Tigers

Picture source:
The Vanishing Tiger © 2000-2001
Candice Klarich

Perfect hunters with a number of adaptations for living in the wild Asian forests, Tigers are the largest members of the cat family. These fascinating animals feed mainly on meat, which is the key factor in establishing the misconception of Tigers as man-eaters. Powerful predators, Tigers face a lot of threats, habitat loss and poaching are the most destructive. Of eight known species of the Tiger, only five have survived. Nowadays, efforts are taken to preserve the remaining species in the wild and to establish the population of these magnificent felines at zoos and parks.

Tigers Pictures - Description

Depending of the species, Tigers range in weight from 165 to 242 pounds. Males may be as large as 220-310 pounds. Mainland Tigers are usually larger with the Indian Tiger that is the largest of the Tiger species. The length of the tiger's body is about 7-12 feet.

These wild felines have a number of adaptations that allow them to successfully hunt a variety of prey. Thus, the Tiger's hind limbs are longer in comparison with the forelimbs, which provides for effective jumping. The sharp retractile claws help the species catch and hold the prey. The Tiger has powerful jaws with flattened canines. It should be said that the coat markings are different in individual species. They are like the fingerprints in humans and may help to identify individual cats.

Tigers Pictures - Species Identification

Picture source:
The Vanishing Tiger © 2000-2001
Candice Klarich

It is estimated that about 5,000 to 7,000 Tigers are left in the wild. Three of the eight known species are now extinct. They are the Caspian, Javan, and Balinese Tiger. The remaining five species - Bengal, Sumatran, Indochina, South China, and Siberian are strongly in need of protection.

Bengal Tigers can also be referred to as White Tigers. The scientific name of the species is Panthera tigris tigris. They are the most abundant of all the Tigers with the population size approximating 3,000 to 4,500 species. They are found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Bhutan. The average weight of Bengal tiger males is 180-230 kilograms, whereas the length of the body including the tail is about 2.9 m. Females are usually smaller.

Indochinese Tigers are found in Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malasya, and some parts of China. Scientists prefer to call them Panthera tigris corbetti. The Indochina Tiger is smaller than the Bengal Tiger and the coat color is darker. The species is easily recognized by prominent white stripes on the cheeks.

Those who want to see the Sumatran Tiger in its natural habitat are welcome to visit the island of Sumatra. Famous for its abundance of black stripes on the dark orange ground color, this species (scientific name Panthera tigris sumatrae) does well in five national parks of Sumatra. Sumatran Tigers have a ruff around the neck, which helps to differentiate it from the other Tiger species. The estimated population size is 400-500 Sumatran tigers in the wild.

Siberian Tigers or Amur Tigers are the largest of all the Tigers. Some of these felines have been known to reach the weight of 350 kg. They have a very thick coat that protects them from cold climate of Siberia. Unlike in other Tiger species, the Siberian Tiger's stripes are brown rather than black and the base color is golden rather than orange.

Panthera tigris amoyensis, called commonly the South China Tiger or the Amoy Tiger, is the most critically endangered of the Tiger species. The estimated population size is 20-30 Amoy tigers in the wild. They are the smallest of all subspecies and are probably the ancestors to all Tigers.