Looking for Big Cats Big cats live all around the world. Tigers dwell in Asia. Jaguars favor the rain forests of Central and South America. Lions live on the plains of central and southern Africa. Leopards live in Africa and Asia.


Clashing with Big Cats Wherever they live, big cats share the same problem. Habitat loss. As people take over their land, there are fewer places for wild animals. With less space for hunting, big cats


sometimes prey on valuable livestock. Farmers get upset. Many of them support their families through their livestock. Some farmers might kill the big cats to protect their livestock. T at’s not the only danger to big


cats. Sometimes big cats are poached. T at means they are killed illegally, for their body parts. Of all the big cats, tigers face the greatest risk of extinction. Only a few thousand tigers are leſt in the wild. T e number of lions has also decreased. Clashes with humans have


aff ected the number of leopards and jaguars, too.


Where to Find


This map shows approximate ranges of jaguars, leopards, lions, and tigers.


Ca PA C I F I C OC E A N


jaguar


“Jaguar” comes from the Native American word “yajuar.” It means “he who kills with one leap.”


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