Some Interesting Facts about Tigers

Tigers are the largest members of the cat family (the largest cat species), with the zoological name Panthera Tigris. It is known for its dauntless aura and ferocity. 

Tigers have come a long way since they came into being. They are wild animals with a preference for hunting at night. These nocturnal creatures possess great speed, although they do not outrun their cousins, the cheetahs.

Subspecies of Tigers and their Distribution

Tigers consist of about eight sub-species distributed across the world.

We are going to examine the subspecies of Tigers, with a particular focus on the Bengal Tiger.

• Bengal Tiger

 It is also known as the Indian Tiger. It is found on the Indian subcontinent.

• Siberian or Amur tiger 

This subspecies of tigers are mainly found by the Amur River in Manchuria. They are distributed mainly in the Russian far east, China, and, quite rarely, in North Korea.

• South Chinese tiger

This subspecies of tigers have been found to be native to South Central China. They are, however, considered to be extinct as nobody has come across their kind since the 1990s.

• Indo-Chinese tiger

This subspecies of tigers are mainly distributed across Southeast Asia, namely, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. This subspecies is also considered to be extinct, although they may remain in sparsely scattered populations at present across southeast Asia, as their population was hit by a great decline. Southeast Asia was densely populated with their kind during the 1980s.

• Sumatran tiger

 This tiger species is found in the Sumatran islands of Indonesia, with no more than 400 of them left in the wild. This subspecies of tigers are critically endangered and not completely extinct.

• Java and Bali tigers 

These subspecies of Indonesian tigers are now extinct due to high rates of hunting and rapid deforestation. They were native to the Java and Bali areas of Indonesia, respectively.

• Caspian Tiger, 

Now extinct, this subspecies of tigers were found in central and west Asia, specifically Turkey. This was the largest tiger to have ever roamed the Earth.

Bengal Tiger

This is the tiger subspecies found on the Indian subcontinent. It is often referred to as the Indian Tiger.

Bengal Tigers are believed to be among the largest tiger subspecies that ever existed, with the males recording an average length of 110 to 120 inches and an average weight of 386 to 573 kg.

Bengal Tigers, despite still being in existence, are close to being extinct, as they are continually being endangered by the growing human population and increasing hunting activities and deforestation brought about by development.

Bengal Tigers are also believed to be the most common cat sub-species to ever exist.

Lifespan of Tigers

The lifespan of tigers is dependent on whether they live in captivity or in the wild.

Tigers have an average lifespan of 8 to 10 years when they spend their lives in the wild.

However, when captured or taken captive,  tigers may live up to 20-26 years. This is because, in captivity, they receive good medical care, timely meal routines, and constant food and care.

This treatment that captured tigers receive is not there for tigers who live in the wild.

Most times, the tigers that live in the wild go days and even weeks without food because their hunts are not always successful. When they are subject to medical challenges, care is not available at all. This leads to their shortened lifespan.

Other Interesting Facts about Tigers

Tiger lives are peppered with a lot of interesting facts which a lot of people do not know.

• Speed

Tigers run at great speeds. They might not be the fastest animals, but their speed is worth noting.

• Unique stripes

Just as no two humans have the same fingerprints, all tigers have different stripes, and no two tigers have the same stripe.

• Largest cat subspecies

Tigers are believed to be the largest cat subspecies.

• Tiger cubs are born blind

Tiger cubs are born blind. They only open their eyes 1-2 weeks after birth.

• Tigers prefer to hunt at night

Being nocturnal animals, tigers go hunting at night and not during the day.

• Tigers are good swimmers

As part of their ambush tactics, tigers submerge themselves in water with only their head partly out while they swim towards their prey. Despite being land animals, tigers also swim very well.

Conclusion

Tigers are the largest cat subspecies, with the males recording an average length of 110 to 120 inches and an average weight of 386 to 573 kg.

Tigers originally had as many as 8 sub-species, but out of these 8, only a very few sub-species still exist, while the rest have become extinct after being subject to human activities such as hunting, deforestation, and development.

Bengal Tigers are among the few existing sub-species of tigers, with only a few of them distributed over the Indian subcontinent.

Tigers have a lifespan of 20-26 years (for those who live in captivity) and 8-10 years (for those who live in the wild).