Consider the following statements :
1. Lions do not have a particular breeding season.
2. Unlike most other big cats, cheetahs do not roar.
3. Unlike male lions, male leopards do not proclaim their territory by scent marking.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2024
1. Lions do not have a particular breeding season. This statement is generally correct. Lions can breed throughout the year, although the timing of births might be influenced by local conditions such as prey availability, which can lead to peak periods in some areas. However, they are capable of breeding year-round, unlike some animals with strict seasonal breeding.
2. Unlike most other big cats, cheetahs do not roar. This statement is correct. Cheetahs belong to the genus *Acinonyx*, while the roaring big cats (lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, snow leopard) belong to the genus *Panthera*. Cheetahs vocalize with chirps, purrs, hisses, and growls but lack the anatomical structure (specifically, the hyoid bone structure) that allows true roaring.
3. Unlike male lions, male leopards do not proclaim their territory by scent marking. This statement is incorrect. Leopards, both male and female, are solitary and highly territorial. They actively scent mark their territories using urine, feces, and by rubbing scent glands against objects. Male lions also scent mark, although their territorial behaviour is linked to the pride structure. The statement’s assertion that male leopards *do not* scent mark is false.
Based on the analysis, statements 1 and 2 are correct.
– Cheetahs cannot roar; they chirp, purr, etc.
– Both male lions and male leopards use scent marking to define territory.