Q. 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? (UPSC Prelims 2024)
Answer: 1 and 2 only
Notes: The correct answer is [A] 1 and 2 only. This question tests specific behavioral traits of the "Big Cats" found in the wild.

• Statement 1 is Correct: Lions (Panthera leo) are polyestrous, meaning they do not have a specific annual breeding season. While peaks in births can occur, mating and cub-rearing can happen at any time of the year, unlike many temperate-zone mammals that are seasonal breeders.
• Statement 2 is Correct: Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are not part of the genus Panthera (which includes lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars). They lack the specialized elasticated hyoid bone and fibro-elastic tissue required to roar. Instead, cheetahs communicate through chirps, purrs, and hisses.
• Statement 3 is Incorrect: Male leopards are highly territorial and frequently use scent marking to proclaim and defend their territory. They use a combination of urine spraying (often mixed with glandular secretions) and "scuffing" or "raking" the ground with their hind paws to leave a olfactory and visual signal for other leopards. Both lions and leopards utilize this behavior.

The Indian government has recently focused on these species due to Project Lion and the Cheetah Reintroduction Project in Kuno National Park, making their behavioral differences a key area of study for the UPSC.