Tigers are majestic animals, predatory representatives of the class of mammals. What kind of life do tigers lead, and also what are these predators interesting in addition to their magnificent appearance and graceful behavior?
Description
Tigers belong to the genus panther along with a lion, leopard and jaguar. The population worldwide totals up to 6500 individuals. It includes several subspecies of the tiger. In general, this is one of the largest predators living on land, but each subspecies has its own characteristics.
Dimensions
Among the subspecies, mainland and island representatives are distinguished. Mainland - larger and more massive. These include Bengal and Amur tigers. The body length of males is 2.3-2.5 m, sometimes dimensions reach 2.9 m without tail.
The height at the withers of an adult male is up to 1.15 m. Females of all subspecies are characterized by a shorter length and height.
Body
Features of the body structure - one of the main advantages of the tiger. It looks large, massive, but at the same time, elongated in length and is flexible. In the shoulder region, the animal is higher than in the sacrum. In this case, the front part is more developed than the back.
The long tail is characterized by evenly distributed hair. The front legs have 5 fingers, the hind legs have 4 fingers. The tiger's claws are strong and retractable, like all cat's. Males leave traces of 15-16 cm in length and 13-14 cm in width. Traces of females are 1-2 centimeters shorter and narrower.
The head is round in shape with a massive skull. The forehead is convex, the front part, on which the cheekbones are widely located, is prominent. The ears are small in size with a rounded shape.
The tiger mustache, called vibrissa, is arranged in several rows. Most often they are white in color, dense, length - about 16 cm. Vibrissae, like other mammals, perform a tactile function.
The vision of predators is well developed, including that they can see in the dark. Tigers also distinguish some colors. An adult has 30 teeth. Fangs can reach 8 cm in length. They are well developed, as they help the predator to hunt. Tiger tongue has special tubercles that facilitate hygiene and food processing.
Interesting fact: tiger's eyes can be yellow or blue. It depends on the color of the species, since one gene is responsible for the color of the eyes and coat. For example, white tigers have blue eyes, while Bengal tigers have yellow eyes.
Color
The type of coat also depends on the subspecies of the tiger. The inhabitants of the northern latitudes have high, fluffy hair. Southern subspecies are distinguished by a low, rare, but dense woolen cover.
All tigers have a striped color, but its features are determined by the subspecies. The coat of most animals is colored in shades of orange, rusty red, brown. On the abdomen, chest, inner side of the legs, tail, on the neck and in the area around the eyes, light hair predominates. The tip of the tail is always black.
Dark brown or black stripes are a characteristic feature of the tiger. They can be located at any distance from each other. Moreover, the stripes have a certain shape - pointed at the end. As a rule, in the upper part of the body, the bands are less common, and in the lower - thicker.
The rest of the strip is unique to each individual. Specialists often use this feature of animals in order to identify this or that individual. The original color is necessary for tigers to camouflage while hunting.
Interesting fact: Tigers have not only striped hair, but also the skin itself. If you completely remove the hair, you can see an identical striped pattern. When the coat grows back, it will recover.
Unusual color variations
In addition to the typical color, there are more unusual options. Each of them is a certain mutation.These include white, gold tigers, as well as officially unverified individuals with black and bluish-gray hair.
White Bengal tigers are more common in captivity than in the wild. Approximately every 10,000 cub can be born with this mutation. The white tiger has dark stripes and blue eyes.
Golden tigers are considered rarer. About 30 such individuals are kept in captivity. Scientists believe that such an unusual color appeared as a result of prolonged reproduction of predators within the same family group.
How many tigers live?
Among tigers there are real centenarians - the average life expectancy depends on the subspecies. In general, there is a general pattern: in captivity animals can live about 5 years longer.
Amur predators live about 15 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity. Bengal tigers are of the same average age, but in artificially created conditions they can live up to 50 years.
In the natural environment, Chinese, Indochinese and Sumatran tigers survive to about 18 years of age. The record holder among these felines is considered to be Malay tigers, which in nature live up to almost 50 years, and in the artificial environment - 5 years longer.
The life span of tigers depends on many factors. In captivity, it is important to create the most suitable living conditions.
How much does a tiger weigh?
Like size, the weight of a tiger depends on its belonging to a particular subspecies. Amur males weigh 170-250 kg. Sometimes real giants are found - about 300 kg. Females weigh almost half less - 100-167 kg.
Bengal tigers have some differences in weight even within their subspecies. For example, the average weight of males living in India is about 221 kg, and in Nepal - 235 kg. Only some individuals reach 300 kg or more. Females weigh an average of 140 kg, but not more than 193.
Interesting fact: The absolute record holder among Bengal tigers and the whole species is a male weighing 388.7 kg.
Indochinese tigers are less massive. Males weigh 150-195 kg, females - 100-130 kg. As with other subspecies, larger individuals are also found.
