In Photos: Big Cats

The big cats are some of the biggest land predators on the planet. They're agile, speedy and born to kill.

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Siberian Tiger

The Siberian (Amur) tiger is the largest tiger and the largest of all the cats.
Bengal Tiger

Sleeping during the heat of the day is a familiar site with most cats.
Tigers and Water

Tigers, unlike lions, like to be in and around water, often jumping in for a swim in order to keep cool.
Lion Pride

Lions are the sociable members of the cat family and are more than willing to hang around in sometimes huge prides.
Female Lion

Social groups aren't always a good thing for the individuals. Female lions tend to do most of the hard work. Leaner and swifter than the larger more lumbering males, female lions are excellent hunters.
Male Lion

Male lions are renowned for their impressive manes, a sign of sexual fitness among their counterparts.
Cheetah Running

Everyone knows that cheetahs are the fastest land animal! They can reach astonishing speeds of up to 70 miles per hour.
Jaguar

Jaguar spots, much like the leopard's, help to camouflage them by breaking up their outline and mimicking dappled sunlight.
Leopard in a Tree

Leopards spend most of their time hanging around in trees. They are excellent climbers and are able to drag carcasses equal to their own weight up into the treetops for future consumption.
Added Height

Cheetah's will use termite mounds and other objects in order to gain a height advantage to see over long grass.
Camera Trap

Cats are hard to photograph, with camera traps being one of the best methods of catching these elusive creatures in the wild.
Puma Chasing a Snowshoe Hare

Pumas (also known as a cougar) are found throughout the Americas. Further north, pumas will race through deep snow to catch snowshoe hares.