TIGERS

Tigers are the largest species of all cats in the world. Whenever you see a tiger, you anonymously say; Oo! It’s a cute big cat with a danger alarm. Because tigers are powerful hunters, muscular bodies, carnassials, strong jaws, and sharp claws, it is rivaled only by the lion in strength.

As the lion is the king of the jungle, the tiger is the don of the jungle. Lions are lazy cats, while tigers are ferocious and agile. A scientific report suggested that in a fight between a Bengal tiger and an Asian lion, there is a 90% chance of the tiger winning.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Carnivora
Family	Felidae
Genus	*Panthera*
Species	*Tigris*

Tigers belong to the genus Panthera in which jaguars, leopards, and lions are present. There were about 9 subspecies of the tiger, out of which 6 are present, and 3 are extinct now. They are classified under two distinctively recognized types;

The Continental Tigers

Population	Description
Bengal Tiger (P.t.tigris)	Inhabits in the Indian subcontinent. It has shorter fur than the Siberians, with a tan coloration.
Siberian Tiger (P.t.altaica)	It is the largest population among all tigers found in the Russian far east, Northeast China, and North Korea. It has long hair and dense fur.
The Caspian Tiger (P.t.virgata) (Extinct)	lives in Turkey and around the Caspian Sea. Extinct since the 1970s.
South China tiger (P.t.amoyensis)	Historically found in south-central China.
Indochinese tiger (P.t.corbetti)	It is found on the Indochinese Peninsula.
Malayan tiger (P.t.jacksoni)	This population includes northern Malaysia and southern Thailand.

The Sunda Tigers

Population	Description
Sumatran tiger (P.t.sumatrae)	It is found on Sumatra island. Particularly, they have long hairs around the neck.
Bali tiger (P.t.balica) (Extinct)	They were found in Bali, extinct since the 1940s.
Javan tiger (P.t.sondaica) (Extinct)	They were found in Java, extinct since the 1980s.

The tigers are distinguished from one another by different features such as skulls, stripes, hairs, fur density and coloration.

Physical Characteristics

Size and Weight: Size and weight vary among geographical types. Their length is from 6 to 10 feet, while they weigh between 220 to 660 pounds. Females are slightly smaller than the males.

Skull: Tigers have a stout skull with a rounded shape. Nature made their clavicle compressed, which allows the free movement of the shoulder blade, and helps them in running.

Dentition: They have only 30 teeth fewer than other carnivores. They have a strong jaw structure with crushing force to grasp prey rapidly.

Body and Tail: They have a strong, muscular body with four athletic legs. Front legs are more strong and dense to support this musculature. These strong bones with padded feet help them in running, pouncing, and leaping. A tiger has a 3 ft. long tail and is used as a balancing tool.

Speed: These agile creatures run from 48 kilometers to 65 km per hour. However, these are short bursts.

Claws: Their grasping claws are 4 inches in length. They are retractable, helping them in clamping prey and climbing trees.

Stripes & Coat coloration: Tigers have orange-red coats marked with black stripes, which is visually appealing and makes them unique among all cats. They have long guard hairs and short underfur.

Distribution and Habitat

Historically, tigers are found anywhere from far-east Russia to North Korea, India, China, and Southwest Asia to the Sumatra Island of Indonesia. Barracudas adapted to various temperatures, from -40 °C in Siberian taiga to mangrove swamps where the temperature is above 40 °C.

Prey availability influences the geographical distribution of tigers within their range. They inhabit diverse habitats such as jungles, mangrove swamps, grasslands, tropical rainforests, evergreen rainforests, savannahs, and rocky areas.

Diet and Digestion

Tigers are apex predators ( meaning without natural predators of their own). They primarily feed on ungulates such as wild boar, deer, and moose but they also eat buffalo, cows, monkeys, pigs, horses, and goats. Occasional consumption of leopards, crocodiles, elephants, and wild dogs has also been observed.

These big cats can consume up to 40 kg of meat per meal. According to an estimation, each tiger can eat one deer sized animal every week, fifty per year. Their stomachs are short and suitable for running.

Behavioral Adaptations

Hunting techniques

Tigers are ambush hunters, depending on their strength, to clamp down on prey. It is not just about raw power; their quiet movements show their strategic thinking. They use a sit-and-wait strategy to pounce on prey. They also use side attacks on the victim to grasp them with exactitude.

Tigers’ hunting strategies are partly instinctive, but maternal training is essential for precision. It is observed that if we allow captive tigers to hunt in the wild, they don’t hunt the prey in such a wild manner. They are great swimmers and even hunt prey in the water. They are nocturnal and use sight and sound to locate prey instead of smell.

Social structure

Socially, tigers are solitary animals interacting briefly for mating purposes. However, mother tigress with cubs is an exception. Sometimes, they also hunt together, just like lions and occasionally share their meals.

Territorial behavior

Tigers are territorial creatures that roam large areas, usually called their home ranges. They patrol their territories with urine and feces. They make a roar to notify other males to stay away from their boundaries. A tiger’s territory overlaps many tigresses’ territories.

