SPECIES OF TIGER

What is tiger?

General introduction of tiger

Description

Sizes
Tigers range from six to ten feet long, and they can weigh anywhere from 220 to 660 pounds.

Males of the larger subspecies, the continental tiger, weigh up to 660 pounds. While males of the smaller subspecies, the Sunda
tiger, weigh up to 310 pounds. The males are typically heavier than females in both subspecies.
Head and body length = male-189-300cm(6.20-10ft)

Female – 146-177 cm (4.79 – 5.81 ft)

Weight:
Body weight of male 100-261 kg and female is 75-177 kg

Color variation
Tigers have dark vertical stripes on orange-brown fur with a lighter underside, with markings varying by subspecies and location.
Large continental tigers have pale orange fur with few stripes, while smaller tigers have thick, dark striped fur.

Tigers can also be black with tan stripes, all white (albino), or white and tan.
Each tiger’s markings are unique, their stripes are similar to fingerprints for humans. Most tigers have over 100 stripes. In the wild,
a tiger’s stripes are important for survival. They act as camouflage, appearing as moving shadows in long grass and in trees. This
helps with hunting prey.

Where do tigers live? (Habitat)

Tigers are found in amazingly diverse habitats: rain forests, grasslands, savannas and even mangrove swamps.
Unfortunately, 93% of historical tiger lands have disappeared primarily because of expanding human activity.
Tigers rely on their habitat for survival, requiring food, water, and shelter to survive in the wild. Tigers need to live in areas that have rich sources of
prey, easily accessible water, and shelter to provide concealment and a safe base from which to rear their young.

What Do Tigers Eat? Explore Tiger Diets, Hunting & Eating Habits
Hunting and diet:
Tigers are carnivores that hunt alone, using their dark striped skin as camouflage.
They rely on sight and make at least 20 attempts before killing their prey.
Male tigers hunt within their territories, while female tigers hunt anywhere and anytime.
Tigers furiously run from a complete stand-still position to 50 mph speed in short sprints.
They can be injured during hunting if the prey attacks them back. Tigers can pounce on unexpected prey and
make at least 20 attempts before killing.

Diet
Tigers eat a variety of prey ranging in size from termites to elephant calves. However, an integral component of their diet are
large-bodied prey weighing about 20 kg (45 lbs.) or larger such as moose, deer species, pigs, cows, horses, buffalos and goats.
Occasionally they may consume tapirs, elephant and rhinoceros calves, bear species, leopards and Asiatic wild dogs.
Tigers may consume up to 40 kg (88 lbs.) of meat at one time.
It is estimated that every tiger consumes about 50 deer-sized animals each year, about one per week.

Reproduction and life cycle:

Tigers reach sexual maturity between 3 and five years; Females mature at 3 or 4 years of age, but males do it a little later, at 4-5 years.

Tiger mating occurs year-round, with more frequent occurrences in tropical regions between November and April, and in temperate zones, only
during winter months.

Before heat, female tigresses leave urine with a distinct smell, and when entering heat, they communicate this to males through repetitive
vocalizations like roars, moans and other odorous excretions.
When a receptive tigress and a tiger meet, perform a courtship ritual by moving in circles and vocalizing; both growl and approach and
separate successively in the process of mutual recognition and trust building. Finally, they stay together, and the female begins to lick, groom
and caress the male with the snout and then wallow on the ground and lie face down, indicating that it is ready. Then the Tiger gets on the
tigress with the knees bent to avoid hurting it with its weight, the former roars and holds the tigress by the neck with its teeth while the female
tries to stand.

For the tigress, copulation is a painful act, since the male’s penis has structures like spikes, although the process is repeated several times
during the heat period, that is, 5 or 6 days. The act itself is very short because they induce ovulation; therefore there will be more opportunities
for fertilization. It is common for a male to mate with several different females during its lifetime as long as he is healthy.
After conception, it will take 3 to 3.5 months for the offspring to be born. The gestation period usually lasts these months, translated in
approximately 93-112 days. The size of the litter is usually 2 or 3 puppies (although they can be up to 7) that are born blind and defenseless in
a cave, crevice, grotto or depression between tall grass, a reason why they depend on their mother during the first weeks of their life. From
then on the female establishes a stable social bond with its cubs that lasts until they become independent.

Both Tigers take different ways after mating, so mothers will be on their own to take care of their young during the incubation period and
afterward. Tigresses will find a den where they can go before their offspring are born.

