Tiger Facts
In all, there were 8 subspecies of tiger. Of the different subspecies, 5 are endangered, while 3 have become extinct within the last 70 years.
Bengal Tiger
(Felidae Panthera tigris tigris):
Size:
Weight:
396-583 lbs.
Length:
Head/Body:
6.3-7.3 Ft
Tail:
32-36 inches
Shoulder Height:
36-38 inches
Location:
Isolated populations found across India, but most numerous in the mangrove swamps of the Sundarbans region that lies in Bangladesh and northeastern West Bengal; scattered populations in Nepal, Bhutan, and Burma.Lifestyle:
Habits:
Solitary cats; mostly due to the fact that the Bengal needs a lot of space in which to hunt.
Diet:
Sambar deer, chital deer, water buffalo, wild pigs, gaur and monkeys.
Lifespan:
Up to 26 years in the wild.
Breeding:
Sexual Maturity:
Female: 3-4 years
Males: 4-5 years
Mating season:
Winter to Spring
Gestation Period:
95-112 days
Number of Young:
2 to 4
Conservation:
In 1972 the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, with the Indian Government, launched Project Tiger. More than 40 tiger reserves were created and the species was given full protection, along with a trade ban on all tiger products. The Bengal Tiger is the most numerous subspecies, with approximately 3,060 to 4735 remaining in the wild. Tigers are still killed daily in Asia, however. The survival of the species may ultimately depend on the Bengal.
Other Facts:
White tigers are not a separate species, but the result of genetic mutation.
The Bengal tiger often walks backward into water to keep a watchful eye on its surroundings.
Tigers can kill a buffalo weighing more than 1,980 lbs-nearly four times its own weight.
Most water-loving of the big cats: it will even chase prey into water.
Kills with a deadly bite to the throat using its long canine teeth.
Siberian Tiger
(Panthera tigris altaica):
Size:
Length:
Male: 9-12 Ft, head to tip of tail; Female is smaller.
Height:
About 3.5 ft at the Shoulder
Weight:
400-650 lbs.
Location:
Found in NE China, Russia or north N. Korea.
Lifestyle:
Habits:
Male is solitary. Female lives in family units. Mostly nocturnal.
Diet:
Deer, elk, boar, lynx, bear; also smaller prey such as fish, rabbits, and hares.
Lifespan:
Up to 25 years.
Breeding:
Sexual maturity:
3-5 years
Mating:
No particular season.
Gestation:
3 to 3 1/2 months.
Litter size:
Up to 6 cubs, but usually 3-4.
Conservation:
The Siberian tiger is an endangered subspecies. It is estimated that no more than 200 of these animals are left in the wild. (Note: other reports say there are approximately 437 to 506 in the wild, either way the numbers are small)
Other Facts:
Siberian tigers are capable of dragging prey that would take more than a dozen men to move
One Siberian tiger traveled 620 miles in 22 days in search of food.
The Siberian tiger needs to eat over 20 lbs of meat a day to substain itself in the cold climate. It is capable of eating over 100 lbs of meat in one sitting.
The heaviest Siberian tiger on record weighed almost 850 lbs.
The Siberian is the largest living cat in the world.
Sumatran Tiger
(Panthera tigris sumatrae)
Found in Indonesia. Are approximately 400 to 500 in the wild.
South China Tiger
(Panthera tigris amoyensis):
Found in South China. Are the most critically Endangered of all the Tigers. Are currently 20 to 30 in the wild, along with approximately 48 in Zoos.
EXTINCT TIGERS:
Bali Tiger: Last seen in 1937
Caspian Tiger (Panthera tigris virgata): Last seen in the 1950's.
Java Tiger: Last seen in 1972.
Characteristics of the different tigers:
Appearance:
The night vision of the Tiger is 6 times better than humans
The Sumatran Tiger has the most stripes, while the Siberian has the least.
Often carry the Chinese mark of "Wang" (King in Chinese) on their foreheads
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Behavior:
Mostly solitary creatures. Only the mothers stay with their young until they are around the age of 2 to 3 years. Have areas in which they hunt that are called Territories. Can average from 10-30 square miles up to 120 square miles. Males often overlap the territories of the Females. A group of tigers are referred to as a Streak.
Life Span:
In the Wild, tigers live between 10 to 15 years. In capativity, they can live between 16 to 20 years.
Size:
| Subspecies | Total Length (inches) | Weight (lbs) | Greatest length of skull (inches) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| male | female | male | female | male | female | |
| Bengal | 106-122 | 95-104 | 419-569 | 221-353 | 13-15 | 11-12 |
| Indochinese | 101-112 | 91-100 | 330-430 | 221-287 | 13-14 | 11-12 |
| Siberian | 106-130 | 95-108 | 419-675 | 221-368 | 13-15 | 11-13 |
| South China | 91-104 | 87-95 | 287-386 | 221-254 | 13-14 | 11-12 |
| Sumatran | 87-100 | 85-91 | 221-309 | 165-243 | 12-13 | 10-12 |