Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
Lions do not have a particular breeding season.
Unlike most other big cats, cheetahs do not roar.
Unlike male lions, male leopards do not proclaim their territory by scent marking.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
1 and 2
2 and 3
1 and 3
1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
Statement 1 is correct.
Lions do not have a fixed breeding season and can reproduce throughout the year.
A female lion generally gives birth to cubs after a gestation period of approximately 100–119 days.
The timing of reproduction may be influenced by prey availability, environmental conditions and the reproductive condition of the female.
Statement 2 is correct.
The cheetah belongs to the genus Acinonyx and cannot roar like lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars.
Instead of roaring, a cheetah produces purrs, chirps, growls, hisses and other types of vocalisations.
The sound-producing structure of the cheetah differs from that of the roaring species of the genus Panthera.
Statement 3 is incorrect.
Male leopards mark their territories through signals such as urine, faeces, scent and scratches on trees.
Scent marking helps leopards communicate information such as territorial boundaries, sex and reproductive condition.
Therefore, the assertion that male leopards do not proclaim their territories through scent marking is incorrect.