There are currently seven species of large bodied cats in existence: the lion, leopard, tiger, jaguar, snow leopard, puma, and the cheetah. These seven cat species have had their original range limited by human encroachment and now face an uncertain future in their ability to survive.
The extinctions of the late Tertiary period eliminated three major groups of felids: metailurines, homotherines, and smilodontines. During the Pleistocene period an additional five species of the Felini tribe were lost to extinction. The total lost is about thirty species and represents four fifths of the larger cats known and identified over the last 10 to 12 million years. Extinctions are a normal process in the overall biological process and many factors can contribute to the demise of a species. Typical causes are loss of habitat, loss of food sources, or a severe and sudden change in climatic cycles, denying the animal sufficient time for an evolutionary adjustment. The loss of thirty species of felines over such a short period is a considerable tragedy and should be cause for providing a better understanding and strict protection for the seven species still in existence.
The felines depicted are the American cheetah, classified as Miracinonyx trumani, Barbourofelis fricki, and the American saber-toothed lion, classified as Smilodon fatalis.ture in their ability to survive.