The cubs born weighing about 2 pounds each, and they are completely dependent upon their mother as they are blind when they are born.
They will stay in the den until they are about eight weeks old. The males sometimes try to kill the offspring if they come into contact with them.
This behavior is because the female will be able to mate again with them.

Research has shown that there is a dominant cub in each litter. It is usually a male, but that isn’t always the case. The Cubs will engage in
various types of play with each other and with their mothers. The predominant offspring will receive more food and care from the mother if
things become scarce around. The Cubs will learn to hunt with their mother when they get older.

Males do not usually provide parental care; The tigress is responsible for caring the offspring, feeding them for 3-6 months and teaching them
to hunt; The cubs learn the latter between 8 and ten months of age when they go out with their mother. The young Tigers play fighting with
each other and thus acquire the speed and agility that they will need later when they are completely independent.

Independence occurs between 17 and 24 months of age, and the mother tends to wait 18-24 months to breed again.
The life cycle of tigers.
When tiger cubs are 1 ½ or 2 years old, they are ready to go out on their own. The females tend to make a territory that is very close to that of
their mother, but the males though tend to spread out much further. The females are excellent mothers for their offspring and fierce protectors
when it comes to keeping them safe from predators.

If things get though, mothers have to choose only one of the cubs. It usually will be the dominant of the litter as it is the one with the highest
chances of survival.

The mortality rate for young tigers is extremely high. Less than half of them survive the fist two years of life. They may be victims of males, the
lack of food or killed by other animals if the mother is not around.

Conservation
The tiger is an iconic species. Tiger conservation attempts to prevent the animal from becoming extinct and preserving its natural habitat. This is one of the
main objectives of the international animal conservation community. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES) has played a crucial role in improving international efforts for tiger conservation.

Species of tiger

Different types of subspecies

9 TYPES OF TIGERS: 6 ENDANGERED, 3 EXTINCT

Species Names

1. Bengal tiger Or Indian Tiger

2. Siberian Tiger Or Amur Tiger
3. Sumatran Tiger
4. Indochinese Tiger
5. Malayan Tiger
6. South China Tiger
7. Caspian Tiger
8. Bali Tiger
9. Javan Tiger

Bengal tiger Or Indian Tiger

Biological name : Panthera tigris tigris
Habitat : tropical forests
Location : India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
Description :

The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), also called the Indian tiger or the Royal Bengal tiger is native to the
Indian subcontinent.
Sizes – growth (length) male : 283 to 311 cm; female : 255–285 cm

Weight (kg) male : 397 and 569 pounds; female : 220 and 350 pounds
Color : orange, white ventral area, and stripes that can vary from brown to black with amber-colored eyes

Conservation : Endangered
Population : around 4000

Siberian Tiger Or Amur Tiger

Biological name: Panthera tigris altaica
Habitat : snow forest, birch forest, and boreal forest

Location : China, Russia and Korea

Description :

The Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), also known as the Manchurian tiger, Korean tiger, Amur tiger or
Ussurian tiger that lives in Northern Asia. The Siberian has a broad chest and large skull. Its thick fur, which
protects it from the harsh winters of Northern Asia
Sizes – growth (length) male : 3.7 metres female : 2.4 metres
Weight (kg): male : 389 and 475 pounds; female : 260 and 303 pounds.
Color: less vibrant color of orange than other tiger subspecies.
Conservation : endangered species
Population : About 400

Sumatran Tiger

Biological name: Panthera tigris sumatrae

Habitat : rainforests
Location : Indonesian island of Sumatra
Description :

The Sumatran tiger is the smallest tiger subspecies. Because it lives only on an island, it has been isolated
from other tigers. This has resulted in genetics that are different from its “mainland” cousins. The Sumatran
tiger weighs approximately half that of the Bengal or Siberian.
Sizes – growth (length) : male : 2.2 to 2.55 m ; female : 2.15 to 2.30 m

Weight (kg) :male : 220 and 310 pounds; female : 165 and 243 pounds
Color : The stripes are very dark and well-defined. They cover the tiger’s entire body, including its forelegs.
Conservation : critically endangered

Population : 400-600 left

Indochinese Tiger

Biological name: Panthera tigris corbetti

Habitat : tropical climate in rainforests, grasslands and in the mountains.
Location : southeast Asia (China, Thailand, Laos, Burma and Vietnam)
Sizes – growth (length) : male : 255 - 285; female : 230 - 255
Weight (kg): male : 150-195 ; female : 100-131
Color: narrow, single stripes
Conservation : near critically endangered
Population: Fewer than 500

Malayan Tiger

Biological name: Panthera tigris jacksoni

Habitat : Dense tropical forest

Location : Southeastern Asia (Burma, Thailand and Malaysia)

