Tiger (Panthera tigris)

The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest of all cats. This majestic creature grows to lengths of 4 1/2 to 9 1/2 feet and weights of 220 to 660 pounds. The tiger's coat is orange with black stripes and white markings on its face, chest, and underside.

Eight subspecies of tiger have been identified, though 3 of those subspecies have been extinct since the 1950s. The extinct subspecies include the Caspian, Javan, and Bali tigers. The five subspecies alive today are all endangered. These include the Siberian, Bengal, Indochinese, South China, and Sumatran tigers. At one time, the tigers could be found as far west as eastern Turkey. Now tigers are confined to isolated areas of eastern and southern Asia.

Classification:

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Carnivora
• Family: Felidae
• Genus: Panthera
• Species: Panthera tigris

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Habitat: At one time, the tigers could be found as far west as eastern Turkey. Now tigers are confined to isolated areas of eastern and southern Asia.

Diet: Tigers hunt primarily by night, feeding on deer, cattle, wild pigs and occasionally monkeys, birds, reptiles, fish and carrion. The have also been known to attack young rhinoceroses and elephants.

Status: Endangered with an estimated population size fewer than 2500 mature individuals and continuing to decline. No subpopulation estimated to contain more than 250 mature individuals.

The primary threats facing tigers include poaching, habitat loss, dwindling prey populations. Although protected areas have been established for tigers, illegal killings still take place mainly for their skins and use in traditional Chinese medical practices. Extant subspecies include P.t.altaica, P.t.amoyensis, P.t.corbetti, P.t.sumatrae, and P.t.tigris. Source: IUCN Species Information Sheet (tiger), 2001 Categories and Criteria.