Panthera tigris
Range
There are 5 different kinds of tiger alive today. The tigers are the Siberian tiger found in Russia, China, and North Korea, the Indochinese tiger found in Burma, Vietnam and Malaysia, the South China tiger found in South China, the Bengal tiger found in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Western Burma, and Tibet, and the Sumatran tiger found in Sumatra.
Habitat
They live in tropical forests, pine forests, mangrove swamps, grasslands, and open rocky hillsides. Their habitat just needs places to hide, so they can stalk and leap on prey.
Body Traits
They are the biggest cats in the world. The Siberian tiger is the biggest kind (species) weighing up to 800 pounds and up to 12 feet long. They have golden, orange fur with black striping and sensitive whiskers. Their claws are only out when in use (retractable). They have huge, powerful jaws for crushing prey. They are adapted for leaping onto prey with large back legs and a long tail for balance.
Habits
They live alone (solitary) and need a lot of space. They are good swimmers.
Diet
They eat deer, antelope, monkeys, lizards, snakes, fish, young elephants, cattle, peacocks and even fruit and berries (carnivores).
Predators
Their only real threat is man.
Reproduction
Females are pregnant for about 14 weeks (a little more than 3 months) (gestation). They have 1- 6 cubs, usually 3. At 8 weeks old, the mother begins to take the cubs out into the bush to feed on the prey she has killed. They don’t start killing prey until they are well over a year old.
Lifespan and/or Conservation Status
They can live 10-15 years in the wild. They are listed as endangered.
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Felidae
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Species: Panthera tigris