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Bengal
Tiger
Panthera tigris
tigris
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 Appearance
The largest of the big cats,
the tiger has a massive, muscular body and powerful
limbs. Males and females look similar, but males have
longer, more prominent cheek whiskers. Coloration
varies from reddish-orange to reddish-ocher, and the
pattern of the dark, vertical stripes is extremely
variable. Tigers of the northern subspecies tend to
be larger and paler than tropical subspecies. Body:
1.8 - 2.8 m (6 - 9 1/4 ft), tail: about 91 cm (35
3/4 in) |
Description
Tigers are shy, nocturnal creatures
and usually live alone, although they are not unsociable
and seldom fight among themselves. They climb well,
move gracefully on land and are capable of galloping
at speed when chasing prey. |
Regions
Siberia to Java and Bali in
forest |
Diet
Wild pigs, deer, and cattle,
such as gaur and buffaloes, are the tiger's main prey,
and it also kills other mammals, such as the sloth
bear. |
Breeding
Male and female associate for
only a few days for mating. The female gives birth
to a litter of, usually, 2 or 3 young after a gestation
of 103 to 105 days. The young may stay with their
mother for several years. Most races of these magnificent
animals are now rare, and the Bali and Java tigers
may be extinct because of indiscriminate killing earlier
this century and the destruction of forest habitats. |
 Status
Endangered |
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