Heres the Brief: Take one photo of a big cat e.g lion, tiger, jaguar, puma, leopard, cheetah. If you want to enter the rules are just like before: - You have to have taken the picture yourself. - Has to be in a zoo. - Needs to be posted in this thread either by a thubnail or URL. - Please write a brief discription of the photo when you post it. - Only one picture per person. The picture MUST be in this thread by SUNDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER 2010 Good Luck! Thanks to everyone who entered the Spring Babies Competition. The winner was blospz with the picture of the Bighorn Sheep. Well done blospz!
Asoka and Asha at Chester Zoo. Asoka has since moved on to another collection and been replaced by a younger male named Iblis.
Somebody has to I suppose ;p. We have to be clear on the rules as to what is acceptable in the competition. Can we have Snow Leopards, and if so how about Clouded Leopards? I had a decent Cheetah one but didn't know how suitable it was so I played it safe with the lions . Personally (since nobody has done otherwise yet) I would stick to the 4 Pantheras (Jaguars, Lions, Leopards and Tigers). Also, this is taking Snow Leopard to be Uncia Uncia, rather than Panthera Uncia. Of course, this is all up to ZooLeopard
I have discussed this with a few members earlier. We decided that the ones I have listed were suitable. @Javan Rhino, All leopards are suitable
Ahh right (I have no decent Snow Leopard pics anyway, and never even seen a clouded leopard ). I shall stick by my lions
Well done Blospz Just a quick couple of questions on this competition If you stick to the Lion, Tiger, Jaguar and Leopard, then is a panther allowed as this could be either a Jaguar, Leopard or a Cougar/Puma off spring. Also as many experts now class Snow Leopards as Big Cats will they be allowed. This field is open to very wide perceptions of what people class as a Big Cat. I've goggled the term big cat and the information I gathered from the various sites makes it even more baffaling as some sites have the four Lion, Tiger, Jaguar and Leopard yet other sites have the four plus Cheather, Snow Leopard, Cougar/Puma and Lynx Is there anyone who can clear this up. Also can the photograph be taken at a private collection as well as a safari park. Javan Rhino nice photo
Thanks for the compliment Adrian . Lee, I think your photo will be fine. After all, a tiger is definately a big cat in all sense of the term, and it follows all of the other rules. I think for the purpose of this competition any 'large' cat is suitable, so I would assume pumas, snow leopards are alright. I think Snow Leopard is still officially Uncia Uncia, though not sure on how it is decided (I have heard that Panthera applies to cats that can roar, which Snow Leopards can't do).
Just to clear things up. Snow leopards are alright. All leopards are suitable. Panther/puma is fine. I will stick to my original idea at the top of the page, and Lee your entry is fine.
Here is my entry taken on the 6th July at the West Midland Safari Park I have also just dropped a few more on the gallery site This was taken on a mild tuesday there were lots of children around the infamous glass box but both Amur Leopards looked quite at home with everyone glaring at them. As I said before I have put one or two more photographs in there gallery but one or two are unnamed as usual can someone help me out.
I have heard various definitions, incuding people saying pumas (aka mountain lions) are "small cats" because they cannot roar. Seems ridiculous to me. My personal definition is a big cat is a cat that is big!!! And a small cat is a cat that is small!!! Sometimes you just have to apply Ockham's Razor. By this criteria, there are 7 species of big cat (which is what I tell zoo visitors during my monthly cat slide show). Tiger, Lion, Jaguar, Leopard, Puma, Snow Leopard, Cheetah. Since cats are my specialty, it will be tough narrowing it down to just one photo, but entry will be forthcoming.
A good point. My way of separation is 'Big Cats' are from the 'Panthera' genus, and then snow leopards, cheetahs, pumas etc are medium cats and anything else is a small cat. That is just my way though .
My way of differing Big Cats from the rest is quite simple If I wouldn't want to get in the enclosure or meet it on a dark night then it's a Big Cat
Hehe, love it . Mind you I wouldn't like to meet my brother's cat on a dark night. She's only a kitten but she has a nasty habit of thinking limbs and hair are toys and scratches/bites can be quite common.
So do you also tell inquisitive visitors that the elephant's closest relative is the tapir because you think they look similar?
