Tiger (Panthera tigris)
Photo via Brimac the 2nd via Flickr CC
Characteristics:
A tiger’s coat is one of the most recognizable in the world with dark vertical stripes on brownish-orange fur and white ventral areas. The striped pattern is also found on the skin and no two tigers’ striped pattern is the same. White tigers, a melanist version (not albino), are tigers bearing a white background. Although rare in the wild, 1 in 10,000 wild breedings result in a white tiger, are often bred in zoos because of their popularity with the public. Another melanist variation is the golden tiger. Golden tigers have thick, light-gold fur, pale legs, and faint orange stripes. Maltese tigers (blue tinted tigers) and black tigers (all-black tigers) are extremely rare melanist forms of the tiger, although their very existence is questionable. The largest species of cat, tigers vary greatly in size with the females being 140-370 lbs. while males can weigh up to 670 lbs.
Habitat:
Their habitat varies greatly and they abide in most any place where there is sufficient cover, water, and prey. They live in many different types of forests as well as some grasslands, savannas, and even rocky terrain. Their fragmented range extends from India in the west to China and Southeast Asia including Sumatra, the only notable island they inhabit. The northern limit of their range is close to the Amur River in southeastern Siberia.
A tiger’s coat is one of the most recognizable in the world with dark vertical stripes on brownish-orange fur and white ventral areas. The striped pattern is also found on the skin and no two tigers’ striped pattern is the same. White tigers, a melanist version (not albino), are tigers bearing a white background. Although rare in the wild, 1 in 10,000 wild breedings result in a white tiger, are often bred in zoos because of their popularity with the public. Another melanist variation is the golden tiger. Golden tigers have thick, light-gold fur, pale legs, and faint orange stripes. Maltese tigers (blue tinted tigers) and black tigers (all-black tigers) are extremely rare melanist forms of the tiger, although their very existence is questionable. The largest species of cat, tigers vary greatly in size with the females being 140-370 lbs. while males can weigh up to 670 lbs.
Habitat:
Their habitat varies greatly and they abide in most any place where there is sufficient cover, water, and prey. They live in many different types of forests as well as some grasslands, savannas, and even rocky terrain. Their fragmented range extends from India in the west to China and Southeast Asia including Sumatra, the only notable island they inhabit. The northern limit of their range is close to the Amur River in southeastern Siberia.
Lifestyle:
Behavior:
Tigers are notorious for their attraction to water and they can swim up to 18 miles in a single day. The water allows them to cool off as well as hunt for prey. They are thought to hunt at night, specifically when they live near humans, but in more remote regions, they hunt during the day. They normally live alone, only coming together to mate, but some tigers have been seen interacting or sharing kills with each other. Territorial disputes, most commonly between males, are normally settled by intimidation rather than attacks.
Diet:
Tigers prey on medium to large sized animals and normally prey on the hoofed animal’s native to where the tiger lives. They may also prey on other predators such as dogs, leopards, crocodiles, and pythons. Sambar, chital, and barasingha are popular prey for Indian tigers, Manchurian wapiti and wild boar are the main prey for Siberian tigers, and sambar, muntjac, wild boar, and Malayan tapir are the main source of food for Sumatran tigers. Tigers may also prey on livestock and, if they desire vegetation, fruit from the slow match tree. On rare occasions, a tiger may kill an elephant or rhinoceros, but they are not common prey. For the most part, tigers avoid humans. However, tigers have been known to attack humans, although most of these tigers are old and unable to catch their normal prey, were provoked, or were injured. Still, sometimes a tiger may view humans as a food source, especially when the humans live very near where the tiger lives.
Hunting:
Like most cats, the tiger stalks and then ambushes its prey as it simultaneously pounces, knocks the prey over, and kills it with a bite to the neck. On rare occasion it will kill its prey with a blow of its paw which is capable of crushing the skull of a cow. Even as large as it is, the tiger can reach speeds of 30-40 mph. Only about 5% of hunts (including stalking a prey) result in a kill. Because of this, a tiger can go for up to two weeks without food and can alternatively eat up to 75 lbs. of flesh at one time. Tigers are also extremely strong in carrying their kill to a safe place. It is reported that a carcass that a tiger dragged 40 feet could not be budged by 13 men.