Conflicts are also observed in the competition to take over the territory by young tigers. The strongest one takes control of the territory. These conflicts are the cause of aggression among tigresses.

Communication

Communication varies within different vocalizations, visuals, and scent markings. From roars to growls, each sound has a purpose. A roar may be heard from distances over 3 km. Visuals such as a rapidly moving tail show aggression. A cub follows his mother’s footsteps by smelling their individualized scent. This scent is released from the scent glands present between their toes.

Reproduction and Parenting

A tigress matures sexually at 3 to 4 years, while a tiger becomes sexually mature at 4 to 5 years. They generally mate all around the year, but mating often occurs between November to April. A gestation period lasts over three months. A litter usually contains two to four cubs, although seven are also recorded.

Cubs are blind at birth. Their sight becomes normal after eight weeks of birth. The mother cleans her young by licking them and also protects them from potential threats. Mother trains their young in hunting techniques.

Cubs become young and self dependent after two years. They don’t breed until their cubs become independent.

Mortality rate and Lifespan

The Lifespan of the tiger is 10 to 15 years in the wild, while this limit exceeds 20 years in captivity. The first two years of a cub’s life are important, from which only 40% survive to independence to produce young. The mortality risk remains high in adult tigers due to their territorial nature.

Ecological Importance

These commanding creatures are top predators throughout their range. They play a significant role not only in the balancing of prey populations but also in other predators like dholes and leopards. They primarily consume herbivores, protecting the land from overgrazing and degradation.

Interaction with humans

Humans are the greatest threat to these marvels of strength. They hunt tigers for poaching, trophies, and also to provoke fear. There is a great demand for tiger bones in China because of their medicinal uses.

Over thousands of years, the Chinese have utilized tiger bones in medicines to cure ulcers, convulsions, rheumatism, bites, and burns. They also use it to calm fright.

Conservation status and Efforts

Ah! These dons of the jungle are listed as endangered species by the IUCN. The tiger population faced a harsh decline in the 1990s due to the bottleneck effect. There is only 4000 of population left including 300 Sumatra and 200 Siberian tigers.

However, orphaned cubs are released into the wild and monitored in India, Russia and Sumatra. In Kazakhstan, habitat restoration of prey and reintroduction of tigers is planned for 2025.

Fun Facts

Tiger is the don of the jungle.
It is an apex predator.
Tigers are great swimmers.
Tigers’ Bellies are white.
Each tiger’s stripes are unique as human fingerprints.
Their stripes are not symmetrical from one side of the body to the other.

Cultural Value

“A rare combination of courage, nobility, and brilliant colors.”

In Chinese culture, the tiger is recognized as the “king of the forest”. It is one of the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals.
Tigers were displayed on the seals of the Indus Valley Civilization.
In Hinduism, the tiger is the vehicle of the goddess Durga.
In Korean mythology, tigers are the messengers of Mountain Gods.

Do you remember Shere Khan from The Jungle Book?

FAQs- Frequently Asked Questions

Q- What is special about tigers?

Tigers are the largest wild cats and are known for their strength, striped fur, and solitary nature.

Q- What are 10 facts about tigers?

Tigers are apex predators, solitary, excellent swimmers, have unique stripes, roar loudly, are nocturnal, have strong jaws, are territorial, their cubs stay with mothers for two years, and they face endangerment.

Q- What do tigers do all day?

Tigers spend their day hunting, resting, patrolling their territory, and caring for their cubs.

Q- What are the full details of a tiger?

Tigers are large carnivorous mammals with orange fur and black stripes, native to Asia, and are endangered due to habitat loss and poaching.

Q- What is tiger for 10 lines?

Tigers are powerful, striped cats known for their hunting skills, strength, and majestic appearance, living in diverse habitats across Asia.

Q- Why is the tiger special?

The tiger is special for its unmatched strength, unique striped coat, and its role as a top predator in the wild.

Q- What is the weakness of a tiger?

Tigers’ weaknesses include their reliance on stealth for hunting and vulnerability to habitat loss and poaching.

Q- What are 7 interesting facts about tigers?

Tigers are solitary, have unique stripes, are great swimmers, can jump up to 10 meters, have a powerful roar, are mostly nocturnal, and are endangered.

Q- What do tigers like to eat?

Tigers primarily eat large ungulates like deer, wild boar, and sometimes smaller animals.

Q- Where do tigers sleep?

Tigers sleep in dense vegetation, caves, or shaded areas within their territory.

Q- Which tiger is the strongest?

The Siberian tiger is considered the strongest and largest subspecies of tiger.

Q- What is the scientific name of tiger?

The scientific name of the tiger is Panthera tigris.

Learn More About Tigers

On this page, you are invited to explore our articles about the intriguing behaviors of tigers.

These articles answer common questions about tigers, including their diet, activity patterns, reproduction, and interactions with their environment and humans.

Scroll down to uncover some of the unique traits of tigers and understand why they behave the way they do.