The tiger is a striped predator. The largest tigers in the world

The tiger is the largest representative of the cat family. It ranks third in the ranking of the largest land predators after polar bear and a brown bear. The tiger lives mainly in dense forested areas. Tigers live in the taiga and tropical forests South and Southeast Asia.

Tiger species and habitat

There are several types of tigers. The largest of them lives in Eastern Siberia, and the smallest is on the islands of Sumatra, Java and Bali /

Most large tiger- Amur, weighs up to 420 pounds

Bengal tiger (Panthera Tigris) - India, Nepal, Bangladesh. Population size: 2000 individuals.
Chinese tiger (Panthera t. amoyensis) - China. Population size: only about 60 individuals in captivity.
Indochinese tiger (Panthera t. corbetti) - Cambodia, Laos, Mjanma, Thailand, Vietnam. Population size: 400 - 1000 individuals.
Malayan tiger (Panthera t. jacksoni) - Malay Peninsula. Population size: 600 - 800 individuals.
Sumatran tiger (Panthera t. sumatrae) - Sumatra. Population size: 440 - 680 individuals.
(Panthera t. Altaica) - Eastern Siberia. Population size: 450 - 500 individuals.

Tigers hunt a variety of animals, but the main diet of these predators is deer and wild boars. In Eastern Siberia, tigers even attack bears, although they do not always emerge victorious from the fight.

How tigers hunt

The tiger is a solitary hunter and, unlike lions, rarely hunts in a pack. Having noticed the victim, he crouches to the ground and slowly, silently creeps up. When the victim is at a distance of about 20 m, he suddenly rushes at him, grabs him by the neck and tries to overturn him with his weight. If a tiger has only wounded its prey, it can chase it for about 200 m. But such chases rarely end in success for it.

The tiger is big, beautiful, but extremely dangerous cat.

Tigers are an endangered species

Unfortunately, tigers are endangered. These beautiful animals once lived throughout Asia, but the reduction of their natural habitat, deforestation and illegal hunting have caused the population to plummet. Some Asian countries have special programs to protect tigers, which may be able to prevent the complete destruction of the largest cats in the world.

Did you know that

The largest tiger, the Amur tiger, that the researchers came across weighed 432 kg.
The tiger has well-developed all five senses, especially vision. Thanks to this, he sees in the dark five times better than a human.

Despite the high skill of the hunter, on average, only every tenth tiger attack is successful.
The characteristic color of the tiger allows it to camouflage perfectly. The predator's striped fur makes the contours of its body unclear, which allows it to sneak up on its chosen prey unnoticed.
A tiger can jump to a height of 5 meters. This feature is used when the victim is in a tree.
A tiger can eat up to 50 kg of meat at one time.
A tiger can run at a speed of 60 km/h.
The tiger, like the jaguar, is a good swimmer.

Tiger Dimensions:

Length: 1.7 - 3.3 m.
Height at withers: 0.8 - 1.2 m.
Body weight: 90 - 423 kg (males), 65 - 160 kg (females).
Lifespan: 10-15 years wildlife, in captivity 16-20 years.

Total allocated nine species of tigers, of which only six remain alive, and three are considered extinct.

Existing tiger species

Amur or Siberian tigers

photo: Joeke Pieters

Amur tigers ( Panthera tigris altaica) can reach almost 3.3 meters in length. The weight of males is up to 300 kg, and they are larger than females. This subspecies of tiger has a skull that is much larger than other species. The color of the Amur tiger is paler in winter, and with the advent of the warm season it becomes brighter and more saturated. The fur is thicker and coarser than that of other tiger species due to the low temperature of the range where it lives. Amur tigers are capable of knocking down animals that weigh several times more than them. They tend to hunt elk and wild boar.

