22 Interesting And Little Known Facts About Tigers

Tigers are one of the largest predators of nature. They are amazing. The eyes the distinctive pattern of a tiger makes them distinctively identifiable. Tigers are known as apex predators. Tigers are solitary animals. They are the largest member of the Panthera genus. The roar of a tiger is one of the loudest animal sounds. Tigers are aggressive and territorial. Tigers are seen in South Asia, Japan, Russia. They live in dense forest areas. Tigers are rarely seen out of the forest. They prey on large animals like different species of deers and wild boars.

Tigers have a large body structure. Siberian tigers are the largest among all big cats. Male tigers are larger than female tigers. Male tigers measures usually up to 9 feet long and wights up to 220 kgs. Female tigers measure 8 feet long and weigh up to 140 kgs. Tigers have a big head and face. Tigers have the longest shout teeth among all big cats. They have huge claws. Tigers can walk silently. They are one of the fastest animals also. All these physical properties and capabilities make tigers one of the most dangerous predators on the planet.

Tigers are one of the charismatic megafaunas. They are popular all over the world. The magnificent appearance and the kingly approach makes them the king of the green forest. Most species of tigers are on the verge of extinction. The causes of the declining numbers of tigers are the loss of natural habitats, lacking food or territory, and mass poaching. July 29 is celebrated as Global Tiger Day. IUCN listed all tiger species as endangered. Around 3,062-3,948 mature individuals are estimated to live in the wilderness.

Interesting Tiger Facts:

Tigers appeared about 2.8 million years ago. All the big cats shared a common ancestor about 20 million years ago.

There are six extant subspecies of tigers. These are the Siberian tiger, South China tiger, Indochinese tiger, Malayan tiger, Sumatran tiger, and the Bengal tiger.

Common scientific name for all tigers are Panthera Tigris. The word Panthera is derived from the old Latin word Panther that means a ferocious big cat. The word Tigris is derived from the ancient Greek name of the river Tigris.

The Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is known to be the largest of all tiger subspecies. The males of the Siberian tigers can grow up to 3.3 meters long. These tigers are also known as The Amur Tigers.

Sumatran tigers are relatively smaller than other tiger subspecies. The average length of a male Sumatran tiger is around 2.2 meters.

The most numerous of all tiger subspecies is the Bengal Tigers. They are also known as the Royal Bengal Tiger or the Indian tiger. Estimates suggest that there can be over 3,500 individuals living in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

The orange-colored tiger with black stripes is mostly seen. The orange color can be of different shades.

The stripes of a tiger are like a fingerprint for a human. The pattern of the stipes is different in a different individual. The stripes of two different tigers don't match with each other.

Tigers are nocturnal. They prefer to rest all day. Tigers mostly hunt at night.

Tigers are pretty fast animals. They can reach up to a speed of 65 km per hour at short distances.

Tigers are good swimmers. There is evidence of a tiger swimming up to 30 km in a single day.

Female tigers give birth to two or three cubs every three years. Only half of the cubs survive.

Tiger cubs are born blind. It takes them a week or more to open their eyes.

Tigers don't hunt until they are hungry. They eat up to 30 kg of fresh meat at once.

In the wild, tigers live for 15-18 years. It's hard for old tigers to hunt and defend territory wild. With good care, they can live up to 25 years in captivity.

White tigers are not a separate subspecies or albino. There are leucistic Tigers. Leucistic Tigers are the result of a recessive gene from each parent that affects pigmentation. White tigers typically have blue eyes.

Tigers are the real long jumpers of the wild. They can jump up to 30 feet at a time.

A group of tigers is called a Streak or Ambush.

Tigers have a wide range of vocalizations. They can roar, growl, hiss, moan, and chuff.

The roar of a tiger can be heard from several miles away.

Tigers have antiseptic saliva. Often They apply their own saliva by licking to avoid infection on the wound.

Sometimes tigers imitate the calls of other animals. They do it to bring the prey closer or to deceive the prey while getting close to it.

Tigers are one of the most important parts of the ecosystem. As the apex predator, they control the prey species which is important for biological balance in the ecosystem. Tigers are hunted down to extinction. Javan tiger, Bali tiger, and the Sumatran tiger have gone extinct in the near past. Many steps are taken worldwide to keep the species roaming on the surface of the earth. Some numbers are looking hopeful now. Tigers are the deadliest beauty of the world. Only awareness can make the tigers safe.