Tigers are the largest member of the cat family and are one of the most amazing predators of the wild. Distinctly recognized by their orange coat and black stripes, the big cats only remain to be around 4,500 in number across the globe, with the majority of them residing in India. The other countries where tigers can be found are Russia, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Bhutan, Laos, and China. Though a powerful predator, tigers have today become an endangered species and were on the verge of extinction in the beginning of the 20th century, largely due to poaching and hunting practices. It is due to conservation efforts by countries and world organizations that the tiger population has risen to what it is today.
Physical Characteristics
The tiger or the Panthera tigris are most widely recognized by their yellow-orange coat and black vertical stripes and have white bellies with white dots on their ears. Tigers are the biggest wild cats. Male tigers can weigh anywhere from 90-300 kgs with a length of 6.20-10 ft and females weigh between 77-176 kgs with their length ranging between 4.79-5.81 ft., excluding the length of their tails. They have strong jaws and sharp incisors to cut through prey with less effort. Being mostly nocturnal creatures, their eyes are able to adapt for hunting in the night.
Habitat and Distribution
The tiger is also called the Panthera tigris by its scientific name. The Panthera tigris species of tigers is further divided into 6 subspecies namely:
Diet and Hunting
Tigers are powerful predators that prefer to hunt down their prey. In the wild, these big cats are on the top of the food chain and prey on other wildlife such as wild boars, deer, buffaloes, monkeys, sloth bears, and sometimes even birds and fish. With most being nocturnal beings, they prefer to hunt during the night and have amazing vision in the dark that aids them. Their striped fur enables them to blend with the surrounding landscape and attack their prey without notice. They pounce on the prey and bite their neck to land the finishing blow. Tigers in the wild hunt once a week and consume a variety of animals.
Reproduction and Lifespan
Tigers reach sexual maturity at the age of 3 and 4 for females and 4 to 5 for males. For mating, there is no fixed season but most occur during the winter months with the gestation period lasting for approximately 100 days. Females normally give birth to a litter of 2 to 4 cubs, 7 in extreme cases. The cubs are born blind and it takes up to 8 weeks for their vision to get clear. Cub mortality remains high during the period of infancy. The mother remains with the cubs until they reach independence at the age of 2, after which they are capable of fending for themselves.
In the wild, the lifespan of tigers is around 10 to 15 years but in captivity, under human care it can increase to 20 years. Due to the high rate of cub mortality, it is not unheard of for tigers dying before they reach 2 years of age. Even as they reach adulthood, fights break out over territories resulting in conflicts and injuries, eventually leading to death. It is more common for tigers to die in territorial fights than of natural causes.
Behavior and Social Structure
Tigers are solitary creatures except when interacting with their mothers, cubs, or mates. Being solitary in nature, they prefer to hunt alone. The tiger cubs stay with their mother until the age of 2, after which they attain independence and set out in search of a new territory. Tigers mark their territory with urine and feces to warn off intruders. They claw mark the trees within their territory and also use vocalizations like roaring, grunting and chuffing. Tigers are extremely territorial creatures who can get into conflicts over territory issues. Some conflicts can cause injuries at best whereas some can even turn fatal.
Conservation Efforts
Tigers have always been part of a lot of cultures where they have been seen as the most powerful being and so defeating them was a sign of bravery and power. As such the apex predator has been a victim of game hunting of the rich and the royals for centuries. Prized for their skin, teeth, bones, for ornamental and medicinal purposes, the tiger population across the globe has seen a steep decline over the last century. Currently out of the 9 subspecies of the Panthera tigris, only 6 survive with the South China tiger and the Sumatran tiger population marked as critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.
Organizations around the world have come together to conserve the remaining tigers, such as the World Wide Fund for Nature, according to which there are around 4,500 tigers currently existing throughout the world. Other international organizations include the International Forum on Tiger Conservation and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which is a treaty signed by countries and regional unions, and has currently been signed by 184 countries and regionally integrated unions. The goals of these organizations include:
When it comes to India, tiger conservation efforts majorly began in 1973 with the advent of Project Tiger. Project Tiger has been the largest species conservation initiative of its kind in the world. With an aim to protect the tigers of the country, many of whom had fallen prey to either hunting or poaching, Project Tiger was started by the government of India after a census in 1972 which showed the number of tigers in the country to be depleting. Since its implementation, there has been a need for a statutory body for an efficient working of the project. A task force was set up and upon its recommendation, project tiger was provided with statutory authority which had administrative and legal powers. This body is called the National Tiger Conservation Authority or the NTCA. It has certain powers under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, amended 2006. The Authority monitors the efficiency and compliance of the guidelines of the tiger reserves related to conservation and tourism. It also ensures support for the effective implementation of the conservation plan. According to a report published by the National Tiger Conservation Authority in 2022 titled ‘Status of Tigers 2022’, India is home to 70 percent of the World’s tiger population and has around 3167 tigers which have been growing at an average rate of 6 percent annually, as mentioned by SP Yadav, the member secretary of NTCA.
Amazing Facts about Tigers
Frequently Asked Questions
How many species of tigers exist today?
Originally the Panthera tigris species of tigers had 9 subspecies, but sadly due to hunting and poaching only 6 of them are left which are:
Which country has the highest population of tigers?
Today India has the majority of tiger population in the world, housing around 70% of them.
Where can you find tigers in India?
You can find Bengal tigers in the protected tiger reserves in the country, which include:
What are white tigers?
The white tiger is a variation of the Bengal tiger, and has white fur with black and blue eyes. Different from the albino tigers who lack melanin, the white tigers are born due to a genetic mutation called leucism, genes of which need to be present in both the parents for the offspring to be born as the white tiger. As fascinating as they seem, the color is disadvantageous for the tigers during hunting and also causes them physical ailments due to the mutation.
What do tigers hunt?
Tigers are powerful predators who prefer to hunt down their prey. In the wild, these big cats are on the top of the food chain and prey on other wildlife such as wild boars, deer, buffaloes, monkeys, sloth bears, and sometimes even birds and fish.
How long do tigers live?
In the wild, the lifespan of tigers is around 10 to 15 years but in captivity, under human care it can increase to 20 years.
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