If you’ve ever been to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, you might know that big cats live throughout several of our regions. In Heart of Africa, you’ll find lions and cheetahs. Venture to Congo Expedition to see our African leopards. Trek through Asia Quest to spot our Amur tigers. Our North America region is home to a trio of orphaned cougars.
But, can you tell each of our big cats apart? Don’t worry if you can’t…we are going to break down each cat in terms of size, appearance, and abilities!
African Leopard
The African leopard has relatively short legs, a long body, and a large skull. Its fur is marked with rosettes that lack internal spots. The African leopard also has excellent eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell.
Abilities:
The African leopard can take prey two and a half times their weight up trees to avoid scavenging by other animals. The African leopard can run up to 37 miles per hour, leap over 6 meters long, and jump up to 3 meters vertically.
Size:
African leopard males are about 30% larger than females.
Weight:
- Females: 60-130 pounds
- Males: 90-200 pounds
Length (head to rear):
- 3-6 feet
Height at shoulder:
- 18 – 31 inches
Tail:
- 24 – 43 inches long
African Lion
The African lion is the most social big cat. Prides (groups) usually consist of several related females, one or two adult males, and offspring. The females in the pride are often the hunters, and the males are the protectors. Male lions are the only big cats with manes. Lions are the only big cat with a tufted tail.
Abilities:
A roar is one of 12 vocalizations the African lion can make. Under optimum conditions, a lion's roar can be heard from 5 miles away. Lions roar to communicate with other lions, not to scare prey.
Weight:
- Males: Up to 420 pounds
- Females: 265-300 pounds
Length (including the tail):
- The male measures 7.9-9.5 feet
- They are 3 feet tall at the shoulders
Amur Tiger
The Amur tiger (formerly Siberian) is the largest cat. Tigers are the only striped cat, and the stripes are distinctive; no two animals have the same markings. Its coat is golden-orange with dark stripes. They also have some patches of white on their belly, chest, throat, and muzzle.
Abilities:
The tiger is one of the four cats that can roar; others are lion, leopard, and jaguar. The tiger will call others with a sound like “ye-o-oon.” Tigers also chuff (like blowing in your face) as a form of greeting.
Weight:
- Males: 500+ pounds
- Females: 300+ pounds
Length (head to tail):
Males: 10 feet
Females: 8 ½ feet
Cheetah
The common name “cheetah” is derived from the Hindi word chita, which means “spotted” or “sprinkled,” describing its coat. Known as malar (pronounced mail-er) stripes, it is thought that the black tear marks on the cheetah’s face serve two purposes. First, the malar stripes help to refract the glare of the sun. Second, the malar stripes help to focus the cheetah’s sight. Previously thought to be a solitary cat, male cheetahs often form coalitions.
Abilities:
The cheetah is the world’s fastest land mammal. The cheetah can reach speeds of anywhere from 60-70 mph in less than 3 seconds.
Weight:
- 80-140 pounds; males slightly larger than females
Length (head to body):
- Up to 5 feet
- Tail is 2-2.5 feet long
Height:
- 30+ inches at the shoulder
Cougar
The cougar is known by several names, including puma, panther, mountain lion, ghost cat, and catamount. The cougar has a long body with long back legs, a long neck, a small, broad head, short, rounded ears that are black on the back, and a long, cylindrical tail with a black tip. The cougar’s coat is of uniform color, varying from silvery-grey to tawny-yellow to light reddish brown. The eyes of mature cougars are grayish-brown to golden.
Abilities:
The cougar has great jumping and leaping ability. The cougar’s tail assists in guiding it to its landing spot. The cougar can jump at least 20 feet.
Weight:
- Males: 116-158 pounds
- Females: 74-105 pounds
Length (including tail):
- Males: 5-9 feet
- Females: 5-6 feet
The next time you visit the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, see if you can spot each of these fascinating big cats!
Before you go…it’s Quiz Time!
1. What Columbus Zoo and Aquarium region can you find the cougars?
a) North America
b) Heart of Africa
c) Congo Expedition
Answer: North America
2. What are the names of the African leopard brothers at the Columbus Zoo?
a) James and Tyler
b) Jaime and Tyrion
c) Jameson and Taylor
Answer: Jaime and Tyrion
3. Where did male African lion Roary live before arriving at the Columbus Zoo?
a) Cincinnati Zoo
b) San Diego Zoo
c) Buffalo Zoo
Answer: Buffalo Zoo
4. Cheetah Emmett was named after a character in which of the following movies?
a) Harry Potter
b) Twilight
c) Cheetah Girls
Answer: Twilight
5. Amur tiger Natasha loves to smell perfume as part of her enrichment. What is her favorite scent?
a) Chanel No. 5
b) White Diamonds
c) Viva La Juicy by Juicy Couture
Answer: Chanel No. 5