Reproduction:
Most matings occur between November and April, although they are polyestrous. Average gestation is 105 days. Two to three kitten are normally born in a sheltered place only a couple pounds and helpless. About half of the cubs will die within two years. At around 6-14 days, their eyes open and they will nurse for 3-6 months. Around that time they go with the mother on hunts and learn how to do it themselves. At 18 months, they are independent, but may not leave the mother until they are 2 or 2 ½ years old. Sexual maturity is reached in females at 3-4 years and in males 4-5 years of age. These cats live for about 20-26 years.
Predators:
Tigers compete with leopards, hyenas, pythons, bears, and crocodiles, and may kill them if necessary. However, most of the animals avoid tigers and sometimes jackals or wild dogs have been seen peacefully coexisting with tigers.
Behavior:
Tigers are notorious for their attraction to water and they can swim up to 18 miles in a single day. The water allows them to cool off as well as hunt for prey. They are thought to hunt at night, specifically when they live near humans, but in more remote regions, they hunt during the day. They normally live alone, only coming together to mate, but some tigers have been seen interacting or sharing kills with each other. Territorial disputes, most commonly between males, are normally settled by intimidation rather than attacks.
Diet:
Tigers prey on medium to large sized animals and normally prey on the hoofed animal’s native to where the tiger lives. They may also prey on other predators such as dogs, leopards, crocodiles, and pythons. Sambar, chital, and barasingha are popular prey for Indian tigers, Manchurian wapiti and wild boar are the main prey for Siberian tigers, and sambar, muntjac, wild boar, and Malayan tapir are the main source of food for Sumatran tigers. Tigers may also prey on livestock and, if they desire vegetation, fruit from the slow match tree. On rare occasions, a tiger may kill an elephant or rhinoceros, but they are not common prey. For the most part, tigers avoid humans. However, tigers have been known to attack humans, although most of these tigers are old and unable to catch their normal prey, were provoked, or were injured. Still, sometimes a tiger may view humans as a food source, especially when the humans live very near where the tiger lives.
Hunting:
Like most cats, the tiger stalks and then ambushes its prey as it simultaneously pounces, knocks the prey over, and kills it with a bite to the neck. On rare occasion it will kill its prey with a blow of its paw which is capable of crushing the skull of a cow. Even as large as it is, the tiger can reach speeds of 30-40 mph. Only about 5% of hunts (including stalking a prey) result in a kill. Because of this, a tiger can go for up to two weeks without food and can alternatively eat up to 75 lbs. of flesh at one time. Tigers are also extremely strong in carrying their kill to a safe place. It is reported that a carcass that a tiger dragged 40 feet could not be budged by 13 men.
Reproduction:
Most matings occur between November and April, although they are polyestrous. Average gestation is 105 days. Two to three kitten are normally born in a sheltered place only a couple pounds and helpless. About half of the cubs will die within two years. At around 6-14 days, their eyes open and they will nurse for 3-6 months. Around that time they go with the mother on hunts and learn how to do it themselves. At 18 months, they are independent, but may not leave the mother until they are 2 or 2 ½ years old. Sexual maturity is reached in females at 3-4 years and in males 4-5 years of age. These cats live for about 20-26 years.
Predators:
Tigers compete with leopards, hyenas, pythons, bears, and crocodiles, and may kill them if necessary. However, most of the animals avoid tigers and sometimes jackals or wild dogs have been seen peacefully coexisting with tigers.
Subspecies:
There are 9 subspecies of tigers, with the last 3 listed being extinct:
Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), also called the Indian tiger, lives in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. It is the most common subspecies, with populations estimated at less than 2,500 mature cats. It lives in alluvial grasslands, subtropical and tropical rainforests, scrub forests, wet and dry deciduous forests, and mangroves.
Indochinese tiger (P. t. corbetti), also known as Corbett's tiger, is found in Cambodia, China, Laos, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam. These tigers are smaller and darker than Bengal tigers. Their preferred habitat is forests in mountainous or hilly regions. There are around 350 tigers left in the wild.
Malayan tiger (P. t. jacksoni) is exclusively found in the southern part of the Malay Peninsula. The population in the wild may number around 500 individuals. It is the second-smallest living subspecies.
Sumatran tiger (P. t. sumatrae) is found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, and it is the smallest of all living tiger subspecies. They live in dense forests on the island of Sumatra. The wild population is estimated at between 400 and 500 cats, mostly in the island's national parks.
