Tiger, (Panther, Tigris), the largest member of the cat family (Feline), rivaled only by the lion (Panther a Leo) in strength and ferocity. The Indian, or Bengal, tiger (P. Tigris) is the most numerous and accounts for about half of the total tiger population. Males are larger than females and may attain a shoulder height of about 1 meter and a length of about 2.2 meters, excluding a tail of about 1 meter; weight is 160–230 kg (350–500 pounds), and tigers from the south are smaller than those of the north. The tiger is endangered throughout its range, which stretches from the Russian Far East through parts of North Korea, China, India, and Southeast Asia to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The Siberian, or Amur, tiger (P. Tigris Altaica) is the largest, measuring up to 4 meters (13 feet) in total length and weighing up to 300 kg (660 pounds). The rare Siberian tiger has longer, softer, and paler fur. White tigers, not all of them true albinos, have occurred from time to time, almost all of them in India (see also albinism). Black tigers have been reported less frequently from the dense forests of Myanmar (Burma), Bangladesh, and eastern India. The tiger has no mane, but in old males the hair on the cheeks is rather long and spreading. Although most classifications separate the species into six subspecies, some merge subspecies or suggest that two tiger species exist, P. Tigris on the mainland of Asia and P. sondaica of Java, Bali, and Sumatra.
Natural history
Indo-Chinese (P. tigris corbetti), and Sumatran (P. Tigris sumatrae) tigers are bright reddish tan, beautifully marked with dark, almost black, vertical stripes. The underparts, the inner sides of the limbs, the cheeks, and a large spot over each eye are whitish. Having evolved in the temperate and subtropical forests of eastern Asia, the tiger is less tolerant of heat than other large cats, which may explain why it is an adept swimmer that appears to enjoy bathing. Under stress it may climb trees. Tigers haunt the ruins of buildings such as courts and temples and are at home in habitats ranging from dry grassland to rainforest. Grasslands, mixed grassland-forests, and deciduous rather than densely canopied forests support maximum population densities, as these habitats maintain the highest number of prey species. The tiger usually hunts by night and preys on a variety of animals, but it prefers fairly large prey such as deer (sambar, chital, and swamp deer) and wild pigs. Tigers are not averse to commandeering a kill from other tigers or leopards, and they sometimes eat carrion. Skill in killing and obtaining prey is only partly instinctive, maternal training being essential for proficiency. For this reason, tigers raised in captivity would not fare well if released into the wild. As the top predator throughout its range, the tiger plays a major role in controlling not only its prey population but that of other predators such as the leopard, dhole (Asiatic wild dog), and clouded leopard. No trait of the tiger has fascinated humans more than man eating. A special liking for porcupines, despite the danger of injury from their quills, is an exception. Healthy large mammals are generally avoided, although there have been recorded instances of the tiger’s having attacked elephants and adult water buffalo. Cattle are occasionally taken from human habitations, and some tigers can thrive on domestic livestock. After making a kill and consuming what it can, it makes a deliberate attempt to hide the carcass from vultures and other scavengers so that another meal can be obtained.
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