TIGERpedia
Introduction
Tigers have descended from miacids that lived during the ice-age. Approximately 37 cat species exist today, including Panthera tigris, the tiger. All throughout the world the tiger holds fascination for many people. Certain cultures retain the tiger as a symbol of strength, which has a mysterious aura surrounding it. But the fact remains that the tiger is in danger of extinction. Welcome, you are about to enter the world of the tiger...
Distribution:
It is widely distributed over the forests of India ranging from the sub-alpine Himalayas to down south and across east-west, but excluding Kashmir valley and the desert and arid portions of Rajasthan and Kutch.
Physical characteristicsTigers are among the most recognizable of all the cats. They typically have rusty-reddish to brown-rusty coats, a whitish medial and ventral area, a white "fringe" that surrounds the face, and stripes that vary from brown or gray to pure black.Most tigers have over 100 stripes. The pattern of stripes is unique to each animal, and thus could potentially be used to identify individuals. Large male Siberian Tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) can reach a total length of 3.5 m "over curves" (3.3 m. "between pegs") and a weight of 306 kilograms.
Age: The life span of tigers in the wild on an average is around 8 to 15 years. Tigers in zoos live longer (between 16 and 20 years).
Vision:
Tigers have round pupils and yellow irises (except for the blue eyes of white tigers). Due to a retinal adaptation that reflects light back to the retina, the night vision of tigers is six times better than that of humans. It can adjust to sudden darkness at once unlike the human eye. The presence of rods & cones in the eye indicates the possibility of colour vision.
Tactile Hair:
Tiger hairs are used as tactile receptors helping it to know more about its immediate surroundings The fur hair length varies geographically. In the southern subspecies the hairs are short (approximately 7 to 20 mm on the back and 15 to 35 mm on the stomach). The density of fur is dependent on seasonal and geographical factors.
Claws:
A tiger's forefeet have five toes and the hind feet have four toes. All toes have claws. The claws are sickle shaped and are important for offence and defence. The claws are retracted during walking and extended during attack
Chromosomes:
The diploid Chromosomes are 38 in number
Teeth design:
Tigers are meat eaters and their teeth design is adapted for this purpose. There are 30 teeth & the tiger bites with the side of its mouth. Its long, powerful canines are used to kill & grab the prey. The length of the canine teeth can be between 2.5 to 3 inches (74.5 to 90 mm)
Reproductive behaviour & post-natal care:
Mating follows a definite courtship period, the mother carries total responsibility of bringing up the young. Cubs stay with their mother for as long as 18-30 months. Males are generally intolerant of cubs, though exceptions are there.
Stripes act as camouflage, and help tigers hide from their prey. The Sumatran tiger has the most stripes of all the tiger subspecies, and the Siberian tiger has the fewest stripes
courtasy-projecttiger.in
SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT TIGERS
1.There were originally eight subspecies of tiger, the
Javan, the Bali, the Caspian, the Indochinese, the
Sumatran, the Bengal, the Siberian, and the South
China tiger
2.Unbelievably three of the eight subspecies are now
extinct. The Bali tiger met its demise in the 1940s,
the Caspian in the 1970s and the Javan in the 1980s
3.The latin names for the subspecies are:
pantheris tigris amoyensis The South China tiger
pantheris tigris altaicia The Amur (Siberian) tiger
pantheris tigris sumatrae The Sumatran tiger
pantheris tigris corbetti The Indochinese tiger
pantheris tigris tigris The Bengal tiger
pantheris tigris balica The Bali tiger
pantheris tigris virgata The Caspina tiger
pantheris tigris sondaica The Javan tiger
4.Wild tigers do not live in Africa, they are spread out
across Asia and are thought to have originated from
Southern China
5.Due to the cold winters of Southern Russia and
Northern China the Siberian tiger is the largest of
the subspecies with an average length of 27.5m (9ft 8')
and an average weight of 245 kilos (540 pounds), it
has the thickest fur and roams the largest territories
6.The Sumatran tiger is the smallest remaining
subspecies, with an average length of 2.3m (7ft 8')
and a weight of 113 kilos (250 pounds), this is due
to the fact that its small territories are restricted
to the Islands of Sumatra
7.It is impossible to count how many tigers are left in the
wild but experts estimate there to be less than 6000
8.A tiger marks its territory by spraying surrounding
trees and bushes with urine, dropping prominently
placed scat, and leaving deep scratch marks on tree
trunks
9.An adult wild tiger is a solitary, territorial animal.
