About lion i need to know ???

Hi can you give me some information about lions, tiger, panthers and cheetahs please?


I would really apprieciate it : )

About lion i need to know ???
LION





The lion (Panthera leo) is a member of the family Felidae and one of four big cats in the genus Panthera. With exceptionally large males exceeding 250 kg (550 lb) in weight,[2] it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger. Wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia with a critically endangered remnant population in northwest India, having disappeared from North Africa, the Middle East, and western Asia in historic times. Until the late Pleistocene (about 10,000 years ago), the lion was the most widespread large land mammal beside humans. They were found in most of Africa, much of Eurasia from western Europe to India, and the Bering land bridge and, in the Americas, from the Yukon to Peru.





Lions live for approximately 10–14 years in the wild, while in captivity they can live over 20 years. They typically inhabit savanna and grassland, although they may take to bush and forest. Lions are unusually social compared to other cats. A pride of lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males. Groups of female lions typically hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. The lion is an apex and keystone predator, although they will resort to scavenging if the opportunity arises. While lions, in general, do not selectively hunt humans, some have been known to become man-eaters and seek human prey.





The lion is a vulnerable species, having seen a possibly irreversible population decline of 30 to 50% over the past two decades in its African range;[1] populations are untenable outside designated reserves and national parks. Although the cause of the decline is not well-understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are currently the greatest causes of concern. Lions have been kept in menageries since Roman times and have been a key species sought after and exhibited in zoos the world over since the late eighteenth century. Zoos are cooperating worldwide in breeding programs for the endangered Asiatic subspecies.





Visually, the male is highly distinctive and is easily recognized by its mane. The head of the male lion is one of the most widely recognized animal symbols in human culture. It has been depicted extensively in literature, in sculptures, in paintings, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature.





The lioness has been recognized, however, as the pinnacle of hunting prowess from the earliest of human writings and graphic representations. The lionesses are the hunters for their pride and execute their skills with precision and complex teamwork. Each lioness develops specific skills for her role in the hunting techniques used by her pride and, generally, assumes that role during most hunts. Members of human cultures living among lions in natural habitats have understood this characteristic and often have chosen the lioness to represent their most ferocious war deities and warriors, often naming their male rulers as her "son". Examples drawn from the earliest of written records include the Egyptian pantheon deities of Sekhmet, Bast, Menhit, and Tefnut and these deities may have had precursors in Nubia and Lybia. Other Egyptian deities are quite complex and assume aspects that may include one as a lioness headed human or a lioness in specific roles. Depictions of lions hunting in groups have existed from the Upper Paleolithic period, with carvings and paintings from the Lascaux and Chauvet Caves.








Naming and etymology





The lion's name, similar in many Romance languages, derives from the Latin leo,[3] and before that the Ancient Greek leōn/λεων.[4] The Hebrew word lavi (לָבִיא) may also be related,[5] as well as the Ancient Egyptian rw.[6] It was one of the many species originally described, as Felis leo, by Linnaeus in his eighteenth century work, Systema Naturae.[7] The generic component of its scientific designation, Panthera leo, is often presumed to derive from Greek pan- ("all") and ther ("beast"), but this may be a folk etymology. Although it came into English through the classical languages, panthera is probably of East Asian origin, meaning "the yellowish animal," or "whitish-yellow".[8]











TIGER





The tiger (Panthera tigris) is a mammal of the Felidae family, the largest of four "big cats" in the Panthera genus.[3] Native to much of eastern and southern Asia, the tiger is an apex predator and an obligate carnivore. Reaching up to 4 metres (13 feet) in total length and weighing up to 300 kg (660 pounds), tigers are comparable in size to the biggest extinct felids.[4][5] Aside from their great bulk and power, their most recognizable feature is the pattern of dark vertical stripes that overlays near-white to reddish-orange fur, with lighter underparts.





Highly adaptable, tigers range from the Siberian taiga to open grasslands to tropical mangrove swamps. They are territorial and generally solitary animals, often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support their prey demands. This, coupled with the fact that they are endemic to some of the more densely populated places on earth, has caused significant conflicts with humans. Of the nine subspecies of modern tiger, three are extinct and the remaining are classified as endangered, some critically so. The primary direct causes are habitat destruction and fragmentation and hunting. Their historical range, which once reached from Mesopotamia and the Caucasus through most of South and East Asia, has been radically reduced. While all surviving species are under formal protection, poaching, habitat destruction and inbreeding depression continue to be threats.





Nonetheless, tigers are among most recognizable and popular of the world's charismatic megafauna. They have featured prominently in ancient mythology and folklore, and continue to be depicted in modern films and literature. Tigers appear on many flags, coats of arms and as mascots for sporting teams and serve as the national animal of several Asian nations.





Naming and etymology





The word "tiger" is taken from the Greek word "tigris", which is possibly derived from a Persian source meaning "arrow", a reference to the animal's speed and also the origin for the "Tigris".[6][7] In American English, "Tigress" was first recorded in 1611. It was one of the many species originally described, as Felis tigris, by Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae.[8] The generic component of its scientific designation, Panthera tigris, is often presumed to derive from Greek pan- ("all") and ther ("beast"), but this may be a folk etymology. Although it came into English through the classical languages, panthera is probably of East Asian origin, meaning "the yellowish animal," or "whitish-yellow".[9]





Range


Range of the tiger 1900 and 1990


Range of the tiger 1900 and 1990





In the historical past tigers were widespread in Asia, from the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea to Siberia and Indonesia. During the 19th century the striped cats completely vanished from entire western Asia and became restricted in the remaining parts of its range almost exclusively to isolated pockets. This fragmented relic range extends from India in the west to China and Southeast Asia in the east today. The northern limit is close to the Amur River in south eastern Siberia. The only large Island inhabited today is Sumatra. From Java it obviously disappeared in second half of the 19th century and from Borneo it is known only from fossil remains.








