litter size of Felidae family

The motivation behind the creation of this dataset was to find the mean litter size for animals in the taxonomic family Felidae. The species of cat were grouped into their different coat patterns to see whether there could be a link between more camouflaged animals and a higher litter size due to larger predators which feed on the cats. “more camouflaged” was determined as a darker spot/stripe. Other patterns were classed as Light spot/stripe and None, for no visible body patterning. The litter sizes were averaged for each group, however no clear relationship was seen. A possibility for this could have been due to tigers being the only group in “Dark stripe” and they are apex predators with no need to fear larger predators attacking their offspring.

The majority of references were sourced from Google scholar, however some of the more vulnerable cats were difficult to find papers on, so the internet was searched for the more reputable sites that could be trusted. To find the data the most common search terms used were “[Cat species], mean litter size.” And on the IUCN website the Habitat and ecology section in the species profile was most useful.

Holbrook, J.D.(2013) Population genetics of jaguarundis in Mexico: implications for future research and conservation. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 37(2), pp.336-341.

Princeton university accessed at https://assets.press.princeton.edu/birds/Hunter/cat.pdf

Bernard, RTF(1987)Reproduction of the caracal Felis caracal from the Cape Province of South

Africa. African Zoology, 22(3), pp.177-182.

Trinkel, M.(2010)Inbreeding and density‐dependent population growth in a small, isolated lion

population. Animal Conservation, 13(4), pp.374-382.

Hunter, L. (2015) Wild cats of the world. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Hostetler, J.A.(2012)Does genetic introgression improve female reproductive performance? A test

on the endangered Florida panther. Oecologia, 168, pp.289-300.

Cole, F.R.(2015)Felis margarita (Carnivora: Felidae). Mammalian Species, 47(924), pp.63-77.

Potterparkzoo.org>mammal_pallas_cat

Ruiz-Olmo, J.(2018) Breeding pattern of wildcat Felis silvestris (Schreber, 1777) studied in captivity

in the iberian peninsula. Hystrix, 29(2), p.202.

Smith, J.L.D.(1991)The contribution of variance in lifetime reproduction to effective population size

in tigers. Conservation Biology, 5(4), pp.484-490.

Morrison, E.E.(2022)Reproductive Rates, Kitten Survival, and Den Site Selection of Bobcats (Lynx

Rufus) in the Black Hills, South Dakota (Doctoral dissertation, West Virginia University).

icunredlist.org

DMOCH, R.(1997) Husbandry, breeding and population development of the Sri Lankan Rusty‐

spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus phillipsi. International Zoo Yearbook, 35(1), pp.115-120.

adfg.alaska.gov (Alaska fish and game department)

Hunter, L. (2015) Wild cats of the world. Bloomsbury Publishing.

icunredlist.org

icunredlist.org

Princeton university accessed at https://assets.press.princeton.edu/birds/Hunter/cat.pdf

icunredlist.org

Haines, A.M.(2005) Evaluating recovery strategies for an ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) population in

the United States. Biological Conservation, 126(4), pp.512-522.

Gaillard, J.M (2014) One size fits all: Eurasian lynx females share a common optimal litter

size. Journal of Animal Ecology, 83(1), pp.107-115.

Ortiz, G.(2022) A systematic review of reproductive physiology of jaguars (Panthera onca).

Palomares, F.(2005) Reproduction and pre-dispersal survival of Iberian lynx in a subpopulation of

the Donana National Park. Biological Conservation, 122(1), pp.53-59.

icunredlist.org

Laurenson, M.K.(1992)Female cheetah reproduction. National Geographic Research and Exploration, 8(1002), pp.64-75.

accessed online at https://animals.sandiegozoo.org>animals>fishing-cat

Owen, C. (2010)Copulatory parameters and reproductive success of wild leopards in South

Africa. Journal of Mammalogy, 91(5), pp.1178-1187.

cloudedleopard.org/about_main

nationalgeographic.com

animaldiversity.org/accounts/prionailurus_bengalensis/