Tiger and leopard both are among the four big cats and belong to the same family and genus Panthera. They are among the top predators in many food chains. All the big cats are carnivores and they roar.
The main difference between tiger and leopard is that tiger has stripped fur while leopard has spotted fur.
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Comparison Table (Tiger vs Leopard)
| Characteristics | Tiger | Leopard |
| Meaning | Refers to the biggest wild cat among the four cats. | Refers to the smallest wild cat among the four cats. |
| Scientific name | It is referred to as Panthera Tigris. | It is referred to as Panthera Pardus. |
| Size | The biggest of all the big cats. | Smallest of all the big cats. |
| Coat color | They have an orange coat. | They have yellowish-brown or gold coat. |
| Design of fur | They have black striped fur. | They have black dotted fur. |
| Number of subspecies | There are 6 subspecies. | There are 7 subspecies. |
| Geographical location | They are found in East and Southern Asia. | They are found in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. |
| Habitat | They live in dense forests. | They live in forests, grasslands, mountains, and deserts. |
| Conservation status | They are endangered species. | They are near threatened. |
| Body type | Have a large, muscular body. | Have a slender body. |
| Strength | They are stronger than leopards. | They are less strong than the tiger. |
What is a Tiger?
Tiger is the biggest cat among the four wild big cats. It has an orange coat with black stripes. They are strong animals with long muscular bodies, thick sturdy legs, and heavy tails. There are 6 subspecies but they all look the same. They have the ability to jump very high up to 9 m high.
They weigh up to 300 kg. They are carnivores and they entirely feed on deer and wild boars. However, tigers are endangered species that are facing extinction due to human activities such as hunting, poaching, and deforestation.
They live in dense forests and when the forests are being cut, then they will not have a place to call home. Their bodies are large and muscular. They are excellent hunters and have the ability to run fast, climb trees, jump, and swim.
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What is Leopard?
Leopard is the smallest cat among the four wild cats. There are 7 subspecies of the leopard. Their bodies are slender and long. They have a yellowish-brown coat with black spots on their bodies. They attack their prey in ambush and they mainly do it at night.
Their slender and long bodies, short and stocky legs make them agile and excellent climbers. They inhabit various places including rainforests, deserts, mountains, and grasslands. Some species of leopards are considered threatened due to the loss of their natural habitat.
An adult leopard weighs up to 90kg. They are considered to be a mixed breed of lions and panthers and thus the name leopard. They are carnivores. They feed on the flesh of monkeys and deer. In case the other cats are about to attack their prey then they climb trees with their prey and feed on it from the top of the tree.
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Main Difference between Tiger and Leopard
- An adult tiger weighs about 300kg while an adult leopard weighs about 90kg.
- A tiger has black stripes while a leopard has black spots.
- Tiger has an orange coat while the leopard has a yellowish-brown coat.
- Tiger is the biggest of the four wild cats while the leopard is the smallest of the four wild cats.
- Tigers mostly prey and relax on the ground while leopards can climb the trees and relax from there and their spotted fur camouflages with the tree leaves.
- A tiger is 6 feet in length and 9 feet including the tail while a leopard is 6.25 feet and 10.75 feet including the tail.
- Tigers have large muscular bodies while leopards have slender bodies.
Similarities between Tiger and Leopard
- They both belong to the same genus.
- They are both carnivores.
- They both have black patterns on their bodies.
- They are both good climbers.
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In Conclusion
Tigers and leopards are both known and they are feared by human beings. The difference between the two is that the tiger has black stripes while the leopard has black spots. The leopards are also able to camouflage but tigers cannot camouflage. The main features that make tigers different from leopards are the design of the fur and the size of their bodies.
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