Malay tigers are one of the smallest among all subspecies along with Sumatran. The weight of males is about 120 kg, and females - no more than 100. Scientists believe that these tigers are smaller than their relatives, as they are adapted for life in dense tropical forests.
The Chinese subspecies also differs in relatively small dimensions. Males weigh 127-177 kg, and females weigh from 100 kg to 118. It is noteworthy that these are probably the fastest tigers, since they can accelerate to 56 km / h at short distances.
What does it eat?
Tigers are predatory animals, but this does not prevent them from eating plant-derived foods (fruits, nuts, etc.) from time to time. The diet of the species depends on the conditions in which it lives.
In the wild, tigers actively prey mainly on ungulates. Amur - for deer, roe deer, wild boars; Bengali - on Indian zambars, nilgau; Sumatran - on tapirs, sambars. In other words, prey depends on the habitat.
Sometimes the diet includes large herbivores (buffaloes, moose, gaura), fish, reptiles and animals uncharacteristic for tigers: hares, pheasants, etc. Larger animals, for example, elephants and rhinos, predators try to avoid. Although there are cases of successful hunting.
An adult predator needs about 60 ungulates a year to fully satisfy the need for food. At one time, the animal can eat no more than 40 kg of meat, but if the tiger was hungry for a long time, then all 50 kg. Having overtaken a large prey, he usually eats it for several days.
Interesting fact: Tigers can do without food for a while. In their body, the presence of subcutaneous fatty tissue is provided, due to which energy and valuable substances are replenished. For example, in the Amur subspecies, the fiber layer is about 5 cm thick.
Habitat - where does the tiger live?
Tigers are Asian animals.The territories of Iran, the eastern part of the Russian Federation, China, Afghanistan, India, and the countries of Southeast Asia were considered the historical range. But various factors (for the most part - human activity, deliberate extermination of tigers, poaching) have significantly reduced the population and distribution of the species.
A complete list of 16 countries in which tigers are found:
- India;
- China;
- Bangladesh;
- Thailand;
- Russia;
- Malaysia;
- Nepal;
- Pakistan;
- Laos;
- Vietnam;
- Butane;
- Cambodia;
- Iran;
- Myanmar
- Indonesia;
- DPRK (data not officially confirmed).
The largest tiger populations are in India and on the Indochina Peninsula. In our country, a small number of species has been preserved in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories.
Tigers do not have certain preferences in terms of natural conditions and landscapes. They can live in tropical forests, mangrove swamps, bamboo thickets with high humidity. Also, animals can often be found in arid zones: savannahs, semi-deserts, taiga zone. Tigers feel comfortable at an altitude of up to 3 km.
Behavior
Representatives of the cat family cannot be attributed to nocturnal or diurnal animals - they can be active at any time of the day. Nevertheless, tigers prefer to hunt in the morning, evening or at night, and relax during the day.
Usually animals move in large steps, but they can also develop at a great speed, especially in the process of chasing prey. Tigers love water and have established themselves as excellent swimmers, but do not climb trees. A small exception is cubs up to 2 years old and weighing up to 60 kg.
Bathing for subspecies living in hot countries is a necessary activity that allows you to cool. At the same time, predators are not afraid of low temperatures. In spring and autumn, they molt.
Tigers rarely make any sounds except during the breeding season, during hunting or in case of aggression. The animal was entrenched in a manner of tracking prey, moving along their tracks and trails.
It is extremely important for a tiger to mark its territory and protect it from outsiders. Predators mark territories with an individual smell and this is the main way of communication between individuals.
Males occupy large territories - about 60-100 km2and smaller females - about 20 km2. The rest of the occupied area is determined by the range, the amount of food and the number of females (relative to males). Male tigers let females enter their territory (up to 4), where each of them occupies its own plot.
Animals move within their zone regularly along the same route, simultaneously marking the territory. They also provide several places for recreation - a kind of den.
If another male violates the occupied territory, a serious fight can be expected, since for tigers this question is extremely serious. Even passing through the designated area is unacceptable. Tigresses in this regard are not aggressive and often share prey with other females.
Feline hunting does not happen. They alone ambush the prey in winter or quietly creep up to it (in the summer). When the distance between the predator and its target is reduced as much as possible, the tiger abruptly attacks. He is able to jump 10 meters in length and 5 meters in height.
If the animal managed to escape, pursuit is possible, but no further than 150 m at high speed. A tiger can carry caught catch weighing up to 100 kg in its teeth. He will drag a larger animal along the ground.
Interesting fact: Tigers do not know how to hunt from birth. In order for the predator to survive and provide itself with food, the mother tigress must train her offspring in hunting techniques.
Male and female: main differences
There is the concept of sexual dimorphism when a male and a female of the same species have significant differences in terms of anatomy and other features. For tigers, it is uncharacteristic. Outwardly, tigresses and tigers are practically indistinguishable. The difference is only in size and weight - females are always smaller in height, length and lighter than males.
