Desricption:
The worlds
largest tiger. A Siberian ( Amur ) tiger can weigh more than 700
pounds and reach 13 feet from tail to tip of nose. They have a
thick layer of fat on their belly and long hair to protect them
from extreme cold. They are also known as the Manchurian tiger.
The Siberian tiger is nearly extinct with approximately 150 to
300 left in the wild and 1200 in zoos around the world.
Tiger, largest member of the cat
family. It lives in Asia and belongs to the same genus as the
lion, leopard, and jaguar. Two major subspecies are the Siberian
(Amur) tiger and the Indian tiger.
The modern tiger is thought to have originated in northern Asia
during the Pleistocene epoch (1.6 million to 10,000 years ago)
and spread southward thereafter, crossing the Himalaya only
about 10,000 years ago.
he rare Siberian tiger measures 1.4 to 2.8 m (4.6 to 9.2 ft)
long, not including the tail, which is 69 to 95 cm (27 to 37 in)
in length, and weighs 180 to 306 kg (400 to 675 lb).
It has thick yellow fur with dark stripes. The Indian tiger,
which is about 3 m (10 ft) long, including the tail, and usually
weighs 180 to 258 kg (400 to 569 lb), is found on the mainland
of South-East Asia and in central and southern India. Its coat
lies flatter than that of the Siberian tiger, the tawny colour
is richer, and the stripes are darker. The tigers on the island
of Sumatra are even smaller and darker. The female tiger is
usually smaller than the male.
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 Indian 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 and Caspian tigers are believed to be extinct and the
other subspecies are restricted mainly to reserves in South-East
Asia and India.
Environment:
Tiger roam
forests of Siberia to Java and Bali.
Food:
Tigers eat wild
pigs, deer, and cattle, such as gaur and buffalo, are the tiger
pain prey.
Problem:
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 4,000 to
5,000.
Solution:
Tigers are now
protected and zoos are successfully breeding them.