A single tiger's territory can cover over 160 square
kilometres (100 square miles)
10.In the scent of the tigers urine and scat is a code which
can only be deciphered by other wild tigers. The
message not only acts as a warning to trespasses, but
will also supply all the information needed for a would
be mate
11.A tiger can spend up to eighteen hours sleeping
12.A female tiger will usually give birth to 2-3 cubs in the
wild, unfortunately the fatality rate for cubs can be
quite high
13.A tiger cub can gain 100 grams in weight per day
14.A cub will begin eating solid food at around 12-13 weeks
and should be completely weaned around seventeen
weeks
15.Tiger cubs play-fight with their siblings, which enables
them to gain strength and speed
*Save the Tigers*
courtasy sanctuaryasia
Tigers have descended from miacids that lived during the ice-age. Approximately 37 cat species exist today, including Panthera tigris, the tiger. All throughout the world the tiger holds fascination for many people. Certain cultures retain the tiger as a symbol of strength, which has a mysterious aura surrounding it. But the fact remains that the tiger is in danger of extinction. Welcome, you are about to enter the world of the tiger...
Distribution:
It is widely distributed over the forests of India ranging from the sub-alpine Himalayas to down south and across east-west, but excluding Kashmir valley and the desert and arid portions of Rajasthan and Kutch.
Physical characteristicsTigers are among the most recognizable of all the cats. They typically have rusty-reddish to brown-rusty coats, a whitish medial and ventral area, a white "fringe" that surrounds the face, and stripes that vary from brown or gray to pure black.Most tigers have over 100 stripes. The pattern of stripes is unique to each animal, and thus could potentially be used to identify individuals. Large male Siberian Tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) can reach a total length of 3.5 m "over curves" (3.3 m. "between pegs") and a weight of 306 kilograms.
Age: The life span of tigers in the wild on an average is around 8 to 15 years. Tigers in zoos live longer (between 16 and 20 years).
Vision:
Tigers have round pupils and yellow irises (except for the blue eyes of white tigers). Due to a retinal adaptation that reflects light back to the retina, the night vision of tigers is six times better than that of humans. It can adjust to sudden darkness at once unlike the human eye. The presence of rods & cones in the eye indicates the possibility of colour vision.
Tactile Hair:
Tiger hairs are used as tactile receptors helping it to know more about its immediate surroundings The fur hair length varies geographically. In the southern subspecies the hairs are short (approximately 7 to 20 mm on the back and 15 to 35 mm on the stomach). The density of fur is dependent on seasonal and geographical factors.
Claws:
A tiger's forefeet have five toes and the hind feet have four toes. All toes have claws. The claws are sickle shaped and are important for offence and defence. The claws are retracted during walking and extended during attack
Chromosomes:
The diploid Chromosomes are 38 in number
Teeth design:
Tigers are meat eaters and their teeth design is adapted for this purpose. There are 30 teeth & the tiger bites with the side of its mouth. Its long, powerful canines are used to kill & grab the prey. The length of the canine teeth can be between 2.5 to 3 inches (74.5 to 90 mm)
Reproductive behaviour & post-natal care:
Mating follows a definite courtship period, the mother carries total responsibility of bringing up the young. Cubs stay with their mother for as long as 18-30 months. Males are generally intolerant of cubs, though exceptions are there.