Bengal tigers

Bengal tiger (lat. Panthera tigris tigris or Panthera tigris bengalensis) can be seen in India. It is the most numerous of all tiger species with over 2,500 individuals in the wild. This tiger species can weigh around 230 kg for an adult male and 140 kg for a female. Bengal tigers also have very long tails and heads that are larger than those of other species. They are excellent hunters and feed on a wide range of prey, including deer, antelope, pigs and buffalo. Also, during times of shortage of basic food, they hunt monkeys, birds and other smaller prey.

Indochinese tigers

A species of tiger that is known as the Indochinese tiger (lat. Panthera tigris corbetti), found in several Asian countries. The species is darker in color and smaller in size than bengal tigers, but they are able to achieve maximum weight 200 kg for males and 150 kg for females. Indochinese tigers prefer to live in forested areas. There are not many such tigers anymore. The government estimates the species' population to be only 350 individuals. Indochinese tigers are suffering from food shortages as wild pig and deer numbers are also declining.

Malayan tigers

Malayan tiger (lat. Panthera tigris jacksoni) can only be found in the south of the Malay Peninsula. This tiger was only recognized as a separate species in 2004. This is the most small view on the mainland and the second smallest tiger species. Males weigh on average 120 kg, and females about 100 kg. Note that the Malayan tiger has cultural significance as it is on the country's coat of arms and is also the logo of Maybank, a Malaysian bank.

Sumatran tigers

photo: Hagen Schneider

Sumatran tigers (lat. Panthera tigris sumatrae) Very rare species, which lives only on the island of Sumatra. Habitat destruction is still considered the main threat to the Sumatran tiger. The stripes on the Sumatran tiger are located closer friend to a friend than other tigers. This allows him to be invisible in tall grass. One of the Sumatran tiger's best tactics is to stalk its prey in the water. It is an extremely fast swimmer, so it is easily able to intercept larger prey in the water that it would not be able to handle on land.

Chinese tigers

Chinese tigers (lat. Panthera tigris amoyensis) most at risk of extinction. This tiger species is often listed among the ten most endangered species in the world. In the early 1950s, the Chinese tiger population was estimated to number 4,000. And already in 1996, only 30-80 of these unique animals remained.

Extinct Tiger Species

Bali tigers

Some species of tigers are extinct, including Balinese tiger species (lat. Panthera tigris balica). As the name suggests, the range of this tiger species was limited to the island of Bali, Indonesia. Before its extinction, the Bali tiger was the smallest tiger species. This species is still considered important in Balinese Hinduism.

Caspian tigers

Caspian tiger (lat. Panthera tigris virgata), which is also known as Transcaucasian tiger met before in rare forests. It was discovered in the south and west of the Caspian Sea. At least, it was still found in the wild until the early 1970s. The closest living species to the Caspian tiger is Amur tiger.

Javan tigers

He lived on the island of Java, in honor of which he received his name - Javan tiger (lat. Panthera tigris sondaica). This extinct tiger species was present until the mid-1970s. The weight of males is from 100 to 140 kg, and females - from 75 to 115 kg. Unfortunately, the last Javan tiger was seen after 1979, in the area of Mount Betri.

Tiger hybrids

We talked about different types tigers, as well as those that have become extinct. However, there are some other species that can also be considered part of the tiger family, such as the Liger and Tigon hybrids.

Liger

Liger - hybrid, which is the result of mating between a male lion and a tigress. The lion contributes a gene that promotes growth, because of this, ligers can grow much larger than their parents and have a length of 3-3.5 m, and a weight of 360 kg to 450 kg or even more. They do, however, show appearance and the behavior of both parents. As a result, the liger has spots and stripes imprinted on its sandy fur. Male ligers have a 50% chance of growing a mane, just not as luxurious as a lion's. While the resulting liger is certainly beautiful and interesting to study, the males of this hybrid are sterile, even when their females are usually fertile.

Tigon

Tigon, which is the result of breeding between a male tiger and a lioness, is a less common hybrid. Naturally, tiger hybrids cannot; they are found in the wild and can only be seen in zoos or circuses. Tigons are usually no larger than average in size.

