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| The
tiger (panthera tigris) is the largest of the big cats.
Bengal tigers (panthera Tigris Tigris) are smaller than
the Siberian tigers. A male stands between 2 and 3 feet
tall at the shoulder. They can measure 8 to 9 feet long
from head to tip of tail. They can weigh from 350 to
700 pounds. The female Bengal tiger is slightly smaller.
The tiger is mostly nocturnal, sleeping throughout the
day. Like all subspecies of tigers, the male Bengal
is solitary, shunning other males, and the female lives
in family units. Bengal tigers are carnivorous, and
can live over 20 years in captivity. Unlike the African
lion, tigers enjoy the water, preferring to live in
close proximity to streams, rivers and lakes. |
| In
the wild, the Bengal tiger is found throughout the Indian
subcontinent. It is believed that none are left in Pakistan,
and only a small number can be found in Bangladesh.
The Bengal tiger's main stronghold is Nepal and the
reserves in that area may offer one of the best chances
for saving this beautiful predator from extinction.
India today has the largest number of tigers, with between
3,300 and 4,700 in the wild. |
| In
1930 it was believed that there were at least 100,000
of the eight subspecies of tiger in various parts of
Asia. Probably fewer than 6,000 of these magnificent
animals remain in the wild today. In the last two decades
alone, the world has seen two subspecies of tigers disappear
forever. By the 1950s, tigers living around the Caspian
Sea were extinct. Populations of tigers that once inhabited
the islands of Bali and Java are now extinct. The last
Balinese tiger was killed in the 1930s; the last Javan
tiger sighting occurred in 1972. The South China tiger,
with at best 20 to 30 individuals, is nearly extinct
in the wild, and the Siberian tigers number only 300
to 400. Much of their habitat has been destroyed by
war or by government agricultural programs in the various
Asian nations. Poaching is also taking its toll; both
for the beautiful striped coats and for a thriving black
market in tiger body parts for "medicinal"
purposes. |
| Tigers
are most active at night. They stalk and ambush their
prey from about 30 feet. Their large shoulders and forepaws
allow them to grab prey by the back of the neck or throat.
They are very stong and powerful and can haul up to
1000 pounds. |
| Most
tigers are water loving, especially when it is hot.
They live in very dense jungles with a lot of vegetation. |
| The
stripes are different on each animal, they are like
their fingerprint. They are imprinted on their skin
exactly as on their fur. The tiger makes chuffing sound
as a greeting that is unique to the tiger. Roars are
plaintive and they are usually a calling for their mates.
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| The
tiger gestation period is about 103 days. A tiger can
give birth to from 1-7 cubs. |
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