Description
Tigers belong to the panther genus along with the lion, leopard and jaguar. The worldwide population numbers up to 6,500 individuals. It includes several subspecies of the tiger. In general, this is one of the largest predators living on land, but each subspecies has its own characteristics.
Cat family
Dimensions
Among the subspecies, mainland and island representatives are distinguished. Continental ones are larger and more massive. These include Bengal and Amur tigers. The body length of males is 2.3-2.5 m, sometimes the size reaches 2.9 m excluding the tail.
The height at the withers of an adult male is up to 1.15 m. Females of all subspecies are smaller in length and height.
Tiger growth
Body
Features of the body structure are one of the main advantages of the tiger. It looks large and massive, but at the same time, elongated and flexible. In the shoulder region the animal is higher than in the sacrum. At the same time, the front part is more developed compared to the back.
The long tail is characterized by evenly distributed hair. The front paws have 5 toes, the hind paws have 4. The claws of tigers are strong and retractable, like those of all cats. Males leave tracks 15-16 cm long and 13-14 cm wide. The tracks of females are 1-2 centimeters shorter and narrower.
Tiger retractable claws
The head is round in shape with a massive skull. The forehead is convex, the facial part prominently protrudes, on which the cheekbones are widely located. The ears are small and rounded.
Tiger head close up
A tiger's whiskers, called vibrissae, are arranged in several rows. Most often they are white, dense, and about 16 cm long. Vibrissae, like those of other mammals, perform a tactile function.
The vision of predators is well developed, including the ability to see in the dark. Tigers also see certain colors. An adult has 30 teeth. The fangs can reach 8 cm in length. They are well developed, as they help the predator hunt. The tiger's tongue has special tubercles that facilitate hygiene and food processing.
Eyes of a tiger
Interesting fact : the eyes of tigers can be yellow or blue. This depends on the color of the species, since one gene is responsible for eye and coat color. For example, white tigers have blue eyes, Bengal tigers have yellow eyes.
Color
The type of coat also depends on the subspecies of the tiger. Inhabitants of northern latitudes have tall, fluffy fur. The southern subspecies are distinguished by their short, sparse, but dense coat.
All tigers are striped, but their characteristics are determined by the subspecies. The fur of most animals is colored in shades of orange, rusty red, and brown. Light hair predominates on the belly, chest, inside of the paws, tail, neck and area around the eyes. The tip of the tail is always black.
Classic tiger color
Dark brown or black stripes are a characteristic feature of a tiger. They can be located at any distance from each other. In this case, the stripes have a certain shape - pointed at the end. As a rule, the stripes are less frequent in the upper part of the body, and denser in the lower part.
Otherwise, the stripes are unique to each individual. Experts often use this feature of animals to identify a particular individual. The original color is necessary for tigers to camouflage while hunting.
Interesting fact : tigers not only have striped fur, but also their skin itself. If you completely remove the hair, you can see an identical striped pattern. When the fur grows back, he will recover.
Tiger skin
Unusual color variations
In addition to the typical color, there are also more unusual options. Each of them is a specific mutation. These include white, golden tigers, as well as officially unconfirmed individuals with black and bluish-gray fur.
White tiger without stripes
White Bengal tigers are more common in captivity than in the wild. Approximately one in 10,000 tiger cubs may be born with this mutation. The white tiger has dark stripes and blue eyes.
White Bengal tigers
Golden tigers are considered rarer. About 30 of these individuals are kept in captivity. Scientists believe that such an unusual color appeared as a result of long-term reproduction of predators within one family group.
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Golden Tiger
How long do tigers live?
Among tigers there are real long-livers - the average life expectancy depends on the subspecies. In general, there is a general pattern: in captivity, animals can live approximately 5 years longer.
Amur predators live about 15 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity. Bengal tigers have the same average age, but in artificially created conditions they can live up to 50 years.
In the wild, Chinese, Indochinese and Sumatran tigers live up to about 18 years of age. The record holder among these felines is considered to be the Malayan tigers, which in the wild live up to almost 50 years, and in an artificial environment - 5 years longer.
Long-lived Malayan subspecies
The lifespan of tigers depends on many factors. In captivity, it is important to create the most suitable living conditions.
Facts 36-40
36. Over the past 80 years, three subspecies of tigers have become extinct. The Bali tiger was deliberately exterminated in Bali due to the fact that it carried the “cultural status of evil.” The Javan tiger was also extirpated after its numbers plummeted due to habitat loss. The Caspian tiger became extinct because it was overhunted.
37. In China, poaching tigers or using them for alternative medicine has been illegal for many years and punishable by death. In traditional medicine, there are much more powerful and readily available medicinal preparations than any part of the tiger, which have historically been used to impart solidity and exoticism rather than for any medicinal properties.
