Full classification:

Class – Mammalia (Mammals)

Order – Carnivora (Carnivores)

Family – Felidae (Cats)

Subfamily – Pantherinae (Big cats)

Genus – Panthera

Species – Panthera tigris

General information:

Tigers inhabit a wide variety of habitats, ranging from tropical evergreen and deciduous forests of South and Southeast Asia to coniferous, shrubland, and birch forests of the Far East. They can be found in lowland areas, such as the swamp forests of Sumatra, as well as in the dry high-altitude regions of Bhutan, where tigers have been recorded at elevations of up to 4,000 m above sea level. The oldest known fossil remains of tigers, dating back approximately 2 million years, have been found in China and on the island of Java, Indonesia.

Historically, tigers had a much wider distribution across Asia, ranging from Turkey in the west to the eastern coast of Russia. Over the past 100 years, tigers have disappeared from southwestern and Central Asia, from the Indonesian islands of Java and Bali, and from most of Southeast and East Asia. Today, they occupy less than 6% of their historical range.

The tiger is the largest species in the cat family (Felidae), although there are considerable differences between subspecies. Males may weigh between 100 and 300 kg, while females generally weigh 75–170 kg. Body length ranges from approximately 2 to 3.3 m. The tiger is the only cat species with a striped coat, and the stripe pattern is unique to each individual.

The main components of a tiger’s diet are large ungulates, but tigers may also prey on birds, fish, rodents, amphibians, reptiles, and other animals. Unlike most cats, tigers are excellent swimmers. They are solitary animals, and the size of their territories depends largely on the availability of prey and, in the case of males, on the presence of females in the area. A female’s territory averages around 20 km², while a male’s territory may cover approximately 100 km². Tigers generally live for 10–15 years in the wild and are most active during the night and twilight hours.

A female tiger gives birth to 2–4 cubs after a gestation period of approximately 3–3.5 months. Cubs do not begin hunting independently until they are about 18 months old and usually remain with their mother until they are 2–3 years old, after which they begin searching for their own territory.

What are the main threats to tigers?

• Poaching for the illegal trade in tiger body parts;
• Degradation and loss of natural habitats;
• Human–tiger conflict, including the killing of domestic livestock by tigers and subsequent retaliatory actions by people.

In 2010, the 13 countries where wild tiger populations remained signed the St Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation. Its main goal was to unite international efforts to double the number of wild tigers, which at the time was estimated at approximately 3,200–3,500 individuals. Conservation measures include protecting natural habitats, establishing transboundary corridors to facilitate the movement of animals, and minimising the negative impact of infrastructure development in tiger habitats.

To raise public awareness about tiger conservation, World Tiger Day is celebrated annually on 29 July.

The tiger is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™.

The tiger is protected under:

• Appendix I of the CITES Convention (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

5 Interesting facts:

1. Every tiger has a unique stripe pattern, much like a human fingerprint. The stripes help tigers remain camouflaged among grasses, shrubs, and forest vegetation.
2. Unlike most cats, tigers are excellent swimmers and can travel considerable distances through water. They often use water to cool themselves and may hunt prey near or in aquatic habitats.
3. The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest living species in the cat family (Felidae). Its size and body mass vary considerably depending on sex and subspecies.
4. Tigers use a variety of vocalisations to communicate. They have also been observed producing sounds that resemble the calls of some prey species, such as deer, potentially helping them approach prey more closely.
5. As apex predators, tigers play an important role in regulating herbivore populations. Protecting tigers also helps conserve large natural habitats that support many other species.