Types of tigers with unique colors

White tigers

Very attractive appearance white tiger makes him a popular and desirable zoo resident or even an exotic pet, but albino tigers are rare in the wild. White tigers were first bred back in early XIX century. They can appear in tiger parents who carry a rare gene that occurs only once every 10,000 births.

Golden Tigers

Another recessive gene may result in an interesting "golden" shade. The color is sometimes called "golden tabby". actually have golden fur, with pale orange stripes. Their fur is thicker than other tigers. At last count, there are about 30 golden tigers.

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The average weight of a tiger is 170 kg for males and 120 kg for females.

Today, there are two species of this cat family: the Amur and Bengal tigers. Bengal tigers, depending on their habitat, are divided into several subspecies: South China, Sumatran, Malayan and Indochinese. Their northern brother, the Amur tiger, lives in less comfortable climatic conditions, individual animals “registered” on Far East, in Khabarovsk and Primorsky Krai.

This capricious and cautious predator is second only to the bear in its weight. Even the king of animals, the lion, is not able to compete with the tiger in this weight category. The height of the animal is three meters or more, excluding the length of the tail. There are individuals whose height approaches four meters. The tail of a predator is a source of special pride. With it he expresses his mood and warns the unwanted guest that the boundaries of the tiger's domain have been violated. With the help of this part of the body, males sort things out with each other; when climbing trees, the tail allows them to maintain balance, and also serves as a kind of sensor when moving in the dark.

The average weight of a tiger is 170 kg for males and 120 kg for females.

The skin of each animal has its own special color. Tiger stripes, like human fingerprints, are unique. If the representatives of the beautiful half of the tiger family decide to visit a beauty salon, then even after depilation, the skin of fashionistas will remain striped - the fur pattern is completely repeated on the skin of the animal. The royal status of the tiger is recognized in China - the stripes on the animal's forehead resemble the markings of a symbol of power.

Although the predator belongs to the cat family, in addition to weight and height, it has a number of distinctive features, compared to furry pets.

Cats are nocturnal hunters; a tiger can go out to get food both at night and in the morning.
A cat's eye has a unique structure - its pupil is elongated, while a tiger's pupil is round.

Therefore, whether the relationship between two representatives of these felines is consanguineous remains quite controversial.

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The tiger is a professional hunter. There are seasonal types of lying in wait for prey. In winter, the animal sneaks up on the victim from behind; in summer, it waits in ambush for its lunch or dinner. Knowing the hunting tactics of a tiger, the inhabitants of India, going into the jungle, put a mask on the back of their heads; when faced with a potential victim face to face, the predator will most likely lose interest in it, since the effect of surprise disappears.

The speed of this graceful and strong animal, at short distance can reach 60 km/h, and its muscular legs allow it to jump up to 5 meters in height, which is comparable to the height of a double-decker bus.

The lifestyle of predators can be considered Spartan. They are capable of starving for up to several days, but if the hunt is successful, the animal eats up to 30 kg of meat in one meal, which is equal to the amount of one hundred steaks. The main weapons of tigers are ten-centimeter fangs, which, like a sharp dagger, can sever the artery of a victim, and powerful paws, the blow of which even the strong bones of a bear’s skull cannot withstand.

How much does the Amur tiger weigh?

The Amur tiger is larger than its Asian counterparts and has adapted to life in harsh climatic conditions. The peculiarity of its habitat was reflected in the appearance of the animal: its fur is much thicker than that of a Bengal tiger, and its color is lighter. The only one of all representatives of large cats, the Amur tiger has a subcutaneous fat layer of about 5 cm on the abdominal wall; this anatomical feature allows the predator to survive in the winter.

The weight of an Amur tiger in the wild exceeds 200 kg.