How much does a tiger weigh?
Like its size, the weight of a tiger depends on its belonging to a particular subspecies. Amur males weigh 170-250 kg. Sometimes there are real giants - about 300 kg. Females weigh almost half as much - 100-167 kg.
Bengal tigers have some differences in weight even within their subspecies. For example, the average weight of males living in India is about 221 kg, and in Nepal - 235 kg. Only some individuals reach 300 kg or more. Females weigh on average 140 kg, but not more than 193.
Interesting fact : the absolute record holder among Bengal tigers and the entire species is a male weighing 388.7 kg.
Indochinese tigers are less massive. Males weigh 150-195 kg, females - 100-130 kg. As with other subspecies, there are also larger individuals.
Comparison of cat species
Malayan tigers are one of the smallest of all subspecies, along with Sumatran tigers. The weight of males is about 120 kg, and females - no more than 100. Scientists believe that these tigers are smaller than their relatives, as they are adapted to life in dense tropical forests.
The Chinese subspecies is also distinguished by its relatively small dimensions. Males weigh 127-177 kg, and females - from 100 kg to 118. It is noteworthy that these are probably the fastest tigers, as in a short distance they can accelerate to 56 km/h.
What does it eat?
Tigers are predatory animals, but this does not prevent them from eating plant products (fruits, nuts, etc.) from time to time. The diet of a species depends on the conditions in which it lives.
In the wild, tigers actively hunt mainly ungulates. Amur - for deer, roe deer, wild boars; Bengal - on Indian sambars, nilgai; Sumatran - for tapirs, sambars. In other words, prey depends on habitat.
Sometimes the diet includes large herbivores (buffalo, elk, gaur), fish, reptiles and animals uncharacteristic of tigers: hares, pheasants, etc. Predators try to avoid larger animals, for example, elephants and rhinoceroses. Although there are known cases of successful hunting.
Tiger on the hunt
An adult predator needs about 60 ungulates per year to fully satisfy its food needs. At one time, an animal can eat no more than 40 kg of meat, but if the tiger has been starving for a long time, then all 50 kg. Having overtaken large prey, it, as a rule, feeds on it for several days.
Interesting fact : tigers can go without food for some time. Their body is provided with subcutaneous fatty tissue, through which energy and valuable substances are replenished. For example, in the Amur subspecies the thickness of the fiber layer is about 5 cm.
Natural habitat
The formation of tigers as a separate species took place in Asia, and unlike many animals that gradually populated other continents during migration, the natural range of striped predators remained limited to the Asian continent.
Tigers are exclusively Asian animals
Elena
Scientists have still not come to a consensus why tigers have not settled in Africa and Europe. Some experts believe that the huge cats, accustomed to the humid tropics, did not like the hot African climate and the cold European forests. Other experts put forward the version that tigers were prevented from conquering new lands by such large predators as lions, which dominate Africa, and bears, which have chosen the mountainous and forest regions of Europe.
These fascinating animals were once widespread throughout Asia, including the Russian Far East and the Sunda Islands archipelago. But literally over the past century, the natural habitats of tigers have decreased significantly, and their small populations have remained in the territories of only 16 countries, such as:
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- Bangladesh;
- Laos;
- Pakistan;
- India;
- Butane;
- China;
- Thailand;
- Cambodia;
- Vietnam;
- Malaysia;
- Burma;
- Nepal;
- Iran;
- Indonesia;
- Russia.
The last country on this list should have been the DPRK (North Korea), at least the Koreans themselves claim that several tigers remain in the wild. But zoologists suggest that striped cats have already been completely exterminated in this country, although they can neither confirm nor deny the version of the existence of tigers in North Korea, given the fact that access to it is closed to members of world natural organizations.
Range – where does the tiger live?
Tigers are Asian animals. The historical range was considered to be the territories of Iran, the eastern part of the Russian Federation, China, Afghanistan, India, and the countries of Southeast Asia. But various factors (mostly human activity, deliberate extermination of tigers, poaching) have significantly reduced the population and distribution of the species.
Tiger range
Full list of 16 countries where tigers are found:
- India;
- China;
- Bangladesh;
- Thailand;
- Russia;
- Malaysia;
- Nepal;
- Pakistan;
- Laos;
- Vietnam;
- Butane;
- Cambodia;
- Iran;
- Myanmar;
- Indonesia;
- DPRK (data not officially confirmed).
The largest tiger populations are in India and the Indochina Peninsula. In our country, a small number of the species has remained in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories.
Tigers do not have specific preferences in terms of natural conditions and landscapes. They can live in tropical forests, mangrove swamps, and bamboo thickets with high humidity. Animals can also often be found in arid zones: savannas, semi-deserts, taiga zones. Tigers also feel comfortable at an altitude of up to 3 km.