Stripes act as camouflage, and help tigers hide from their prey. The Sumatran tiger has the most stripes of all the tiger subspecies, and the Siberian tiger has the fewest stripes
courtasy-projecttiger.in
SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT TIGERS
1.There were originally eight subspecies of tiger, the
Javan, the Bali, the Caspian, the Indochinese, the
Sumatran, the Bengal, the Siberian, and the South
China tiger
2.Unbelievably three of the eight subspecies are now
extinct. The Bali tiger met its demise in the 1940s,
the Caspian in the 1970s and the Javan in the 1980s
3.The latin names for the subspecies are:
pantheris tigris amoyensis The South China tiger
pantheris tigris altaicia The Amur (Siberian) tiger
pantheris tigris sumatrae The Sumatran tiger
pantheris tigris corbetti The Indochinese tiger
pantheris tigris tigris The Bengal tiger
pantheris tigris balica The Bali tiger
pantheris tigris virgata The Caspina tiger
pantheris tigris sondaica The Javan tiger
4.Wild tigers do not live in Africa, they are spread out
across Asia and are thought to have originated from
Southern China
5.Due to the cold winters of Southern Russia and
Northern China the Siberian tiger is the largest of
the subspecies with an average length of 27.5m (9ft 8')
and an average weight of 245 kilos (540 pounds), it
has the thickest fur and roams the largest territories
6.The Sumatran tiger is the smallest remaining
subspecies, with an average length of 2.3m (7ft 8')
and a weight of 113 kilos (250 pounds), this is due
to the fact that its small territories are restricted
to the Islands of Sumatra
7.It is impossible to count how many tigers are left in the
wild but experts estimate there to be less than 6000
8.A tiger marks its territory by spraying surrounding
trees and bushes with urine, dropping prominently
placed scat, and leaving deep scratch marks on tree
trunks
9.An adult wild tiger is a solitary, territorial animal.
A single tiger's territory can cover over 160 square
kilometres (100 square miles)
10.In the scent of the tigers urine and scat is a code which
can only be deciphered by other wild tigers. The
message not only acts as a warning to trespasses, but
will also supply all the information needed for a would
be mate
11.A tiger can spend up to eighteen hours sleeping
12.A female tiger will usually give birth to 2-3 cubs in the
wild, unfortunately the fatality rate for cubs can be
quite high
13.A tiger cub can gain 100 grams in weight per day
14.A cub will begin eating solid food at around 12-13 weeks
and should be completely weaned around seventeen
weeks
15.Tiger cubs play-fight with their siblings, which enables
them to gain strength and speed
*Save the Tigers*
- In 2009, we lost a tiger almost every fourth day – 85 tigers in 365 days. These, of course, are only the recorded instances – minus all those skins that sneaked out across the border, and beyond – largely to China which writes its own laws on consumption of tiger derivatives even as it signs on international treaties dictating otherwise.
- In the first two weeks of 2010 – the International Year of the Tiger – India has lost four tigers. A skin was seized in Kerala, and two are suspected poaching cases, though official reports say otherwise. Of particular concern is Corbett, where four tigers have died in 28 days in the cusp of this year
- Two reserves Sariska and Panna have been emptied of tigers, “and 15 others are in a very, very precarious position, where tigers could go extinct,” says the Minister of State (Environment and Forests,) Jairam Ramesh. He called 2009 'the worst year for the tiger'. Good, that finally the government is acknowledging that there is a problem – denial of a tiger crisis as has been the norm till date has only accelerated the process of extinction. Ramesh calls the current tiger crisis “an emergency.”
- Why has the situation come to pass; inspite of the creation of Project Tiger, the biggest initiative of its kind, and a network of 38 tiger reserves and strict protectionist laws? Tiger numbers today are lower than ever before at 1,400 and declining?
- Tiger habitat continues to be degraded and fragmented. Protected areas, barely five percent of India, must be made sacrosanct and not ravaged by mines, flooded under reservoirs or bisected with roads and railways. A Special Protection Force, on the lines of the army, should be inducted *now*, to protect the tiger – each reserve will soon be a Sariska. And our national animal, extinct
courtasy sanctuaryasia