The tiger is a predator; most often it does not leave its hunting grounds if there is enough food for a comfortable existence. But during the hungry year, cases of attacks on livestock were recorded. The peculiarity of the hunting habits of the Amur tiger is that it first knocks a large prey to the ground and then gnaws the cervical vertebrae. In case failed attempt attacks, the predator, most often, abandons the prey and does not make repeated attempts. The remarkable strength of the animal allows it to drag a victim weighing up to 500 kg along the ground, which is almost three times its weight.

The Amur tiger is listed in the Red Book and is a rare, protected species. It’s a sad fact, but there are several times more tigers in captivity today than in natural environment habitat. In captivity, predator specimens are more modest in size compared to their wild counterparts. The weight of the Amur tiger in nature exceeds 200 kg, and the height at the withers is more than 115 cm. The reason for the decrease in the animal population is poaching and uncontrolled shooting of the animal. An important task being solved at the state level is not only the preservation, but also the complete restoration of this unique look majestic representative of wildlife.

The tiger is the largest representative of the cat family. Its body can reach a length of 2-3 m, and a weight of 225-270 kg. Along with the lion, leopard, jaguar and snow leopard belongs to the genus of big cats, hallmark which is not only their size, but also their inability to meow (these animals only growl).

Tiger (Panthera tigris).

The tiger is a much more flexible cat than the lion. The large body of this animal is very flexible, its paws are wide with large retractable claws. His fur is short and thick. The main coat color of different subspecies ranges from yellow to deep red, turning to white on the throat, chest and belly. The tiger's entire body is dotted with black transverse stripes.

Sometimes there are white tigers (not albino), their eyes are blue (regular tigers have yellow ones).

Previously, the tiger's range extended from Transcaucasia and Iran to the Far East, India and Indochina. Currently, the tiger has disappeared in the western part of its range; most tigers remain in India and slightly less in the Far East. Tigers are forest animals that avoid open spaces, they inhabit various types forests from taiga in the north to jungle in the south. Interestingly, tigers are water-loving cats and willingly visit bodies of water. IN summer heat tigers lie in the cool water to cool off, they are also excellent swimmers and often pursue prey near watering holes.

A tiger chases prey in a pond.

Tigers lead a solitary lifestyle; they stick to a certain area of the forest and carefully protect it from the encroachments of neighbors. These animals are active predators, disdainful of carrion. The tiger prefers fresh meat and usually hunts medium-sized ungulates - deer, roe deer, wild boar. However, on occasion, the tiger does not disdain prey of any size, from buffalos and crocodiles to ducks and monkeys.

The tiger stalks its prey from ambush, since its striped skin perfectly camouflages it in the forest.

Having sneaked up, the tiger quickly overtakes the victim and jumps on its back, breaking the cervical vertebrae with an instant bite. Tigers often carry their prey to secluded places, sometimes over long distances.

These animals do not have a specific breeding season. During estrus, males from neighboring areas come to the female's territory. There are fierce fights between rivals, during which the males strike each other with their front paws.

Fighting male tigers.

Pregnancy lasts 3-4 months. The female gives birth to 1-4 cubs in a secluded den. Tiger cubs are born blind and helpless, but after a month they try to leave the den. The mother carefully protects the babies from males who might enter her area, because a tiger is capable of killing its own offspring. Grown-up young animals accompany their mother on a hunt, such family groups last 2-3 years. Then the young tigers begin an independent life. Life expectancy in captivity is 40-50 years, but in the wild tigers die much earlier.

Tiger cub.

The main enemy of tigers is... hunger. Although the tiger is an excellent hunter, such a large animal needs large quantities food, and therefore in large areas. At the same time, tigers protect their territory by not allowing strangers into it, so many tigers die due to lack of habitat and intense competition for hunting areas. By the way, tigers usually avoid crowded places and are not tempted by easy prey in the form of livestock. And only where people push tigers out of their territory can they attack buffaloes, goats and even dogs in kennels. Wounded and old animals, unable to hunt agile deer, can become cannibals. In past centuries, when the number of tigers was large, cases of cannibalism among these cats were not uncommon in India. Now these animals are rare everywhere and it is a great success to meet them in the natural environment.