Siberian tiger (P. t. altaica), also known as the Amur tiger, inhabits the Amur-Ussuri region of Primorsky Krai and Khabarovsk Krai in far eastern Siberia. It ranks among the largest felines ever to have existed. Siberian tigers have thick coats, a paler golden color, and fewer stripes. In 2005, there were 331–393 Siberian tigers.
South China tiger (P. t. amoyensis), also known as the Amoy or Xiamen tiger, is the most critically endangered subspecies of tiger. One of the smaller tiger subspecies, it is possibly already extinct in the wild. Currently, 59 captive South China tigers are known, all within China, but these are known to be descended from only six animals.
Bali tiger (P. t. balica) is extinct. They were limited to the Indonesian island of Bali, and were the smallest subspecies. Bali tigers were hunted to extinction. The last Bali tiger is thought to have been killed on 27 September 1937. There are no Bali tigers in captivity.
Caspian tiger (P. t. virgata) is extinct. Also known as the Hyrcanian tiger or Turan tiger, it was found in the sparse forest habitats and riverine corridors west and south of the Caspian Sea and west through Central Asia into the Takla-Makan desert of Xinjiang. They had been seen in the wild until the early 1970s.
Javan tiger (P. t. sondaica) is extinct. They were limited to the island of Java, and had been recorded until the mid-1970s. Javan tigers were a fairly small subspecies.
Hybrid:
Notable hybrids include ligers and tigons (see the “Hybrid” section under "Lion" for information about ligers and tigons).
Conservation Status:
The IUCN Red List classifies the tiger as endangered. There are 3,000-4,000 tigers in the wild. Major reasons for population decline include poaching and loss of habitat due to destruction.
There are 9 subspecies of tigers, with the last 3 listed being extinct:
Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), also called the Indian tiger, lives in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. It is the most common subspecies, with populations estimated at less than 2,500 mature cats. It lives in alluvial grasslands, subtropical and tropical rainforests, scrub forests, wet and dry deciduous forests, and mangroves.
Indochinese tiger (P. t. corbetti), also known as Corbett's tiger, is found in Cambodia, China, Laos, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam. These tigers are smaller and darker than Bengal tigers. Their preferred habitat is forests in mountainous or hilly regions. There are around 350 tigers left in the wild.
Malayan tiger (P. t. jacksoni) is exclusively found in the southern part of the Malay Peninsula. The population in the wild may number around 500 individuals. It is the second-smallest living subspecies.
Sumatran tiger (P. t. sumatrae) is found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, and it is the smallest of all living tiger subspecies. They live in dense forests on the island of Sumatra. The wild population is estimated at between 400 and 500 cats, mostly in the island's national parks.
Siberian tiger (P. t. altaica), also known as the Amur tiger, inhabits the Amur-Ussuri region of Primorsky Krai and Khabarovsk Krai in far eastern Siberia. It ranks among the largest felines ever to have existed. Siberian tigers have thick coats, a paler golden color, and fewer stripes. In 2005, there were 331–393 Siberian tigers.
South China tiger (P. t. amoyensis), also known as the Amoy or Xiamen tiger, is the most critically endangered subspecies of tiger. One of the smaller tiger subspecies, it is possibly already extinct in the wild. Currently, 59 captive South China tigers are known, all within China, but these are known to be descended from only six animals.
Bali tiger (P. t. balica) is extinct. They were limited to the Indonesian island of Bali, and were the smallest subspecies. Bali tigers were hunted to extinction. The last Bali tiger is thought to have been killed on 27 September 1937. There are no Bali tigers in captivity.
Caspian tiger (P. t. virgata) is extinct. Also known as the Hyrcanian tiger or Turan tiger, it was found in the sparse forest habitats and riverine corridors west and south of the Caspian Sea and west through Central Asia into the Takla-Makan desert of Xinjiang. They had been seen in the wild until the early 1970s.
Javan tiger (P. t. sondaica) is extinct. They were limited to the island of Java, and had been recorded until the mid-1970s. Javan tigers were a fairly small subspecies.
Hybrid:
Notable hybrids include ligers and tigons (see the “Hybrid” section under "Lion" for information about ligers and tigons).
Conservation Status:
The IUCN Red List classifies the tiger as endangered. There are 3,000-4,000 tigers in the wild. Major reasons for population decline include poaching and loss of habitat due to destruction.
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