How Many Big Cats Species Are There In The World

Further the international cat association recognizes about seventy-one types of cats.

How many big cats species are there in the world. Biologists around the world consider just six species of feline to be big cats. The definition of which species are big cats varies between different organisations with some considering just the five species in the Panthera genus to be big cats and others including pumas also known as mountain lions and cougars and cheetahs. There are a number of types of big cats ranging across Africa Asia and Central and South America but believe it or not the exact number of big cat species is actually open to debate.

This list of largest cats shows the 10 largest extant Felidae species. Although numerous domestic cat breeds exist common household cats derive from a single species called Felis catus. The list does not contain cat hybrids.

The term big cats generally refers to lions tigers leopards and jaguars the four wild cats. The subspecies listed have been assessed separately as. With a typical weight of 21 to 72 kgs 46 and 159 lbs it is the seventh largest big cat species in the world.

There are 38 species of cats on the planet. But somethe lion tiger leopard snow leopard clouded leopard jaguar lynx and cheetahare big. Several other government and non-government organizations also run extensive research.

Big cat species that have a wide range and live in a variety of habitats include leopards mountain lions ocelots and jaguars. The wild cats list is a complete list of the amazing big cats and small wild cats from all over the world including North America Central America South America Europe Asia and Africa. However a more liberal and extensive definition of the term also includes species outside of Panthera including the clouded leopard cheetah Sunda clouded leopard and sometimes several species of lynx.

Most scientists recognize 36 or 37 species of cats depending upon how they define a species and the latest knowledge of cat evolution. The term big cat is used to refer to any of the four largest living members of the Panthera genus. Most like the margay are relatively small.