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Behavior
Representatives of the cat family cannot be classified as nocturnal or diurnal animals - they can be active at any time of the day. But tigers still prefer to hunt in the morning, evening or night, and rest during the day.
Usually animals move in large steps, but they can also develop greater speed, especially in the process of chasing prey. Tigers love water and have proven themselves to be excellent swimmers, but they do not climb trees. A small exception is tiger cubs under 2 years old and weighing up to 60 kg.
Tiger in the water
For subspecies living in hot countries, swimming is a necessary activity that allows them to cool down. At the same time, predators are not afraid of low temperatures. They molt in spring and autumn.
Tigers rarely make any sounds except during the breeding season, during hunting, or in case of aggression. The animal has developed a habit of tracking down prey, moving along their tracks and trails.
It is extremely important for a tiger to mark its territory and protect it from strangers. Predators mark territories with an individual scent and this is the main method of communication between individuals.
Males occupy large territories - about 60-100 km2, and females occupy smaller territories - about 20 km2. Otherwise, the occupied area is determined by the habitat, the amount of food and the number of females (relative to males). Male tigers allow females (up to 4) into their territory, where each of them occupies its own area.
Animals move within their zone regularly along the same route, simultaneously marking the territory. They also provide several places for rest - a kind of den.
If another male violates the occupied territory, you can expect a serious fight, since this issue is extremely serious for tigers. Even walking through the designated area is unacceptable. Tigresses are not aggressive in this regard and often share their prey with other females.
Tiger fight
Felines do not hunt together. They single-handedly ambush prey in the winter or quietly sneak up on it (in the summer). When the distance between the predator and its target is reduced as much as possible, the tiger attacks sharply. He is able to jump 10 m in length and 5 m in height.
If the animal managed to escape, pursuit is possible, but not further than 150 m at high speed. The tiger can carry caught prey weighing up to 100 kg in its teeth. It will drag a larger animal along the ground.
Interesting fact : tigers do not know how to hunt from birth. In order for the predator to survive and provide itself with food, the mother tigress must teach her offspring hunting techniques.
Facts 11-15
11. Just like on domestic cats, the markings are on the tiger's skin, so even a shaved tiger will be striped.
12. Unlike most other cats, tigers are very good swimmers. They enjoy bathing and often play in the water, especially when young. As adults, they often swim several kilometers to hunt, sometimes they simply swim across rivers.
13. Tigers are the largest of all cats, and they also come in a wide variety of sizes. The largest subspecies, the Siberian tiger, grows up to 3.5 meters in length and weighs more than 300 kg. The smallest subspecies, the Sumatra tiger, grows up to 2 meters and weighs about 100 kg.
14. Tigresses are capable of conceiving only for 4-5 days throughout the year. During this time they often mate. Their pregnancy lasts a little more than three months, and they usually give birth to 2-3 cubs.
Reproduction
Tigers are polygamous. Females become reproductively capable at the age of 3-4 years. Mating occurs in winter, but fertilization is possible only a few days a year.
Tigresses give birth every couple of years. Gestation lasts an average of 103 days. Females prefer to set up a den in closed, hard-to-reach places and not leave it for several years in a row.
Newborn tiger cubs
The birth of tiger cubs occurs in the spring. The brood most often consists of 2-4 individuals. One tiger cub or more than 4 do happen, but very rarely. Babies are born fully formed, but cannot take care of themselves.
Grown up tiger cub
The tigress fully provides them with everything they need for up to 18 months: she feeds them with milk, then takes them out of the den, and teaches them to hunt. Males do not participate in this process. Often, tiger cubs stay with their mother for up to 2-3 years or longer. Then they leave the habitat. The females remain nearby, while the males seek their own territory.
Enemies
The tiger is at the top of the food chain in its range, so it has few natural enemies. These include representatives of the canine family, other cats, brown, Himalayan and Malayan bears, and crocodiles. The main reason for hostility between predators is the fight for food. In addition, tigers sometimes deliberately hunt these animals.
Bears are the main enemies of tigers
Subspecies of tigers
There are currently 6 subspecies of tiger:
- Amur;
- Bengal;
- Indo-Chinese;
- Chinese;
- Malay;
- Sumatran.
The Bali, Transcaucasian and Javan tigers are considered extinct.
Transcaucasian (Turanian tiger)
The Amur or Ussuri tiger is found primarily in Russia, but is also found in China and North Korea. Population – from 450 to 540 individuals. The largest subspecies, as well as a representative of felines in general. It is distinguished by fluffy, long, dense wool of a duller color compared to other subspecies and fewer stripes on the body.
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