Sizes – growth (length)

Weight (kg): male : 150-139; female: 75-111

Color : black stripes. Its underside is white. long whiskers and piercing yellow eyes

Conservation : critically endangered

Population : Fewer than 300
South China Tiger
Biological name: Panthera tigris amoyensis
Habitat : landscape and Mountain

Location : eastern and central China (the Jiangxi, Guangdong, Fukien and Hunan provinces
Description :

The South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) is also known as the Chinese tiger, the Xiamen tiger and
the Amoy tiger.
Sizes – growth (length) : male : 230 to 265 cm ; female : 220 to 240 cm

Weight (kg):male : 130 - 175; female : 100 - 115

Color : blue-coloured or "Maltese" tiger

Conservation : critically endangered and facing possible extinction

Population: Fewer than 100 left

Caspian Tiger

Biological name: Panthera tigris virgata

Habitat : wetlands such as river basins, lake edges and sea shores

Location : Caspian Sea, eastern Turkey, northern Iran, Mesopotamia

Description :
The Caspian tiger was a large, powerful tiger
Sizes – growth (length): male : 270–295 cm; female : 240–260 cm

Weight (kg) : male : 170–240 kg; female : 85–135 kg

Color: rusty orange fur with quite a bit of brown

Conservation : extinct
Population

Bali Tiger

Biological name: Pantera tigris balica

Habitat : forests

Location : Indonesian islands

Description :

The Bali tiger was once the world’s smallest tiger. The only remains of the Bali tiger are bones and skulls
which have been preserved in museums

Sizes – growth (length)

Weight (kg) : male : 90 - 100; female : 64-79

Color

Conservation : extinct
Population

Javan Tiger

Biological name: Panthera tigris sondaica

Habitat : emote montane and forested areas

Location : Indonesian island of Java

Description :

Sizes – growth (length) : 248

Weight (kg): male : 100 and 141 ; female: 75 and 115

Color :

Conservation : Extinct

Population
Subspecies Biological Habitat : Location : Description : Conservation : Population
name
Sizes – growth Weight (kg) Color
(length)
Population 72,626,809
Male Population 37,610,983
Female Population 35,015,826
% of Male' Population 51.79%
% of Female' Population 48.21%
% of India' Population 6.00%
Sex Ratio 931
Child Sex Ratio 918
Density/km2 236
Density/mi2 610
Area (km2) 308,252
Area (mi2) 119,017
Child Population (0-6 Age) 10,809,395
Boys Population (0-6 Age) 5,636,172
Girls Population (0-6 Age) 5,173,223
Literacy 69.32%
Male Literacy 78.73%
Female Literacy 59.23%
Total Literates 42,851,169
Male Literates 25,174,328
Female Literates 17,676,841
Population Rural 52,557,404
Population Rural Percentage 72.37%
Population Urban 20,069,405
Population Urban Percentage 27.63%

Description Districts As per 2011 census

Most Populous District Indore 3,276,697
Least Populous District Harda 570,465
District with Highest Sex Ratio Balaghat 1,021
District with Lowest Sex Ratio Bhind 837
District with Highest Literacy Rate Jabalpur 81.07%
District with Lowest Literacy Rate Alirajpur 36.10%
District with Highest Population Density Bhopal 854
District with Lowest Population Density Dindori 94
 population areA
Himachal Pradesh, 6,864,602 55,673

Uttarakhand. 10,086,292
Delhi, 16,787,941
Haryana, 25,351,462 44,212

Chhattisgarh, 25,545,198 114

Jharkhand, 32,988,134
Rajasthan, and 68,548,437 342,239

Madhya Pradesh, 72,626,809 308,252

Bihar, 104,099,452 94,163

Population 25,351,462
Male Population 13,491,997
Female Population 11,859,465
% of Male' Population 53.22%
% of Female' Population 46.78%
% of India' Population 2.09%
Sex Ratio 879
Child Sex Ratio 834
Density/km2 573
Density/mi2 1,485
Area (km2) 44,212
Area (mi2) 17,070
Child Population (0-6 Age) 3,380,721
Boys Population (0-6 Age) 1,843,109
Girls Population (0-6 Age) 1,537,612
Literacy 75.55%
Male Literacy 84.08%
Female Literacy 65.93%
Total Literates 16,598,988
Male Literates 9,794,067
Female Literates 6,804,921
Population Rural 16,509,359
Population Rural Percentage 65.12%
Population Urban 8,842,103
Population Urban Percentage 34.88%