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SCIENTIFIC NAME: Panthera
tigris
RANGE: Tigers occur
in parts of India, Manchuria, China, Indonesia and Russia
(Siberia).
CHARACTERISTICS AND BEHAVIOR: The tiger
is the largest member of the felid family. Tigers have
a long, thick, reddish coat with a white belly and white
and black tail. The head, body, tail and limbs have narrow
black, brown or gray stripes. They can reach up to 10 feet
in length and weigh 400 to 575 pounds. They are solitary
hunters that stalk and attack from ambush. Their stripes
provide camouflage by breaking up the outline of their
bodies when hidden in tall grasses.
HABITAT: Tiger habitat varies widely, from tropical
rainforests to snow-covered coniferous and deciduous forests
and from mangrove swamps to drier forests.
FAVORED PREY: Tiger prey consists mostly of pigs,
deer, antelope, buffalo and other large mammals, although
tigers have been known to hunt smaller mammals and birds.
PRINCIPAL THREATS: Tigers are classified as an endangered
species. Loss of habitat to farming and logging and illegal
hunting. Three out of eight subspecies--the Caspian, Javan and
Bali tiger--are now extinct.
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The jaguar is the third-largest
cat, after the lion and tiger. Work with the field guides
and what you already know about the jaguar to put all
nine species in order of size.
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© 2004 Wildlife Conservation Society.