Tiger
Panthera tigris
The tiger is the largest member of the felid (cat) family. They sport long, thick reddish coats with white bellies and white and black tails. Their heads, bodies, tails and limbs have narrow black, brown or gray stripes. There were once nine subspecies of tigers: Bengal, Siberian, Indochinese, South Chinese, Sumatran, Malayan, Caspian, Javan and Bali. Of these, the last three are extinct and the rest are endangered.
Height 3-3 ½ feet at shoulders
Length Head and body length 4.6-9.2
feet (tail length 2-3 feet)
Weight The Siberian tiger is the largest
subspecies and males weigh from around 400-675 lbs, while the Sumatran tiger,
the smallest living subspecies, weighs in from around 220-310 lbs. Females of
all tiger subspecies are smaller than the males.
Lifespan 10-15 years
Diet
Staples Sambar deer, wild pigs, water buffalo and antelope
Also
known to attack sloth bear, dogs, leopards, crocodiles and pythons as well as
monkeys and hares. Old and injured tigers have been known to attack humans and
domestic cattle.
Population
In the early 1900s, there were around 100,000 tigers throughout
their range. Today, an estimated total of around 3,000-4,500 exist in the wild.
Below is a breakdown of numbers by subspecies.
Bengal tiger:
less than 2,000
Indochinese tiger: 750-1,300
South Chinese tiger: less than
20
Siberian tiger: around 450
Sumatran tiger: 400-500
Malayan tiger:
less than 500
Caspian tiger: extinct
Javan tiger: extinct
Bali tiger:
extinct
Range
Historic tiger range ran from Turkey through South and Southeast Asia to the far eastern shores of the continent. Today, they are only found in South and Southeast Asia, China and the Russian Far East.
Behavior
Tigers occupy a variety of habitats from tropical forests, evergreen forests, woodlands and mangrove swamps to grasslands savannah and rocky country. They are mostly nocturnal (more active at night) and are ambush predators that rely on the camouflage their stripes provide. Tigers use their body weight to knock prey to the ground and kills with a bite to the neck. They are also very good swimmers and have been known to kill prey while swimming.
Tigers essentially live solitary lives, except during mating season and when females bear young. They are usually fiercely territorial and have and mark their large home ranges.
Reproduction
Mating Season In tropical climates, mostly from around
November to April; during the winter months in temperate
regions.
Gestation 103 days
Litter size 3-4 cubs
Cubs follow
their mother out of the den at around 8 weeks and become independent at around
18 months of age. They leave their mothers at about 2 ½ years. Mothers guard
their young from wandering males that may kill the cubs to make the female
receptive to mating.
Threats
They are illegally killed or poached because their pelts are valuable in the black market trade, their body parts are used in traditional Asian medicines and they are seen as threats to human communities. There is also large scale habitat loss due to human population growth and expansion. Human encroachment into tiger habitat also decreases prey animals.
Legal Status/Protection
*Endangered Species Act, **CITES Appendix I
* The Endangered Species Act requires the U.S. federal government to identify species threatened with extinction, identify habitat they need to survive, and help protect both. In doing so, the Act works to ensure the basic health of our natural ecosystems and protect the legacy of conservation we leave to our children and grandchildren.
*Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international treaty with 172 member countries. Appendix I listed species cannot be traded commercially. Appendix II listed species can be traded commercially only if it does not harm their survival.
How You Can Help
- Help tigers and other wildlife by adopting an animal at our Wildlife Adoption Center.
- Take Action for Wildlife at our Wildlife Action Center.
For additional information
Learn about Defenders' work on International Conservation.
Save the Tiger Fund
Tigers in Crisis