Tigers are the largest land predators, second in weight only to polar and brown bears. There are 9 subspecies of the tiger, of which only 6 have survived into the 21st century. The total population size is 4000-6500 individuals. Tigers are listed in the Red Book of the IUCN and many countries around the world, and hunting them is prohibited everywhere.

The tiger is the largest and heaviest wild cat, but the known subspecies differ markedly in size and weight.

Dimensions

The largest are Bengal and Amur tigers. Males are from 2.3 to 2.5 m in length, with a body weight of about 300 kg. The height at the withers reaches 1.15 m. Females are usually inferior to males in size.

Body

Tigers have a massive, elongated, muscular, flexible body. The tail is long and pubescent. The front paws are five-toed, the hind paws are four-toed, the claws are retractable. The head is round in shape, the forehead is convex. The ears are small and rounded. There are tanks on the sides of the head. White vibrissae are arranged in 4-5 rows. The animal has well-developed fangs, up to 8 cm in length. Tigers have well-developed night vision and color vision.

Color

The coat is short, sparse, dense and low in the southern subspecies, high and fluffy in the northern ones. The color ranges from rusty red to rusty brown, the belly, chest and paws are light inside. Light markings are also visible on the ears. The body is covered with stripes colored brown or black. The muzzle below the nostrils, the vibrissa area, and the chin are white, and there are black spots around the mouth. The tail has a black tip and transverse ring stripes. The shape and distance between stripes vary among subspecies, but their number on average is about 100. The arrangement of stripes on tigers is unique for each individual.

What does it eat?

The diet of tigers mainly consists of ungulates: Bengal tigers hunt sambar, axis, wild boar and nilgai; Amur tigers prey on red and sika deer, wild boar, roe deer and musk deer; Sumatran tigers - sambara, wild boars And black-backed tapirs. Tigers' prey also includes large herbivores, such as Indian buffaloes, gaurs and elk. Their diet includes monkey, pheasant, hare, reptiles and fish. Sometimes tigers also hunt domestic animals: dogs, cows, horses and donkeys. Plant foods, nuts, grass and fruits can be enjoyed in the summer.

Adequate nutrition for a tiger is 50-70 ungulates per year. At one time, a meal is 30-40 kg of meat. The tiger tolerates the lack of food relatively easily due to the presence of a subcutaneous layer of fat about 5 cm thick.

Where does he live?

The tiger is an Asian animal. Its historical range included the Russian Far East, Iran, Afghanistan, China, India and the countries of Southeast Asia.

Today, in most of these territories, the tiger has been exterminated; large populations remain only in India and Indochina and the Far East (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Iran, Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan , Russia, Thailand).

Tigers live in a wide variety of landscapes: in tropical rainforests, mangrove swamps and bamboo thickets in the tropics, in dry savannas, semi-deserts, bare rocky hills and taiga in the north. In the mountains they are found at altitudes up to 3000 m above sea level.

Common types

There are 9 subspecies of the tiger, three of which are now completely exterminated.

Known as Ussuri, Siberian, Manchurian or North Chinese, it is common in the Amur region, Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories of Russia. The population size reaches about 500 individuals.

The Amur tiger is a large subspecies. It is distinguished by thick, long and fluffy wool, light color and many stripes.

The nominate subspecies that lives in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar. The population is estimated at 3100-4500 animals, but it is still under threat due to poaching. Average weight for males it is 205-227 kg, for females – 140-150 kg.

Distributed in Cambodia, Myanmar, southern China, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. The number of individuals is 1200-1800. This subspecies is distinguished by a darker color. Average weight males from 150 to 190 kg, for females this figure is in the range of 110-140 kg.

Distributed only in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Previously, the population of this subspecies was classified as Indochinese tigers, but according to genetic studies, at the beginning of the 21st century it was separated into an independent subspecies. Its population is estimated at 600-800 individuals, that is, it is the third largest in nature.