PANTHER





The black panther is the common name for a black (melanistic) color variant of any of several species of cat. Zoologically speaking, the term panther is synonymous with "large cat". The genus name Panthera is a taxonomic category that includes several species of felids including the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar. However, in North America, the term panther is commonly used for the cougar (genus Puma) while in Latin America it is most often used to mean a jaguar. Elsewhere in the world it refers to the leopard.





Confusion may arise from the distinction between the genus Panthera and the genus Leopardus. Originally, the relatively long-tailed species were called panthers (genus Panthera, which includes the leopard) and others were called leopards (genus Leopardus, which, perhaps confusingly, does not include the leopard.) It is a common misconception that panther necessarily refers to a melanistic individual. In fact, a panther may be spotted (such as the spotted jaguar or spotted leopard), tawny (such as the puma or cougar), white, or black.





Melanism is most common in the jaguar (Panthera onca), where it is carried by a dominant allele, and the leopard (Panthera pardus), where it is due to a recessive allele. Close examination of one of these black cats will show that the typical markings are still there but are hidden by the excess black pigment melanin, giving an effect similar to that of printed silk. Melanistic and non-melanistic individuals can be litter mates. In those species that hunt mainly at night, the condition is not detrimental. Albino or leucistic individuals of the same three species are known as white panthers.





It is thought that melanism may confer a selective advantage under certain conditions since it is more common in regions of dense forest, where light levels are lower. Recent, preliminary studies also suggest that melanism might be linked to beneficial mutations in the immune system.[1]





Melanistic leopards





Melanistic leopards are the most common form of black panther in captivity and they have been selectively bred for decades in the zoo and exotic pet trades. Black leopards are smaller and more lightly built than normally-pigmented individuals[clarify]. Skin color is a mixture of blue black gray and purple with rosettes.





Black leopards are re
Reply:How much information do you want? I could write an essay here! I'll just give you a snippet of information about each:





The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest of all cats, weighing up to 660lb and measuring up to 9 and a half feet, excluding tail. It is an exclusively Asian species. The largest subspecies is the Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica). Contrary to popular belief, Siberian tigers are not white - the white tigers often seen in zoos are a colour form of the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris). They are not albino - albinism is a total lack of pigment, meaning an albino tiger would be completely white, with no stripes, have pink eyes, not blue. Instead, they have a genetic condition called leucism, which results in reduced pigmentation. This is very rare in the wild, and when it does occur the animals are usually killed as cubs, since they stand out and make an easy target for predators. If they make it to adulthood they have a tough time hunting for the same reason - they lack the natural camouflage of normally coloured tigers, making it easier for their prey to see them coming. Since they are a draw for zoos, they have been extensively bred in captivity, which unfortunately means many are inbred and suffer the detrimental effects of inbreeding.





The lion (Panthera leo) is the second largest cat after the tiger, and is the only species in which the male has a mane. This serves to protect his neck during fights with other males, and to make him appear more intimidating to rivals and more attractive to females. The vast majority of lions live on the savannahs of Africa, but there is a small population of Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) in the Gir Forest of India. Lions are the only truly social cats, living in prides of related females which often bear cubs at the same time, and will suckle each other's young. They hunt co-operatively, with most hunting being done by the females, though males will join in on occasion. Females stay with their natal pride throughout their lives, whilst males leave when they reach sexual maturity and attempt to take over a pride of their own (this prevents inbreeding).





The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is the fastest-running animal on Earth. It has several adaptations which help it attain such high speeds (almost 70mph). It is lightly built with long, slender legs and a very flexible spine - when running its hind legs actually reach in front of its forelegs, and it covers around 7 metres in a single bound. It has enlarged nasal passages to help it inhale enough air, and its heart and lungs are large in order to distribute the oxygen rapidly to the muscles. The tail is long and slightly flattened, helping the animal to make swift turns at high speed. Unlike other cats, the cheetah's claws are only partially retractile, acting like spikes on running shoes and helping it grip the ground. It also has ridges on the pads of the paws to aid its grip. Cheetahs are found mainly on the savannahs of Africa, though there is also a small, relict population (thought to number only around 30 individuals) in Iran.





Technically, the only animal that should be called a panther is a melanistic leopard (Panthera pardus), though some people also use it to refer to melanistic jaguars (Panthera onca). Melanism is an excess of dark pigment, causing an almost totally black coat - the markings will still show up in certain lights. Leopards are the most adaptable and widespread of the large cats, being found across Africa and Asia. They are excellent climbers and will often take their prey into trees to keep it safe from larger predators. Melanism is more common in Asia than Africa, perhaps because of the more densely forested habitat. Panthers are not to be confused with the Florida panther, a subspecies of puma (Puma concolor), a New World cat also called the cougar or mountain lion. It is only the subspecies found in Florida (Puma concolor coryi) that is referred to as the Florida panther, and some people simply say 'panther', though this is technically incorrect.
Reply:Your question is quite broad. I think you can google these animals and get a lot of info.
Reply:what the girl above me said.......
Reply:uhm they are all cats :]