Tiger, largest member of the cat family. It lives in Asia and belongs to the same genus as the lion, leopard, and jaguar. Nine subspecies are recognized, three of which are now extinct. The modern tiger is thought to have originated in northern Asia during the Pleistocene epoch (1.8 million to 10,000 years ago) and spread southward thereafter, crossing the Himalaya only about 10,000 years ago.
| II | Tiger Species and Subspecies |
The Bengal (Indian) tiger, the male of which is about 3 m (10 ft) long, including the tail, and usually weighs 180 to 258 kg (397 to 569 lb), is found on the mainland of south-eastern Asia and in central and southern India. The female is between 2.4 and 2.7 m (8 and 9 ft) in length and weighs 100 to 160 kg (221 to 353 lb). The Bengal coat lies flatter than that of the Siberian (Amur) tiger (see below), the tawny colour is richer, and the stripes are darker. The Bengal tiger is the most numerous tiger subspecies, with an estimated 3,000 to 4,500 Bengal tigers living in the wild.
The Indochinese or Corbetts tiger is the second most numerous subspecies with approximately 1,200 to 1,800 individuals in the wild, although it seems likely that the true number is in the lower part of that range. It is smaller and slightly darker than the Bengal tiger. It has short, narrow stripes and large areas of white on its stomach, throat, cheeks, and the inside of its legs. From head to tail the male is approximately 2.7 m (9 ft), and weighs about 180 kg (397 lb), while the female is about 2.5 m (8 ft) in length and weighs 115 kg (254 lb). The Indochinese tiger is found in Cambodia, southern China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and the northern Malay Peninsula.
Until 2004, the Malayan tiger, which is only found in the southern part of the Malay Peninsula, was considered part of the Indochinese subspecies. However, a genetic study of tiger DNA confirmed that it was a separate subspecies. It is estimated that there are between 600 and 800 Malayan tigers in the wild; its physical characteristics are effectively those of the Indochinese tiger.
The Siberian tiger measures 1.4 to 2.8 m (4y to 9 ft) long, not including the tail which is 69 to 95 cm (27 to 37 in) in length, and this big cat weighs 180 to 306 kg (400 to 675 lb). It has thick yellow fur with dark stripes. The exceptionally cold winter of 2001 in Siberia reduced the numbers of reindeer and wild boar, the staple diet for Siberian tigers. This caused many of the usually very shy and remote tigers to search for food closer to inhabited areas, where they are at increased risk from poachers. There are approximately 400 Siberian tigers left in the wild.
The tigers on Sumatra are as scarce as the Siberian tiger. The Sumatran tiger is the smallest and darkest tiger, measuring about 2.2 to 2.5 m (7 to 8 ft) in length and weighing between 100 and 140 kg (221 to 309 lb). Like other tiger subspecies the female is usually smaller than the male, about 2.2 to 2.3 m (7 ft) in length and weighing approximately 75 to 110 kg (165 to 243 lb). There is some DNA analysis evidence that the Sumatran tiger is a separate species (rather than a subspecies) of tiger due to its isolation on the island of Sumatra some 12,000 years ago, where it would have evolved separately. It is estimated that there are between 400 and 500 Sumatran tigers left in the wild.
The existence of the South China (Amoy) tiger in the wild is based on patchy evidence rather than recent sightings, and it is feared that this rarest subspecies faces imminent extinction; their numbers are estimated at between 20 and 30 tigers. From head to tail males are about 2.3 to 2.6 m (7y to 8y ft) in length and weigh between 130 and 175 kg (287 and 386 lb), while females measure 2.2 to 2.4 m (7 to 8 ft) and weigh 100 to 115 kg (221 to 254 lb).
| III | Behaviour |
The tiger is a solitary animal, males and females coming together only at mating time, to share a kill, or to drink and rest at watering holes in areas with limited water. Tigers are very good swimmers, often taking to the water to cool off. The litter numbers one to six cubs, which are helpless when born and stay with the mother into their second year. Only one or two of the cubs survive the first two years of life.
The diet is varied, ranging from deer and cattle to frogs and fish; carrion is also eaten. Tigers hunt at night, stalking their prey before they pounce. They use their sharp retractable claws to grasp their quarry and their strong teeth to deliver a fatal bite to the neck.
The Bengal tiger inhabits grassy or swampy areas and forests, where it is well camouflaged by its coloration. Tigers are territorial and the male's large territory often includes the territories of two or more females.
The tiger is an endangered species. The Bali, Caspian, and Javan tigers are believed to be extinct and the other subspecies are restricted mainly to reserves in south-eastern Asia and India. Their numbers have dwindled because of heavy human predation—they are hunted for their skin and certain bones (thought to have healing powers in Chinese medicine)—and habitat destruction. The estimated population of tigers in the wild ranges from about 4,500 to just over 7,000. Their numbers were estimated at about 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century.
Scientific classification: Tigers belong to the family Felidae and are classified as Panthera tigris. The Bengal tiger is classified as Panthera tigris tigris; the Siberian tiger subspecies as Panthera tigris altaic; the Indochinese or Corbetts tiger is Panthera tigris corbetti; the Malayan tiger is Panthera tigris malayensis; the Sumatran tiger is Panthera tigris sumatrae; and the South China tiger is classified as Panthera tigris amoyensis. The Bali tiger (Panthera tigris balica), Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgata), and Javan tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) probably became extinct in the 1930s, 1950s, and 1970s respectively.
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