Tiger and Leopard are both majestic cats belonging to the same family and genus Panthera. These big cats rank among the top predators in the Food Chain and their roar definitely imprints on one.
Tiger vs Leopard
The main difference between a tiger and a leopard is their salient stripes and dots. The tiger has prominent black stripes on an orange skin whereas the leopard is distinguished for its vibrant black dots on golden or light brown fur.
Another key difference between the two is that tigers are significantly stronger with a weight of around 300kgs than leopards who on the contrary weigh only 90kgs. The tiger is also the biggest among the wild cats whereas leopard is the smallest among them.
Tigers further can be classified into 6 subtypes and are mostly found in the East and Southern Asia whereas leopards have 7 subtypes and are mostly concentrated in the sub-Saharan area and Southern Asia.
Another crucial difference between the two is that a leopard can climb trees and can be often seen relaxing or preying from the tree tops while tigers can be found mostly on the ground.
Comparison Table Between Tiger and Leopard
| Parameter of Comparison | Tiger | Leopard |
|---|---|---|
| Design on fur | Black stripes | Black dots |
| Fur color | Stripes on Orange background | Dots on light brown or golden background |
| Geographical location | East and Southern Asia | sub-Saharan area and Southern Asia |
| Strength | Stronger than leopards | Less strong than the tiger |
| Size | biggest among the wild cats | smallest among the wild cats |
What is a Tiger?
Tigers are the biggest wild cat among the four big cats lion, leopard, tiger and jaguar. They belong to the genus Panthera and the feline family.
Tigers are further classified into 6 species and these big cats weigh about 300 kilos. They are apex predators and are primarily carnivores that feed on deers and wild boars.
Tigers were announced a endangered species and their population is confined to the East and Southern Asia, India being the host to the largest number. They are also listed among the most iconic and fascinating Charismatic Megafauna.
A tiger is 6 feet in length and 9 feet including the tail. This majestic animal no doubt has been heavily intertwined with mystical mythology and Indian folklore.
Tigers are territorial and leaves their parents shadow after 2 years of rearing in search of their own dominance. However, today tigers are at the brink of extinction mainly due to human activities such as hunting and poaching along with deforestation.
What is a Leopard?
Leopards also belong to the genus Panthera along with other big cats lions, tigers and jaguar. They are bigger than a pet cat but the smallest among the four wild cats.
They are known for their striking looks carved out of vibrant black dots on golden or light brown skin. However, they are most feared for their sly and ferocious hunting techniques and speed. A leopard leaves their parents when 12 to 18 months and by 2 to 3 years they start rearing their own offsprings.
Leopards are considered to be a mix breed of lion and panther and thus the name Leopard from “Leon” and “Pardus” combined. They weigh only 90kgs but are 6.25 feet in length and 10.75 when measured with its tail. They are however very adaptable and are found in both rainforest as well as deserts.
According to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they are found in sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, southwestern and eastern Turkey, Himalayan foothills and the entire Southern Asia.
Leopards are further subdivided into seven genres. They are ambush predators that can climb trees and their dotted fur helps them even more to camouflage. They are independent creatures and depend only for mating or rearing.
Main Differences Between Tiger and Leopard
- The main difference between a tiger and a leopard is that the tiger has prominent black stripes whereas the leopard is distinguished for its vibrant black dots.
- Another crucial difference between the two is that a leopard can climb trees and their dotted fur easily camouflages in the trees while tigers can be found preying or relaxing mostly on the ground.
- Tigers are the biggest wild cat among the four big cats lion, leopard, tiger and jaguar whereas leopards are the smallest among them.
- Another difference between a tiger and leopard is that a tiger is 6 feet in length and 9 feet including the tail whereas leopards are 6.25 feet in length and 10.75 when measured with its tail.
- A tiger weight about 300 kilos whereas a leopard typically weighs about 90 kilos. The tigers are also stronger than leopards.
Conclusion
Tigers and leopards are both known and feared for their majestic yet ferocious hunting and preying techniques. They belong to the same family of feline cats and the genus Panthera.
The main difference between a tiger and a leopard is that the tiger has prominent black stripes on orange backdrop whereas the leopard stands out for its vibrant black dots on light brown or golden fur.
Another crucial difference between the two is that a leopard can climb trees and their dotted fur easily camouflages in the trees which makes them even more ferocious as a predator while tigers are apex predators that can be found preying or relaxing mostly on the ground.
Tigers are the biggest wild cat among the four adult big cats with a weight of 300 kilos whereas leopards are the smallest among them and weigh only about 90 kilos. However, a female leopard weighs even less about, only 75 kilos.
Tigers are apex predators and territorial species. They leave their parents shadow after 2 years of rearing in search of their own dominance whereas Leopards are ambush hunters who start on their own by twelve to eighteen months and even start reproducing by 2 to 3 years.
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320708004503
- https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s13364-011-0038-9.pdf