The Big Cats KIRTI BANSAL
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FUN QUIZ the big cats KIRTI BANSAL 1. The Puma concolor is the largest wildcat in North America 3. A rare tiger subspecies that inhabits the Indonesian and has the largest range of any mammal in the western island. Smallest of all the tigers, these tigers rarely grow hemisphere. Secretive and largely solitary by nature, 2.5 meters in length. It is listed as a critically endangered this big cat is properly considered both nocturnal and species on the crepuscular. Some of its names are Puma, panther, cougar, IUCN Red List as painter, catamount, …………..etc. the population a. Mountain lion b. Barbary lion was estimated to c. Cape lion d. Masai lion be 400-500 in the wild. Threatened by deforestation and poaching, these tigers may have evolved to a smaller species due to its isolated island habitat, a process called insular dwarfi sm. a. Asian Lion b. Sumatran Tiger c. African Lion d. Siberian Tiger 4. Neofelis nebulosa is a wild cat occurring from 2. Classifi ed as endangered by the International Union for the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, this big cat has Asia into China. It is an almost monkey like climber and suffered a substantial decline in its historic range due has been observed hanging from branches from its rear to rampant hunting in the 20th century. It is the fastest feet upside down. It has the longest upper canine teeth mammal on land, can reach speeds of 60-70 miles an hour. relative to skull size of any living carnivore. Common The pads of most cats’ paws are soft, but the pads of this name of this cat, which is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN mammal are hard, like the rubber on tyres and help them Red List: grip the ground when running fast. a. White tiger b. Sumatran tiger a. Leopard b. Jaguar c. Bengal tiger d. Clouded Leopard c. Cheetah d. All of the above 60 SCIENCE REPORTER July 2017 5. The third largest feline after tiger and lion, it is the only 8. It is a hybrid cross between a male lion and female tiger. It panthera species found in the Americas. This animal has has the parents in the same genus but of different species. the strongest bite of all felids. It is capable of biting down These cats suffer from many birth defects and usually with 2,000 pounds-force (8,900 N), which is twice the die young. They strength of a lion and are usually the second powerful larger than of all mammals after either parent the spotted hyena. The species and are strength of the cat is the largest of all such that an individual known extant can drag a 360 kg felines. (800 lb) bull 8 m (25 ft) a. Liger in its jaws and crush b. Tigon the strongest bones. c. Jagulep a. Munna d. Leopon b. Jaguar c. Malika 9.Uncia uncia is a large cat native to the d. Star male mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. They inhabit alpine and subalpine zones at elevations from 6. The Asiatic lion also known as the Indian lion and 3,000 to 4,500 m (9,800 to 14,800 ft). In the northern Persian lion is a lion subspecies that lives as a single range countries, they also occur at lower elevations. This population in Gujarat. They are slightly smaller than big cat cannot roar because of the absence of larynx. African lions and the most distinguishing characteristic They are known for being extremely secretive and well of the Asiatic lion is the longitudinal fold of skin that runs camoufl aged. along its belly. Name the national park which is the only a. Amur Leopard b. Arabian Leopard habitat of these lions. c. Snow leopard d. Javan Leopard a. Gir Forest National Park b. Wild Ass Sanctuary c. Vansda National Park d. Velavadar National park 10. This is a pigmentation variant of the Bengal tiger, which 7. One of the largest species of tigers in the world, these is reported in the wild from time to time in the Indian states are renowned for their power and strength. These tigers of Assam, West Bengal and Bihar in the Sunderbans region are found in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal; both and especially in the former State of Rewa. The in the wild and in wildlife centres. India is home to the Nandankanan Zoological Park of Odisha holds the largest proportion of these magnifi cent animals, boasting Guinness book more than 1500. world record for a. Amo tiger b. Corbett’s tiger having the largest c. Sumatran Tiger d. Bengal tiger captive population of these tigers. a. Black tiger b. White tiger c. Orange tiger d. Yellow tiger Answers: 1) a 2) c 3) b 4) d 5) b 6) a 7) d 8) a 9) c 10) b Contributed by Kirti Bansal, Science Reporter, CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication And Information Resources 61 SCIENCE REPORTER July 2017.