Siberian tiger - Panthera tigris altaica
Desricption:
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.
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