The big cats are found on five continents- Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America- and in eighty-nine countries (IUCN Cheetah, 2021; IUCN Jaguar, 2021; Leopard, 2021; IUCN Lion, 2021; IUCN Puma, 2021; IUCN Snow leopard, 2021; IUCN Tiger, 2021).
They are found in:
Africa: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d’lvoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswantini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe;
Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democractic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russian Federation (Russia), Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan,Vietnam;
Canada;
Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama;
Europe: Russian Federation (Russia);
Mexico;
Middle East: Afghanistan, Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Yemen;
South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela;
United States: Arizona, California, Florida, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Even though they are found in several countries, they roam a much smaller area than their ancestors did not too long ago, because of human impacts. In the photo above you can see each big cats historic range compared to their current range.
These countries offer different habitats for the big cats to roam. They also have different prey species and environments that give the big cats different adaptations to help them thrive in that habitat. Every area around the world has a different environment, different climate, different prey species and different flora. The habitats that the big cats are found in are desert, forest, grasslands, rocky areas (inland cliffs, mountain peaks), savannas, shrublands, and wetlands (inland) (IUCN Cheetah, 2021; IUCN Jaguar, 2021; Leopard, 2021; IUCN Lion, 2021; IUCN Puma, 2021; IUCN Snow leopard, 2021; IUCN Tiger, 2021).
Since the big cats are found in so many different habitats and countries it is important that we ensure these habitats are protected and help reduce habitat loss as a threat to these cats and other species found within the same area. Habitat loss affects 19% of prey species, and with the leading threat to Africa’s biodiversity being habitat loss, it is crucial we do what we can to protect the land these big cats call home (AWF Land, 2020; Wolf and Ripple, 2016). One way to ensure that you are helping to prevent habitat loss is to make sure the wood you buy is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). You can also download the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo app where you can search products to see if they use sustainable palm oil and are a member of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The largest growth of palm oil plantations are in Malaysia and Indonesia, both areas where tigers roam (WWF Habitat Loss, 2021).
Support the big cats by protecting their habitat across the world, by watching what products you purchase and by paying attention to who controls the land and what is being done with the land.
Literature Cited:
African Wildlife Foundation. (2020). Land & habitat protection.
International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. (2021). Cheetah: Acinonyx jubatus.
International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. (2021). Jaguar: Panthera onca.
International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. (2021). Leopard: Pathera pardus.
International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. (2021). Lion: Panthera leo.
International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List (2021). Puma: Puma concolor.
International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List (2021). Snow leopard: Panthera uncia.
International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. (2021). Tiger: Panthera tigris.
Panthera. (2021). Where the cats live [Photograph] Catmosphere. https://catmosphere.org/
Wolf, C. & Ripple, W.J. (2016, August 3). Prey depletion as a threat to the world’s large
carnivores. Royal Society Open Science, 8. 10.1098/rsos.160252
World Wildlife Fund. (2021). Habitat loss.
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