Friday, February 24, 2012

Difference Between Tiger and Leopard


Tiger vs Leopard
Tiger and leopard are felines belonging to the same family and genus. Though these two big cats are similar in some characteristics, there is a huge difference between the two.
One of the striking differences between a Tiger and a leopard, one can come across, is in its outer fur. The tigers have dark vertical stripes on a white or orange background. Instead of the vertical stripes, a leopard comes with spots or rosettes in its fur. One can see a large number of small spots on a leopard’s body.
When comparing the size of the two felines, the leopard is smaller to a tiger. When a tiger weighs about 500 pounds, a leopard just weighs 140 pounds. When talking about strength, the tiger has an upper hand over the leopard. The tiger has more powerful legs and shoulders than the leopard.
When a tiger stretches 6 feet in length and has a tail length of three foot, the leopard stretches to about 6.25 feet and has a tail length of about 4.5 feet.
Unlike the tiger, a leopard is known for its climbing ability. Leopards can be often seen resting in treetops. Though these two felines are known as good swimmers, the tiger is a better swimmer when compared to a leopard.
Well, the leopard is highly concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and are also seen in Indiachina, Indo-china and Malaysia. Tiger population is somewhat concentrated in southern and eastern Asia.
Leopard was earlier believed to be a hybrid of lion and panther. And thus the name leopard is a mix of Greek words leon (lion) and pardos (panther). Tiger is a word that has also been taken from Greek ‘Tigris’, meaning arrow (reference to a tiger’s speed).


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