Tiger

It’s our planet too
Prowling through forests is what we do…

 
 

 

Learn all about the awesome tiger, wow your friends with some amazing tiger facts, read about the biggest cat, where they live, how they spend their day and what they eat. Understand what makes tigers so important and why they are threatened.

 
 

Roarsome TIGER stats

Name

Tiger

Latin name

Panthera tigris

Type

Mammal

Group

Streak

Population

Approx. 3,890

Status

Endangered

Weight

Up to 300kg

Length

Up to 3 metres

Diet

Carnivore

Lifespan

10 to 15 years in the wild

Habitat

Forest, grassland, shrubland

Geography

Asia

 
 

Amaze your friends with these awesome facts, remember to scroll ← or → for more

  • The tiger is the biggest species of the cat family

  • They may be big, but tigers are also fast and can reach speeds of over 40 miles per hour

  • A group of tigers is known as an ‘ambush’ or a ‘streak’

  • Unlike most members of the cat family, tigers are really good swimmers. The jaguar is the only other big cat to love the water

  • A tiger’s tongue is equipped with sharp barbs, these allow a tiger to groom and also to lick the fur off its prey

  • Tigers can easily jump over 5 metres in length

  • A tigers stripes are like it’s fingerprints – no two tigers have the same pattern

  • Rare white tigers carry a gene that is only present in around 1 in every 10,000 tigers

  • Tigers usually hunt alone at night time, but less than 10% of hunts are a success

  • Tragically, there are now more tigers held privately as pets or in zoos than there are in the wild

  • Tigers that breed with lions give birth to hybrids known as tigons and ligers. These animals can be considerably heavier than even the biggest tigers

 
 

All about tigers

The biggest big cat!

Tigers are the biggest big cat on earth, male tigers can grow to 3 metres long and weigh up to 300kg, while female tigers tend to be a bit smaller. Tigers are incredibly agile, with flexible bodies designed for running, jumping and climbing. Their retractable claws, powerful jaws and sharp teeth make them awesome hunters. 

However, another big cat has been bred in captivity that is even larger. If you breed a male lion with a female tiger, you get a liger. These enormous cats can grow up to 3.6 meters long and can weigh even more than the biggest tigers. The largest liger ever recorded weighed a staggering 550kg.

Today, there are five surviving subspecies of tiger: Sumatran, Siberian, Bengal, South China and Indochinese. Various tiger subspecies are the national animals of Bangladesh, India, North Korea, South Korea and Malaysia.

Where do tigers live?

Less than 100 years ago, tigers could be found across huge areas of Asia. Sadly, hunting and habitat loss have put populations at risk, and today their range has been reduced to a fraction of its former size. There are now very few tigers left in South-East Asia, but they can still be found in India, Nepal, Russia and Bhutan.

Tiger habitats vary by region; the larger tigers, such as the Siberian live in much colder northern areas surviving the brutal 'taiga’ or snow forests, whereas the smaller tigers from warmer regions can live in tropical rainforests and flooded swamplands and mangroves.

Scientists think that India is home to around half of the world’s remaining wild tigers. There are several Indian national parks that are renowned for their frequent tiger sightings, including Bandhavgarh, Ranthambore and Kanha national parks.

How do tigers spend their day?

Tigers are generally solitary, living and hunting alone. The size of their territory varies with the amount of prey available and can be between 20km to 400km, tigers in cold northern regions tend to have the largest territories.

Tigers use scent to communicate – they spray urine and rub their scent on trees and bushes to inform other cats of their location. They may also use scratching posts for communication, as well as to keep their claws sharp.

Tigers are the only big cats to have stripes and individuals can be identified by their pattern, as their stripes are unique. A tigers stripes help them to blend into the colours of their habitat and hide in the long grass when hunting.

Tigers are one of the few big cats that enjoy water and frequently bath in streams and lakes to escape the heat in hot climates.

Females usually give birth to two to three cubs but can have as many as six. Cubs learn to hunt and kill from around six months of age but remain with their mother for at least 15 months, after which time they will leave to find their own territory. On average, tigers give birth to cubs every two years.

What do tigers eat?

Tigers are carnivores but their diet can be quite diverse and include wild pigs, deer, water buffalo, reptiles, birds, fish and even insects.

Tigers rely primarily on sight and sound rather than smell for hunting, they will typically hunt alone and stalk their prey. A tiger’s favourite way of taking down its prey is to lunge at the animal’s neck and hold on tight with its powerful jaws.

Tigers have night vision that is six times better than that of humans, which helps them hunt successfully in the dark.

Why are tigers so important?

Tigers are both admired and feared by people around the world, but they also play an important role in the health and diversity of their habitat. The tiger is the top predator and vital for maintaining the balance between their prey and the vegetation; without tigers to keep numbers down the herbivores can overgraze and damage the land. The presence of tigers in the forest is a good indicator of the well being of the ecosystem.

 
 

➳Threats to tigers

The number of tigers in the wild has dropped by 95% since the beginning of the 20th century. However, their numbers are now slowly on the rise. They are classified by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as ‘endangered’.

There are five surviving subspecies of tiger, sadly three subspecies – Caspian, Bali and Javan are thought to have been hunted to extinction. Due to numerous conservation efforts and the commitment of various governments it is estimated that there are now around 3,900 tigers in the wild. However, they are still vulnerable to extinction.

 
 

Poaching and illegal trade: 

Poaching is the biggest threat to wild tigers as every part of the animal is traded in illegal wildlife markets and this fuels and finances poaching and trafficking. The continued demand is putting the species under huge pressure and driving them closer and closer to extinction. Skins are seen as status symbols and used for home decoration, whilst bones are used in traditional medicine and folk remedies.

Conflict with humans:

As habitats are destroyed, people and tigers increasingly compete for space as tigers move into human-dominated areas. When this happens, tigers may hunt domestic livestock that the communities depend on. In retaliation these tigers may be captured or killed.

Habitat loss: 

Tigers used to roam across most of Asia but are now restricted to just 7% of their original range. So much of their habitat has been destroyed by human activities. Forests have been cleared for agriculture and timber, as well as building road networks and other developments. Less tigers can survive in small, scattered areas and there is also an increased risk of inbreeding.

Climate Change:

Rising sea levels caused by climate change are threatening to wipe out a large area of mangrove forest on the northern coast of the Indian Ocean. This area is home to one of the world’s largest tiger populations and could potentially be destroyed by 2070.

Captive tigers:

There are an estimated 5,000 tigers living in captivity in the United States alone - more than all wild tiger populations across Asia! Many are privately owned by people who are not properly trained to care for them. Unfortunately, there is little regulation to ensure that they are not at danger of the illegal tiger trade.

Did you enjoy reading about the mighty TIGER?

Take a look at our terrific tigers Tool Kit For Eco Heroes, packed with hours of fun

 

Get in touch

If you have any feedback on the page or even if you have another fascinating fact that we can add then please let us know.