<~~Auroara
- a female Siberian/Bengal Tiger born on 2/27/96 to Sunny and Bombay at
Predator's Plus. She arrived at three weeks of age in exchange for a Serval kitten.
China Doll~~> - a female Bengal Tiger was born 11/1/94 and came to us a big beautiful
cub in April of 1995 as a playmate for Shere Khan. She walked right out of the carrier, allowed us
to bathe her and then licked some calcium and vitamin powder off the plate, before any food was
offered. She came from Oneida and they really seem to care for their cats. She was obviously raised
on vitamins and calcium and was bigger than the male we had imported her for.
Shere Khan
- a male Siberian/Bengal Tiger born 12/20/94 stole our hearts on 3/12/95.
He had been sold as a cub, but the purchaser kept putting off his delivery date, until he finally
canceled the sale at four months. The breeders then had a four month old cub on their hands who
had never been disciplined, and for whom they had no other facilities, than a small carrier, that he
was quickly outgrowing. We accepted him knowing that we may never be able to completely tame
and trust him. We and our staff and volunteers worked with him several hours every day to try and
teach him not to bite.
Tigers are the biggest and most powerful of all cats. Their habitat consists of tropical forest,
mangrove swamps, evergreen forest, grassland, and the savanna. Wherever their home is, tigers
behave in similar ways. Their diet consists of wild pigs, deer, buffalo, antelope, and wild oxen.
Today the tiger is endangered, with scattered populations striving to survive in few areas of Asia.
Tigers can also be found in several scattered population pockets in southeastern, eastern, and
southern Asia. Total estimated numbers of surviving tigers in the wild are 4,000-6,000. Because the
small populations of surviving tigers are isolated from each other, results may lead to in-breeding,
which in-turn decreases the survival rate.
Tiger's sizes vary between subspecies. Their head and body can be up to nine feet, two inches, tail
up to three feet, one inch and an estimated maximum weight of 700 pounds. After a gestation period
of 13-16 weeks, the female will give birth to two to four cubs.
Tigers love the water and are excellent swimmers. For the most part, Tigers are solitary animals,
however, they will come together to breed or share a kill. Tigers mark their territory with urine spray
and claw scrapes.
Tiger Subspecies
There are five Tiger subspecies known to man today: Siberian, Indo-Chinese, Chinese, Indian (also
known as Bengal), and Sumatran. Since the 1940s, three of the Tiger subspecies have become
extinct: Caspian, Javan, and Bali.
The Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is the largest of all the Tiger subspecies. It has a
paler coat than any other Tiger, and also a thicker one, to adapt to the cold climate.
The Indo-Chinese Tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti) is the smallest and darkest of the subspecies.
There is an estimated 1,050-1,750 Indo-Chinese Tigers alive in the wild today.
The South Chinese Tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) has fewer stripes than the other Tiger
subspecies. Less than 50 of this subspecies remain in the wild today.
The Indian Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is also known as the Bengal Tiger. It is the most
numerous of the Tiger subspecies. There is an estimated 3,250-4,700 Indian Tigers living in the wild
today, however, this number may be an overestimation.
The Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) is found only on the Indonesian island of
Sumatra. It has more stripes than the other Tiger subspecies. Only an estimated 600 of these Tigers
are believed to be alive in the wild.
Project Tiger
In 1973 nine special reserves were established in India, to protect Tiger numbers. Today there are
18 reserves and as a result Tiger numbers have risen.
"Chuffing"
Have you been "chuffed" lately? The Tiger makes a "chuffing" noise as a way to greet its mate,
parents, or friends. When and if you ever get "chuffed" at, remember this is a good thing!
