections. Hou may include a translation o# this (icense, and all the license notices in the 'ocument, and any Warranty 'isclaimers, pro ided that you also include the original 8nglish ersion o# this (icense and the original ersions o# those notices and disclaimers. In case o# a !age 5=

disagreement bet9een the translation and the original ersion o# this (icense or a notice or disclaimer, the original ersion 9ill pre ail. I# a section in the 'ocument is 8ntitled CAckno9ledgementsC, C'edicationsC, or C4istoryC, the reEuirement Isection <L to !reser e its /itle Isection )L 9ill typically reEuire changing the actual title. C9 TE4MI +TIO Hou may not copy, modi#y, sublicense, or distribute the 'ocument e*cept as e*pressly pro ided #or under this (icense. Any other attempt to copy, modi#y, sublicense or distribute the 'ocument is oid, and 9ill automatically terminate your rights under this (icense. 4o9e er, parties 9ho ha e recei ed copies, or rights, #rom you under this (icense 9ill not ha e their licenses terminated so long as such parties remain in #ull compliance. :89 F.T.4E 4E0ISIO S OF T!IS $ICE SE /he Free @o#t9are Foundation may publish ne9, re ised ersions o# the $%& Free 'ocumentation (icense #rom time to time. @uch ne9 ersions 9ill be similar in spirit to the present ersion, but may di##er in detail to address ne9 problems or concerns. @ee http-""999.gnu.org"copyle#t". 8ach ersion o# the (icense is gi en a distinguishing ersion number. I# the 'ocument speci#ies that a particular numbered ersion o# this (icense Cor any later ersionC applies to it, you ha e the option o# #ollo9ing the terms and conditions either o# that speci#ied ersion or o# any later ersion that has been published Inot as a dra#tL by the Free @o#t9are Foundation. I# the 'ocument does not speci#y a ersion number o# this (icense, you may choose any ersion e er published Inot as a dra#tL by the Free @o#t9are Foundation.

!ow to use this $icense for your docu#ents

/o use this (icense in a document you ha e 9ritten, include a copy o# the (icense in the document and put the #ollo9ing copyright and license notices :ust a#ter the title pageCopyright IcL H8A3 HA&3 %A28. !ermission is granted to copy, distribute and"or modi#y this document under the terms o# the $%& Free 'ocumentation (icense, Nersion ).2 or any later ersion published by the Free @o#t9are FoundationP no In ariant @ections, no Front1Co er /e*ts, and no 0ack1Co er /e*ts. A copy o# the license is included in the section entitled C$%& Free 'ocumentation (icenseC.

I# you ha e In ariant @ections, Front1Co er /e*ts and 0ack1Co er /e*ts, replace the C.../e*ts.C line thisthe In ariant @ections being (I@/ /48I3 /I/(8@, the Front1Co er /e*ts being (I@/, and the 0ack1Co er /e*ts being (I@/.

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I# you ha e In ariant @ections 9ithout Co er /e*ts, or some other combination o# the three, merge those t9o alternati es to the situation. I# your document contains nontri ial e*amples o# program code, 9e recommend releasing these e*amples in parallel under your choice o# #ree so#t9are license, such as the $%& $eneral !ublic (icense, to permit their use in #ree so#t9are.

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