Endangered Species Zoo

TIGER

(Panthera tigris)

DESCRIPTION:

The tiger is the biggest member of the cat family. Their hind legs are longer than the front legs to aid jumping, and they have sharp retractable claws to hold on to their prey. There are five remaining sub-species of tiger: Bengal; Indochinese; Chinese; Siberian; and Sumatran. The rare Siberian tiger can grow up to 3.7m long. They are usually solitary animals, sometimes gathering together to share a kill or a water hole, or pairing up to mate. Tigers are territorial and mark their territories by spraying the boundaries, territories of the same sex do not overlap.

HABITAT:

Sumatra, Asia, India. The tigers habitats are widespread and varied, from humid tropical rainforests to cold snow-covered pine forests.

DIET:

Deer, cattle, frogs, fish, carrion.

Tiger lying under tree

REPRODUCTION:

The gestation period for the tiger is around three months. Between one and six cubs are born per litter who stay with their mother until they are about two, although they begin catching their own kill from roughly 18 months old.

POPULATION:

In the early 1900's the tiger population was around 100,000, the population dropped to around 4,000 in the 1970's. Today the tiger population has risen slightly to around 5,000 to 7,000.

THREATS TO SURVIVAL:

Man is the only threat to the survival of tigers. All of the remaining five species of tiger are endangered, the Caspian, Javan and Bali tigers are extinct. Their habitat is being threatened by deforestation due to an increasing population. They are hunted by poachers for their fur, for use in Chinese medicine and as an ingredient for exotic recipes.

CONSERVATION:

Tigers are protected under the CITES treaty. Water, soil and vegetation are crucial to the preservation of the tiger. India has an extensive conservation program which includes Corbett National Park, where there are around 100 tigers, Ranthambore National Park, and Kanha National Park. Along with the WWF, India has set up 'Project Tiger', a nationwide project to help the preservation of tigers. Since 1980, the government of Nepal has undertaken long term tiger monitoring in Royal Chitwan National Park, the population, behaviour and habitat of the tiger has been closely studied and the information used in planning tiger conservation.

Tiger | Black Rhino | Giant Panda | Hawksbill Sea Turtle | Asiatic Elephant

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