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Home > Meet Our Animals > Mammals > Carnivora
Carnivora
 

Carnivores are animals whose primary diet is meat.  Many carnivores are mammals belonging to the order Carnivora. You can see many carnivores throughout the Zoo, especially at Bank of America Big Cat Falls and Carnivore Kingdom.

Cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is the fastest mammal on land, capable of speed bursts of up to 70 miles per hour. It has a highly flexible spine and a slender build, which allows it to take long and rapid strides. The cheetah can sprint 60-70 mile per hour but only for about 300 yards.
 
African Lion
African Lion
The Philadelphia Zoo was the first zoo to exhibit white lions in North America in 1993.
 
African Wild Dog
African Wild Dog
African wild dogs live in a variety of habitats from semi-desert to plains.
 
Amur Leopard
Amur Leopard
The Amur leopard is considered to be the most endangered big cat in the world. It is estimated that there are between 20 and 30 animals existing in a 2,170 square mile area in its Russian habitat and no more than 10 in China.
 
Amur Tiger
Amur Tiger
Amur tigers are better known as Siberian tigers, but their native range has shrunk so much due to habitat loss, they are now known for the Amur River.
 
Giant Otter
Giant Otter
Giant otters have a seal-like head with well-developed jaw muscles and 34-36 teeth. Their wide, flattened wedge of a tail enables them to swim with great speed and maneuverability underwater.
 
Jaguar
Jaguar
Jaguars can be "tawny," with yellowish to brown color fur and a visible pattern of rosette markings across its body. Or, they can be "melanistic" or black. Black jaguars are not uncommon. These jaguars have a spotted skin, with black fur. At certain angles you can actually see the spotted skin of the jaguar under its dark colored fur.
 
Slender-tailed Meerkat
Slender-tailed Meerkat
Meerkats are relatives of the mongoose. The meerkats’ tail is used as a tripod to balance the animal in an upright position. They are often seen in “tripod” position, standing up on their hind legs and using their tails for balance.
 
Polar Bear
Polar Bear
Polar bears have adapted well to life in cold climates. Their fur is transparent and because it is hollow, can transmit the sun's light down to the layer of skin where it is converted to heat.
 
Puma
Puma
Pumas are the largest cats usually found in the United States. Pumas once lived throughout most of the country, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but they're now found mostly west of the Mississippi, with a small population of about 50 animals surviving in Florida.
 
Red Panda
Red Panda
Although once thought to be related to giant pandas, recent chromosome studies place the red panda in the raccoon family and the giant panda in the bear family. Modern molecular data suggests the raccoon and bear families diverged from a common carnivorous ancestor 35-40 million years ago
 
Snow Leopard
Snow Leopard
Snow leopards are the highest-altitude feline, a flagship species of the high mountains. They are threatened with extinction due to hunting.