Order:    Carnivora                                                                                Family: Felidae                                    

Scientific name:   Panthera tigris altaica                                            U.S. common name: Amur tiger

Other names: Siberian tiger

Status in the wild: Classified as critically endangered by IUCN

Major threats: Poaching and habitat loss

Geographic range historically: From Lake Baikal to the Pacific coast and Korea, also sporadically on Sakhalin

Geographic range currently: Very rare in Manchuria and Korea, rare throughout the rest of its range.

Habitat: Coniferous, scrub oak, and birch woodlands

Circadian cycle: Mainly nocturnal but may be active in daylight, especially in the winter in the northern part of its range

 

Size

 

General range                       male                                       female                                                    birth

 

Head to tail length:                                  2600-3300 mm                                                                                                                                   

Weight:                                                      100-306 kg                      180-306 kg                             100-167 kg                                              780-1600 g 

Sexual dimorphism: Males are larger than females.                                                                                                                                       

 

Reproduction

 

Mating Season: May occur at any time but is most frequent from November to April

Gestation period: 93-111 days

Estrous cycle: 3-9 weeks, and are receptive 3-6 days

Monestrous/polyestrous: Polyestrous

Interbirth interval: 2-2.5 years

Sexual maturity: Females at 3-4 years and males at 4-5 years

Other information: Births usually occur in caves, rocky crevices, or dense vegetation

                       

 

Rearing and young

 

Young called: Cubs

Number of young (range): 1-6; with 2-3 being the most common litter sizes

Eyes open: 6-14 days           

First leave den: Begin to travel with their mother at 5-6 months

Weaned: 3-6 months

Independent: Usually separate from the female at about 2 years of age but may remain with her up to 3 years of age

 

General

 

 

Life expectancy: Maximum known longevity is 26 years in both the wild and captivity

Social structure: Except for courting pairs and females with young, they are essentially solitary.

Unique behavior(s): Usually do not climb trees but are capable of doing so. Can cover up to 10 meters in a horizontal leap. Seems to like water and swims

                                   well; has been known to swim up to 29 km. The killing of prey is done by strangulation or a bite to the back of the neck.

Senses: To hunt, sight and hearing is more important than smell

Coat & coloration: The coat ranges from a reddish orange to a reddish ochre on the upper parts; the underparts are creamy or white. The head, body, tail,

                                  and limbs have a series of narrow black, gray, or brown stripes. On the flanks the stripes generally run  in a vertical direction.

Dental Formula: 3/3 I, 1/1 C, 2-3/2 PM, 1/1 M = 28 or 30 total

Diet: Large mammals such as deer. Smaller mammals and birds are occasionally taken. The prey is usually dragged to an area within cover or near water.

 

 

 

 

Sources

 

Nowak, Ronald M. (ed.) 1999.  Walker’s Mammals of the World Vol. 2 (6^th edition).  The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London.