Tiger

Tiger Facts

There are Several Species of Tigers

There are six sub-species of the tiger, which live in different regions. Not only in the tropical rainforest and mangrove forests, but also in very cold zones, for instance the Siberian tiger in the snowy areas of Russia. 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 – the biggest tiger
Coat: bright, long and dense
Habitat: North Korea, China, Russia
Status: endangered

• South China tiger
Coat: bright colors, hardly any white
Habitat: China
Status: critically endangered

• Bengal tiger - the second biggest tiger
Coat: several variations
Habitat: India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar
Status: vulnerable

• Indochinese tiger
Coat: rather dark
Habitat: South East Asia
Status: endangered

• Malayan tiger
Coat: more reddish than the Indochinese tiger
Habitat: Malaysia
Status: endangered

• Sumatran tiger - the smallest tiger
Coat: bright colors
Habitat: Sumatra
Status: critically endangered

Tiger - Photo: konmesa/Shutterstock

Feared Hunter

Between 1902 and 1907, one single tiger killed 434 humans in India. Generally, tigers do not find the meat of humans particularly tasty. But if they are blind (e.g. by fighting with porcupines), have bad teeth, or injured paws, they sometimes go for easy prey.

The Tiger Has a Good Appetite

Usually a tiger eats about 13-18 lb (6-8 kg) meat every day. Yet, after a successful hunting trip it sometimes does not hesitate and devours up to 44 lb (20 kg) in one go.

Help, There’s Something in My Neck!

Every feline predator has its special hunting method. The lion chokes its prey. The tiger always sneaks up from behind and kills its prey with a bite in the neck. Larger animals get bitten in the throat. The people of India have developed a special trick: They wear masks with faces painted on them on the back of their heads. Since then there have been much less attacks on humans, because the mask makes the tiger think that it is looking into the face of its prey.

Tiger - Photo: neelsky/Shutterstock

I Am a Zebra!

Although the tiger has a striped coat, no prey animal would mistake it for a harmless zebra. But what are the stripes good for then? It is as simple as this: In the twilight the stripes look like grass or shadows. By the way: Not only the coat is striped, but also the skin.

Soaking wet

Tigers are extremely good swimmers.

The Biggest and the Heaviest

The Siberian tiger is the biggest of all. It is about 10.8 ft (3.30 m) long (including the tail).

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 are not albinos, otherwise they would have red eyes. White tigers have blue eyes.

Tiger - Photo: nattanan726/Shutterstock

Reproduction

After mating it takes about 103 days until the female tiger gives birth to 2-5 baby tigers. After 2-3 months they can follow their mother. After 6 months they start to eat meat. At this time they are not yet able to hunt because they do not lose their milk teeth before the age of 18-20 months.

• Find out more:
• Cheetah Facts
• Jaguar Facts
• Leopard Facts
• Lion Facts
• Lynx Facts

• Watch now on animalfunfacts.net:
• Video: 11 Mammal Fun Facts - e.g. about the tiger

Tiger - Photo: Denise Allison Coyle/Shutterstock