The Secret Lives of Big Cats

Like most big cats, leopards are masters of secrecy because they need virtual invisibility to hunt, which is why they have evolved to be so secretive and great climbers.

The snow leopard becomes legendary for its rarity and elusiveness.

There are a couple of places in the world where seeing an elusive wild jaguar is now a possibility rather than a dream.

Siberian tigers, the largest of all cats, have experienced an almost total population crash during the past century with at least 97% gone.

Cheetahs are possibly the fastest land animals that have ever lived and they are daytime hunters with eyesight optimized for open landscape and distant prey.

Unlike other cats, lions are highly social, forming prides of up to 35 animals.

Pumas, also known as cougars or mountain lions, are much more closely related to cheetahs than lions.