Breeding
Tigers are polygamous. Females become reproductive at the age of 3-4 years. Mating occurs in the winter, but fertilization is possible only a few days a year.
Tigresses breed offspring every couple of years. The bearing of the fetus lasts an average of 103 days. Females prefer to equip the den in closed, inaccessible places and not leave it for several years in a row.
The birth of cubs takes place in the spring. The brood most often consists of 2-4 individuals. One tiger cub or more than 4 happens, but very rarely. Babies are born fully formed, but they cannot take care of themselves.
The tigress fully provides them with everything necessary for up to 18 months: feeds with milk, then removes them from the den, teaches hunting. Males do not participate in this process. Often, cubs remain with their mother for up to 2-3 years or longer. Then they leave the habitat. Females remain nearby, while males search for their own territory.
Enemies
The tiger is at the top of the food chain in its range, so it has few natural enemies. These include representatives of the canine family, other feline, brown, Himalayan and Malay bears, crocodiles. The main reason for the feud between predators is the struggle for food. In addition, tigers sometimes purposefully hunt these animals.
Subspecies of tigers
There are currently 6 subspecies of the tiger:
- Amur;
- Bengal;
- Indochinese;
- Chinese;
- Malay;
- Sumatran.
Balinese, Transcaucasian and Javanese tigers are considered extinct.
Amur or Ussuri The tiger is found mainly in Russia, and is also found in China and North Korea. The population is from 450 to 540 individuals. The largest subspecies, as well as the representative of cats in general. It is distinguished by fluffy, long, dense hair of a more dull color in comparison with other subspecies and fewer stripes on the body.
Bengal tiger is found in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Unpretentious to natural living conditions. The population is from 1300 to 2000 individuals. Often suffers from poaching. The most famous mutation is white with or without dark stripes.
Interesting fact: The roar emitted by a Bengal tiger is so loud that it can be heard at a distance of about 3 km.
Indochinese the subspecies is distributed in Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia (the largest population) and in southern China. Another name is the Corbett tiger.
The number is from 600 to 1200 individuals. It differs in smaller dimensions than previous subspecies and darker hair. It behaves secretly in the wild, so the lifestyle has not been studied much.
Chinese or south chinese - the rarest subspecies. Probably in the wild he can no longer be found. The number is from 20 to 30 individuals. These are the fastest tigers, developing speeds of more than 50 km / h at short distances. They used to live in the mountainous woodland of China. The subspecies is threatened with extinction in the near future.
Malay the subspecies is found only on the Malacca Peninsula, which is part of three countries at the same time: Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar. Tigers are common in the southern Malaysian part of the peninsula. The population is from 600 to 650 individuals. This is one of the smallest representatives of the species, which looks similar to Indochinese.
Interesting fact: Malay tiger - the national symbol of Malaysia, depicted on the country's coat of arms and various emblems.
Sumatran a tiger is found on the island of Sumatra (Indonesia). A population of 400 to 500 individuals. The smallest subspecies, characterized by special aggressiveness. Able to make even long runs in the pursuit of prey due to its powerful paws and light weight.
Tiger threat
Tigers are listed in the international Red Book - hunting for them has been banned since 1947. Also, some subspecies are included in national and regional KK, including the Amur tiger in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.
Three subspecies are considered extinct, the rest are endangered.For example, there are only a few dozen South China tigers in the world.
The main reason for the decline in animal populations is hunting and human activities. Currently, the problem of poaching is relevant.
Nevertheless, in order to preserve the species, protected areas are created. In an artificial environment, specialists are working on the renewal of the population - new offspring are released into nature within the reserves.
Tigers and people
Relations between people and tigers are not easy. There are many who want to save this species, people who are working to restore the tiger population. At the same time, predators pose a serious danger. This is especially true for some countries and individual territories.
Very rarely, tigers attack people specifically for the purpose of obtaining prey. In most cases, they confuse a person with an animal. Or the female rushes to protect her offspring.
It happens that tigers weakened, wounded, expelled from their territory, also begin to attack people, as well as livestock, because they can not get other food for themselves. It is known that in the Sundarban nature reserve (India) there are frequent cases of tiger attacks, because there predators are used to people and are not afraid of them.
Who is stronger: a lion or a tiger?
There is no official scientific answer to this question, since in nature, lions and tigers rarely enter into fights. Also, the force of compression of the jaws of predators is approximately the same. In terms of endurance, they also remain on an equal footing - they are able to overcome long distances at high speed.
But some facts speak in favor of the tigers. They are heavier than lions (the average weight of a lion is about 180 kg), therefore they are capable of delivering more powerful blows with their paws and the whole body. Feline hunts in the same way. But a big role is played by lifestyle.
If lions are used to living in a large flock, then tigers are loners, especially when the question is about hunting. Lions rely on each other, and the tiger relies only on its own strengths, so it’s better adapted for survival.
