Tiger
Tiger Facts
| Size | 57-78 inches (145-200 cm) (body length) |
| Speed | Up to 37 mph (60 km/h) (short distance) |
| Weight | 165-674 pounds (75-306 kg) |
| Lifespan | 8-9 years |
| Food | Deer, antelopes, wild boars |
| Predators | - |
| Habitat | Russia, China, India, Indonesia |
| Order | Carnivore |
| Family | Cats |
| Scientific name | Panthera tigris |
| Characteristics | Big cat, black stripes |
Main Characteristics
The world's largest wild cat is the Tiger. Their most distinctive feature are the dark stripes in their golden brown fur.
Distribution and Habitat
Tigers live in tropical rainforest and mangrove forests. They can also be found in very cold areas like the Siberian tiger in the snowy areas of Russia. They used to be much more common in the past. Today, tigers only live in eastern Russia, northern China, India and the island of Sumatra.
Life Style
Tigers are nocturnal animals that live a solitary life. When it's dark, they roam their habitat in search of prey. They also spend a lot of time looking for a mate or resting.
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
Tigers reach a shoulder height of 26-41 inches (66-105 cm). Their body length is 57-78 inches (145-200 cm). The tail measures 35-43 inches (90-110 cm). Overall, a tiger is about 118 inches (300 cm) long. Its weight is 165-674 pounds (75-306 kg). The females are slightly lighter and smaller than the males.
The Biggest and Heaviest
The Siberian tiger is the biggest of all. Including the tail, it is about 10 feet (3 meters) long and weighs up to 674 pounds (306 kg). The second biggest ist the Bengal tiger.
The Smallest and Lightest
The smallest is the Sumatran tiger. Its length including tail is 7-8 feet (215-250 cm) and it weighs 165-308 pounds (75-140 kg).
Striped Fur
What are the stripes good for? In the twilight the stripes look like grass or shadows.
Skin
The skin is striped just like the coat.
Diet
Tigers mainly hunt ungulates like deer, wild cattle and wild boar. Sometimes, they also prey on hares, rabbits, birds and reptiles (even crocodiles). They need about 13-17 pounds (6-8 kg) per day. However, they can eat up to 44 pounds (20 kg) in a single meal.
Behavior
Hunting Strategies
Tigers ambush their prey. They approach upwind so their scent doesn't warn them. When it is within 32-114 feet (10 to 35 meters) of distance, it will sprint to try and grab the prey. To kill it, it bites in the throat or neck.
Are Tigers Dangerous?
Tigers hunt deer and antelope. They don't target humans because they don't find human flesh to be tasty. However, when they have festering teeth, injured paws, or are blind (from a fight with a porcupine, for example), they go for easy prey: people. They also attack when we enter their territory and they feel threatened by us. Such an encounter is very dangerous and is fatal for a human in many cases.
What to Do If You Face a Tiger
If you ever happen to face a tiger, here's what to do: If it hasn't noticed you yet, don't make any noise. Be quiet and wait for the tiger to move on. If it already noticed you, don't turn around. Face the tiger, but don't make eye-contact. Don't run. Walk backwards slowly until safety.
How to Avoid an Attack
People in India have developed a clever trick to avoid tiger attacks. They wear masks on the back of their heads with a human face painted on them. Since then, there have been significantly fewer attacks on humans because the mask makes the predator believe that it sees the human head-on.
Senses and Abilities
Swimming
Tigers are skilled at swimming and are quite adept in the water. They even swim across large rivers that are 3-5 miles (6-8 km) wide.
Climbing
Yes, tigers can climb trees. But they rarely do so, because they're very large and heavy.
Jumping
Tigers have very strong hind legs. If they push off while running, they can jump 16-20 feet (5-6 meters).
Species
There are six subspecies. Most of them are considered vulnerable or even threatened by extinction. The Bali tiger, the Javan tiger, and the Caspian tiger are no longer included in this list as they unfortunately became extinct between 1940 and 1970.
Siberian tiger (Amur tiger)
Distribution: North Korea, China, Russia
Coat: Bright, long and dense
South China tiger
Distribution: China
Coat: Bright colors, hardly any white
Bengal tiger
Distribution: India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar
Coat: Multiple variations
Indochinese tiger
Distribution: South East Asia
Coat: Rather dark
Malayan tiger
Distribution: Malaysia
Coat: More reddish than the Indochinese tiger
Sumatran tiger
Distribution: Sumatra
Coat: Bright colors
Enemies and Threats
Natural Enemies
Adult tigers have no natural enemies. Asian wild dogs and brown bears occasionally prey on young, weak, or elderly animals.
Human Impact
The biggest threat to tigers is humans. The animals are losing their habitat because more and more forests are being cleared, settlements are being built and areas are being used for agriculture. As a result, the big cats hardly find any prey. Tigers are also hunted because people are afraid of them. They often fall victim to poachers, too. Their fur is a sought-after hunting trophy and their bones are used to make medicine.
How Many Tigers Are Left?
In 1920 there were still over 100,000 animals worldwide. Today, tigers are critically endangered. According to an IUCN estimate from 2021, there are only 2,600-3,900 animals left in the wild (as of August 2024). Most live in India. In Siberia and Sumatra there are only 400 animals left. It is said that there are still 1,700-2,300 Bengal tigers alive. The South Chinese may already be extinct. As well as Bali, Java and Caspian tigers.
Reproduction
After mating it takes about 100 days until the female tiger gives birth to two to five baby tigers. After two or three months they can follow their mother. After six months they start to eat meat. At this time they aren't yet able to hunt because they don't lose their milk teeth before the age of 18-20 months. The puppies stay with their mother for up to three years.
Fun Facts
Popcorn
A tiger's urine smells like popcorn.
Tasmanian Tiger
The Tasmanian tiger is not a tiger, but a marsupial. It is also named thylacine or Tasmanian wolf. The name "tiger" comes from the stripes in its fur. It has been the largest marsupial predator in Australia. However, it has been extinct since 1936.
White Tigers
There are also tigers with a coat striped black and white instead of golden-yellow and black. The color of their coat is the result of breeding. Yet, they aren't albinos, otherwise they would have red eyes. White tigers have blue eyes.
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