Inhabitant of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, where there are about 400-500 animals. This is the smallest of all subspecies: males weigh 100-130 kg, females weigh 70-90 kg.

This small subspecies is the most endangered species. Body length is 2.2-2.6 meters, weight of males is 127-177 kg, females - 100-118 kg. Currently, 59 individuals are kept in captivity in China, and they are trying to introduce them into the wild.

Male and female: main differences

Sexual dimorphism in tigers is manifested in the larger size of males compared to females. Both males and females are colored the same.

Tiger behavior

Tigers are most active in the morning, evening and at night. They usually spend the day in dens. They move in large steps. They don't climb trees. They do not avoid water and swim well, and residents of the southern regions even swim regularly. Tigers are hardy and low temperatures. They shed twice a year: in March and September.

Tigers are mostly silent and rarely speak. Only during the mating season do males begin to roar dully, and when they get angry or attack prey, they growl. An adult tiger is a territorial animal that leads a solitary lifestyle and fiercely defends its territory. A tiger marks its personal territory in different ways, leaves urine marks on tree trunks, rocks, bushes, loosens snow or soil, rubs against trees and leaves scratches on trunks. The size of personal territories is determined by habitat, amount of prey, and the presence of females (for males). Tigresses usually occupy an area of about 20 km², and males - 60-100 km². Females can live in the male's territory.

The territorial behavior of males is very aggressive; they do not allow strangers into their territory and engage in serious fights with them; they only get along with tigresses. In turn, the females get along well with each other and can make peace in areas where they overlap.

Tigers hunt only alone, either creeping up on prey (in winter) or lying in wait for it in ambush (in summer). They often track their victims near bodies of water. They can pursue prey for 100-150 m, reaching speeds of up to 60 km/h.

Reproduction

Tigers are polygamous animals. Mating season They have it in December-January. At this time, males often fight for females. Since the tigress is capable of fertilization only a few days a year, mating occurs at this time many times. The first offspring of females is observed at the age of 3-4 years. A tigress usually gives birth once every 2-3 years. The duration of pregnancy is 97-112 days.

To breed offspring, the female makes a den in a hard-to-reach place: in crevices among stones, in a cave, in a windfall. Tiger cubs are born in March-April, there are 2-4 of them, they are blind, helpless, weigh 1.3-1.5 kg, their eyes open after 6-8 days. Breastfeeding lasts for the first 6 weeks. Only the female takes care of them, and does not allow males near them. At 8 weeks, the cubs leave the den and follow their mother. They begin to live independently at 18 months, but can remain with the female until they reach sexual maturity.

Females become sexually mature at 3-4 years, males at 4-5 years. During her life, a female gives birth to 10-20 tiger cubs, but half die in at a young age. In the wild, tigers live about 25 years.

Tiger menace

Throughout its entire range, the tiger is the pinnacle food chain and other predators do not attack him and do not compete with him. On the contrary, tigers attack wolves, leopards and pythons. The Amur tiger and brown bear. Crocodiles are potentially dangerous to tigers.

The main factor that limits the tiger population is economic activity people and hunting for trophies (for obtaining skins) and for medicinal purposes (use in traditional oriental medicine).

Because of hunting and destruction natural environment habitat, the number of tigers is rapidly decreasing. A hundred years ago the population was estimated at 100,000 wild tigers, but now there are about 5,000 left. About 20,000 animals are kept in captivity, which prevents the complete destruction of the species. In addition, tigers are under international security, are listed in the IUCN Red List, hunting them is strictly prohibited.

July 29 is celebrated as International Tiger Day.
The destruction of tigers was associated with the use of their organs and tissues in traditional Eastern (Chinese) medicine. The best-known medical products of this type are painkillers and aphrodisiacs. Such use is now prohibited and criminalized; but illegal trade still persists.