Big Cats That Roar: Lions, Tigers, Jaguars and Leopards

By Jamie Green

This concise book is about four of the most beautiful animals on earth. It is filled with fascinating information and generally unknown facts about lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards (the big cats that roar) that everyone of all ages can appreciate. Written in a language that even children can understand, all of the information is broken down into small sections and accompanied by a large number of stunning photographs and clear diagrams. Some of the topics included about these amazing animals are their physical traits, their classification, ancestry, habitat, ecology, and most of all, their behavior - stalking, hunting, socializing, raising their young and surviving in their natural environments. There is also a discussion of big cat hybrids and an examination of the ability of lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards to feel affection and love. You will even find out how and why they roar. Children especially will enjoy this book and be able to use it as a resource for school projects, but there is plenty here for adults to love too.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jamie Green
• Release date: Dec 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311391278

Jamie Green

Jamie Green was born in Brooklyn and raised in Far Rockaway on the banks of Jamaica bay, where he gained a deep love for the world of living things. He received a BS degree in biology from CCNY and subsequently completed graduate studies in the fields of microbiology and both physical and cultural anthropology. He taught high school science for 37 years, specializing in the fields of biology, marine science, anthropology, archaeology, and human evolution. He also created curricula in elective programs for all of these subjects for both classroom and independent study, and wrote numerous text materials, articles, museum guides, lab manuals, and classroom hand-outs. Jamie has collaborated as Consultant/Writer for the Museum of the American Indian on "The Native People of the Northeast Woodlands," a Teaching Kit which was later published, and has appeared a number of times in the Queries and Comments section of Biblical Archaeology Review Magazine. As a teacher he created and coordinated a number of Independent Study and Student Mentor programs which enhanced the educational experience of the students. In 1993 he was voted Teacher of the Year. After his retirement in 2000 he began teaching to retired teachers and spouses in Staten Island where he continues to teach subjects in biology, anthropology, archaeology, ancient history and human evolution up to the present day. Some of these courses have included History of Life on Earth, Natural History of the Galapagos Islands, Animal Behavior, Emotions and Intelligence, Dinosaurs, Human Evolution, Primatology, Life and Work of Jane Goodall, Study of Whales, Biblical Archaeology, Pompeii, The North American Indian, and Ancient Rome. In addition, he is an Independent Lecturer for several organizations on Staten Island. Jamie Green resides with his wife in Staten Island and has two children who are college math professors, one grandchild, and you guessed it, 2 cats.

Book preview

What Is a Big Cat?

Well it depends who you ask!

Many people say that my cats are big.

Their names are Achilles and Odin.

That’s right – they are named after Achilles, the hero of the Trojan War

and Odin, a god of the Vikings.

Scientists however would not consider my cats to be big cats. They reserve this term for cats that are much larger than mine. Do you know which cats they have in mind?

Some scientists say that a cat is a big cat only if it is able to roar.

The cats that can roar are:

the lion,

the tiger,

the jaguar,

and the leopard.

Other scientists will also include some non-roaring species such as the cougar (also called the mountain lion),

and the cheetah.

And then there is the panther.

Scientists and non-scientists have different definitions of panther. When most people hear the word panther, they immediately picture a black panther.

However, this animal is not a separate species. We will clear up this mystery a little later.

In this book we will focus only on the big cats that can roar. Hopefully we will not upset too many scientists.

There are some famous big cats from movies, books and in real life that have touched many people’s hearts, such as the lion Simba from The Lion King,

the tiger Shere Khan from The Jungle Book,

and the leopard Baby, from Bringing Up Baby.

All cats (big or small) are mammals. This means that female cats produce milk to feed their young.

Mammals are also known for having hair or fur on their skin to keep warm, and for using four different kinds of teeth to bite, tear and chew their food (incisors, caninespre-molars and molars).

The category of mammals is part