Tiger Facts

Tiger statistics

• Before 1900 around 80,000 to 100,000 tigers in India.

• Before independence 1947 around 40,000 tigers.

• Around 1971 when Project Tiger started 1700 to 1800. Project Tiger brought populations to 3000 to 3500. Unfortunately the tiger population today stands to 1500 - 2000 thanks to poaching for it's bones

Till China/South East Asia ran out of tigers and tiger medicine Mfrs. started looking towards Indian Tigers.
Till population pressure, poverty, and disinterest in tiger conservation from the high offices took its toll.
As forests in India started shrinking rapidly.
Today around 2500 barely eek a living in 3-4% percent of severely threatened area of India. This 3-4% area is now being looked at for human subsistence/greed, 96 % area is not enough.
FUTURE:- Bleak. Tiger may survive in National parks like Kanha, Satpura, Corbett and Sunderbans for some more time till inbreeding and other factors take their final toll.
No more about food chain and eating habits of Bengal tiger...Tiger

Tiger Vital Statistics

Height= 3 feet to 3 1/2 at shoulders.
Weight= male= 180 kgs to 230 kgs, females= 180 kgs approx.
Length= from tip of nose to tail end = 9.9 ft or 275-230 cm average.
Color= Rufus with black stripes and white patches. Stripes an important identifier.
Pugs=5 1/2 to 7 inches. Adult Male.
Pug Marks= Male= Square; Female= Rectangle.
Nose= sense of smell well developed.
Nose flesh= Pink. Black in old tigers.
Ears= extremely alert.
Eyes= can see in dark too.(tiger-tiger eyes burning bright)

Tiger Introduction & Habits

Origin: Cold regions of Siberia (Hypothesis)
Lineage: Sabre Toothed Cat (Hypothesis)
Area: Siberia, China, Southeast Asia to India.
Class: Mammalia
Apex Species.
Order Carnivora
Tertiary Carnivore in Food Chain.
Family Pantheridae.
It roars unlike smaller cats of Felidae.
Genus Panthera.
Cousins Lion and Panther.
Species Tigris
The striped one. The White Tiger is a tiger with a recessive gene not a separate species. Race in India- tigris.
Habitat: Densely forested areas avoids scrub forests does not live in open grasslands types but exists in tall grassy meadows like which contain elephant grass. Habitat is not the same as Lions. Cannot survive for long in degraded forests unlike the Leopards do.
Adaptability in India. Spread and bred well.
Is not comfortable with summers at all and lurks in and around water hole and pools for comfort. Cannot survive on carrion and recently is becoming very susceptible to diseases due to inbreeding and human and livestock encroachment.
Nocturnal
Indicator Species Of Many Habitats in India.
Lives alone except during mating.
Mating: Generally winter but not fixed.
Mating Call: Aaaanoooohnnn!!!!! mostly by female.
Female in estrous every two years after giving birth; Period= 3to4 days. Can come back to estrous in 15 days. Indicator: Pheromone through urinal glands. Sprays on trees,grasses etc. Feaces contain chemical messenger too.
Female separates after mating and takes care of cubs till they are two years old.
Litter: two to three more(rare) .
Litter mortality is around 30%.
Food: anything that walks in the wild but not humans.I believe it has predilection for Sambhar hinds while the spotted deer is its main prey base. Bison (rare). Elephants calves (rare). Very Occasionally-grass.
Range Spacing mechanism; 25 to 75 sq.kms depending upon habitat and population density.(Food, Water, Shelter, Tigress etc.) Older males are driven out by younger males from prime habitats. Females and subservient transient males (immature) are allowed to stay in its territory.
Territory Markings: Claw mark on trees; Urine Scent; Stool etc.
Nature: Extremely gentle but likes to keep humans at a distance.
Tiger Warning: Grrrrrr............Hisssssssssss (not like snake).
Confession I am an amateur naturalist who has roamed the tiger habitats of my region in Central India namely: Jabalpur, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Pachmarhi, Achanakmar etc. I am not a tiger expert or a researcher. As a nature lover I have learned about tigers and tiger habitats. I am interested in a general study of nature birds, mammals, and flora and butterflies etc. I am also interested in nature photography(amateur)and do act as a nature guide too and make travel arrangements. I write articles on travel on internet and am looking forward to publishing more articles on Indian wildlife. My articles on Nesting Sun birds & Paradise Flycatchers have been published in Sanctuary Asia
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