The tiger is a large mammal that is native to Asia. It is a strong and ferocious carnivore, or meat-eater.

Where tigers live

Tigers are native to Asia. Their present range extends from the eastern part of Russia through parts of China, India, and Southeast Asia. The best-known tiger, called the Royal Bengal, is found on the Indian peninsula. Tigers live in damp, thickly overgrown places such as dense jungles and river-banks covered with reeds or brush.

Physical characteristics

The size, color, and striped markings of the tiger can be different depending on the location and type of tiger. The basic color of the coat ranges from a light yellow on the belly to a deep yellow or orange on the back. The head, body, and limbs have black stripes, and the tail has black rings.

Tigers of the southern regions of Asia are smaller and more brightly colored than those of the north. For example, the Bengal tiger of India and those of the islands of Southeast Asia are bright reddish tan with black stripes. On the other hand, the very rare Siberian tiger of northern China and Russia has longer, softer, and paler fur.

The tiger's striped coat blends well with the colors of the grasslands and forests, making the animal almost invisible while it stalks its prey. The tiger has no mane, but in old males, the hair on the cheeks is rather long and spreading.

The male tiger is larger than the female and may attain a shoulder height of about 3 feet (1 meter), and a length of about 7 feet (2.2 meters). This is excluding a tail of about 3 feet (1 meter). The weight normally ranges between 350 and 500 pounds (160 and 230 kilograms). In the largest subspecies, Siberian tigers, the females weigh about 268–447 pounds (100–167 kilograms) and the males 482–820 pounds (180–306 kilograms).

Food habits

Tigers prey on a variety of animals, including deer, wild hogs, and peafowl. They generally avoid large healthy mammals like elephants. Tigers sometimes take cattle from human dwellings.

The tiger stalks its prey to make a kill. It then charges up to the prey, seizes it by the shoulder and throat with its strong paws, and bites its neck. After killing its prey, the tiger drags the animal to a safe place and consumes it over several days. Wild tigers can eat as much as 40 pounds (15 kilograms) of meat at one time. After the feast, they often do not eat again for several days.

Tigers rarely attack and eat humans. A tiger may attack a human being in self-defense or when it is unable to hunt for itself because of a shortage of prey or an injury. An old tiger or a tigress with cubs may find human beings easier prey and become a man-eater.

Behavior

Generally, both female and male tigers maintain territories. The ranges of males are much larger and may cover the territory of many smaller female home ranges. Tigers normally live alone, except during the short breeding season. Tigers generally hunt alone as well, though they may sometimes be seen hunting in groups in the wild. Tigers are good swimmers. They may climb trees when under stress.

Life cycle

Tigers have no fixed breeding season. In warm regions the tigers produce young at any time of year, but in cold regions they bear cubs in spring. The size of each litter is usually two or three.

The male tiger does not stay with the female after mating, nor does he participate in raising the cubs. The tigress looks after her cubs until they are about 2 years old. She brings them food and guards them from enemies. The tigress also teaches the cubs to hunt. The average life span of a tiger is 11 years.

Ecological issues

The hunting of tigers (both for sport and for their skin), the destruction of their habitat, and decreasing prey species have caused the tiger to become an endangered species. At the beginning of the 20th century, the tiger population was estimated to be 100,000. At the end of the century the tiger population had been drastically reduced to an estimated 5,000–7,500.

The decline in the number of tigers caused concern in the late 20th century. Gradually all countries took measures to protect the animal. India, which holds half the world population of tigers, declared the tiger as the national animal and launched “Project Tiger” in 1973. Under the program, selected tiger reserves receive special conservation efforts. Nepal, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam have set up national parks and sanctuaries where the animal is protected. China is also giving special attention to the conservation of tigers, as is Russia.