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Big Cats
What is a Big Cat?
By definition, a big cat is actually not determined by size but by a very specific feature. A big cat cannot purr; it roars. There are anatomical reasons for that.
The hyoid bone, a bone at the front of the neck near the larynx, is not completely ossified – not fully bone – in the big cats. The vocal fold in all big cats (except for the snow leopard) is quite large, at least 2 centimeters. This combination allows for loud, deep vibrations.
A large resonance chamber, for example, the lion’s massive chest, produces a roar that can travel long distances. The best-known roaring cat, the lion, can be heard over 5 km away.
However despite being part of the same lineage the snow leopard can no longer roar.
Who are the Big Cats?
The big cats are mostly in the Panthera genus.
- Panthera pardus – the leopard
- Panthera leo – the lion
- Panthera uncia – the snow leopard
- Panthera tigris – the tiger
- Panthera onca – the jaguar
Two are in the Neofelis genus – the clouded leopards of Southeast Asia
- Neofelis nebulosa -the mainland clouded leopard
- Neofelis diardi – the Sunda or Borneo clouded leopard
Check out the biographies of the cats:
Species of Big Cats
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