Tiger
Panthera tigris · Animal
The tiger is the largest living cat species and an apex predator of Asian forests and grasslands. Each individual carries a unique pattern of dark stripes that helps it stay hidden in tall vegetation.
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Panthera tigris
- Kind
- Animal
- Conservation status
- Endangered (IUCN EN)
- Habitat
- Tropical forest · Grassland · Mangrove
- Range
- South & Southeast Asia, Russian Far East
- Size
- Up to 3.3 m long (with tail)
- Weight
- Up to 300 kg
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years in the wild
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Activity
- Nocturnal · solitary
- Population
- ≈ 3,700–5,600 adults (IUCN, 2022)
Diet
Hunts large hoofed mammals such as deer and wild boar, usually ambushing prey at dusk or at night. A tiger can eat more than 30 kg of meat in a single meal.
Behavior
Tigers are solitary and territorial, marking large home ranges with scent. Unlike most cats they are strong swimmers and often rest in water to cool down. Cubs stay with their mother for about two years while they learn to hunt.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Carnivora
- Family
- Felidae
- Genus
- Panthera
- Species
- P. tigris
Conservation
Tigers have lost more than 90% of their historic range. Protected areas and anti-poaching work have helped numbers recover in India and Nepal.
Main threats
- Poaching for skins and bones
- Habitat loss and fragmentation
- Conflict with people and livestock