Tigers

Status: Endangered.

Description: The tiger is the largest member of the felid (cat) family. The tigris species is divided into eight subspecies. These subspecies are: Caspian; Bengal; Indochinese; Chinese; Siberian; Sumatran; Javan; and Bali tiger, all of which are either endangered or extinct. Tigers have a long thick reddish-ochre coat with a white belly and white and black tail (although the colors of different subspecies may vary). The head, body, tail and limbs have narrow black, brown or gray stripes. Hind legs are longer than the front legs to aid in jumping. The front legs are heavily muscled, and the paws have long, sharp retractile claws (claws that can be drawn in) enabling tigers to hold onto prey. Powerful jaws deliver quick killing bites.

Habitat: The tiger's habitat varies widely from tropical rainforests to snow-covered coniferous and deciduous forests to mangrove swamps to drier forests. Tigers have very specific ecological needs, namely cover, water and prey. Though tigers are tolerant of many natural environmental conditions, they still need specific types of cover and prey. The clearing of the habitat for agricultural purposes or logging reduces cover and prey, and therefore reduces tiger populations. This habitat destruction is a major threat to the tiger's survival.

Range: Tigers may be found in parts of India, Manchuria, China, Indonesia and the former Soviet Union.

Behavior: Tigers are solitary hunters who stalk and attack from ambush, their stripes providing excellent camouflage by breaking up the outline of their bodies when hidden in tall grasses. Prey consists mostly of pigs, deer, antelope, buffalo and other large mammals, although tigers have been known to hunt smaller animals and birds.

The social unit is usually made up of a female and her young. Depending on abundance and source of prey, tigers can have territories (or home-ranges) from 20-300 square miles. The female's home range is smaller than that of the male. Territories of tigers of the same sex do not overlap. Urine mixed with anal gland secretions is sprayed on trees, bushes, rocks to mark a territory. Scratches in trees are also territory markers.

Survival Threats: Another serious threat is hunting. Tigers are hunted, trapped, and poisoned for trophies, as threats to livestock, and because their body parts are used in Asian medicines. At one point in the 1970's the tiger's numbers had dropped to 4,000 compared to 100,000 in the early 1900's. Today's world tiger population still only number about 5,000-7,000 animals.

An intense effort is underway today to save the last remaining tigers. Unfortunately, tigers are still illegally hunted for their fur, bones and other parts to supply markets in China and Taiwan.

Legal Protection: Listed under the Endangers Species Act and CITES Appendix I. Species listed in Appendix I cannot be traded commercially.