a tiger at Lowry Park Zoo
Panthera Tigris (Tiger)
the grandest predator along with the lion
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Carnivora |
| Family | Felidae |
| Genus | Panthera |
| Species | Tigris |
P. t. tigris P. t. corbetti P. t. jacksoni P. t. sumatran P. t. altaica P. t. amoyensis P. t. balica P. t. sondaica P. t. virgata
Description
Tigers have coats of various colors from red to orange covered with black stripes, providing for some camouflage. They have powerful jaws, and their paws allow them to be good swimmers. They weigh anywhere from 65 kg to 300 kg.
Status
There are 9 subspecies of panthera tigris, and unfortunately, six are endangered. The other three are believed to be extinct (P. t. balica, P. t. sondaica, P. t. virgata). Humans have perpetuated habitat destruction and poached tigers for their fur and other body parts.
Habitat
Tigers live in a wide variety of habitats in Asia, mainly in India, which has over 80% of the tiger population of the world. One common trait of their habitats is that they are home to large land animals, including livestock of farmers. These places also have dense fauna, which benefits the tigers' hunting abilities. While they live in many different areas, they are not very adaptable species, usually staying in that habitat. Their numbers are decreasing because of this.
Behavior
The tiger is the largest cat of the Felidae family. It is a carnivorous animal that hunts almost any animal, especially large animals. When there is an insufficient amount of food, tigers have been known to kill livestock. They stalk their prey by hiding in the thinck brush until they can ambush the animal. Males have home ranges of up to 100 km while females usually stay within areas of 20 km. Males protect their territory by using feces, scratches on trees, and other signals.
Reproduction
Every year, female tigers are only able to reproduce for a few days. However, in these few days, there is frequent mating. The gestation period of a tiger is around 103 days. The young are usually taken care of by the female, and after 18 months, they usually gain independence.
a tiger in its natural habitat, surrounded by brush
http://www.jhull.com/2003/safari/lg/Image13.jpg
