Cheetah vs Tiger

Acinonyx jubatus compared with Panthera tigris

Key Differences

  • Cheetah is Vulnerable while Tiger is Endangered.
  • Tiger is 4.4x heavier than Cheetah.
  • Tiger lives longer (20 years vs 12 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Cheetah Tiger
Kingdom same Animalia (Animals) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same Chordata (cordados) Chordata (cordados)
Class same Mammalia (mamíferos) Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order same Carnivora (carnívoros) Carnivora (carnívoros)
Family same Felidae (Cats) Felidae (Cats)
Genus Acinonyx (Cheetahs) Panthera (Big Cats)
Species Acinonyx jubatus Panthera tigris

Evolutionary Relationship

Cheetah and Tiger share a common ancestor at the Family level: Felidae. (Cats)

Conservation Status

Cheetah

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~6.7K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Tiger

EN — Endangered

Population: ~4.5K

Trend: Increasing ↑

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Cheetah Tiger
Diet Carnivore Carnivore
Average Lifespan 12 years 20 years
Average Length 1.5 m 3.0 m
Average Weight 50.0 kg 220.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cheetah

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Botswana, Iran, Kenya, Namibia, and Tanzania. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Tiger

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Ecuador. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Cheetah

A chita (Acinonyx jubatus) é o animal terrestre mais veloz do mundo, capaz de atingir 120 km/h em corridas curtas. Possui corpo esbelto, pernas longas e manchas negras sólidas sobre pelagem dourada. Distribui-se nas savanas africanas e, em pequena população, no Irã. Diferentemente de outros grandes felinos, não ruge. Caça durante o dia, utilizando visão aguçada e velocidade para perseguir presas. Classificada como espécie vulnerável, com menos de 7.000 indivíduos na natureza.

Tiger

O maior felino selvagem da Terra, o tigre pode superar 300 kg e habita florestas do Extremo Oriente russo ao Sudeste Asiatico. E um predador solitario de emboscada com seu caracteristico pelo listrado de laranja e preto que fornece camuflagem na luz filtrada. Esta em Perigo Critico, com menos de 4.000 individuos restando em estado selvagem devido a caca predatoria e o desmatamento.

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