The Garden of Eaden: TIGERS

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The tiger - more specifically the Siberian tiger - is the largest of all the big cats. It is a heavily muscled, powerful predator that stalks and ambushes large prey, camouflaged by its stripy coat. Unlike other cats, tigers are good swimmers and often cool off in lakes and streams during the heat of the day. Sadly, they have been pushed to the edge of existence through hunting and habitat loss, with three of the nine subspecies already extinct, and the other subspecies at high risk.

Where do tigers live?

We know that tigers are territorial, generally solitary, and require large contiguous areas of habitat that support their prey requirements.

However, as they are also indigenous to some of the more densely populated places on earth, wild tiger populations have caused significant conflict with their human neighbours. Because of this, tiger populations - as well that their habitats - have been in decline for decades.

Tigers once ranged widely across Asia, and from Turkey in the west to the eastern coast of Russia. But disastrously, over the past 100 years, they have lost 93% of their historic range, and have been extirpated from southwest and central Asia, from the islands of Java and Bali, and from large areas of Southeast and Eastern Asia! The main reasons behind their dramatic population decline include habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation and poaching by hunters for their body parts and pelts.

Today, they range from the Siberian taiga to open grasslands and tropical mangrove swamps. The extent of area occupied by tigers is now estimated at less than 1,184,911 km2 (457,497 sq mi), a 41% decline from the area estimated in the mid-1990s.

Unfortunately it is now probably far too late to turn back the tide of tiger decline as the world has already lost three sub-species of tiger. However, there is some good news as the remaining six tiger subspecies have now been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

The global population in the wild is now estimated to only number between 3,062 to 3,948 individuals, with most of the remaining populations only occurring in small pockets isolated from each other. If circumstances do not change radically over the next few years, then we could be one of the last generations to see tigers in the wild.

What do tigers eat?

To call a tiger a tiger is a little misleading as there are 6 sub-species that make up the tiger family as a whole. The Siberian tiger is the largest living cat in the world, with a grace and beauty to match. Sadly this magnificent creature is becoming an increasingly rare sight in the wild.

The exquisite grace and power of the Bengal tiger evokes both awe and fear. Capable of killing animals over twice its size, it is one of nature’s most feared predators. The South China Tiger, the Indochinese Tiger, the Sumatran Tiger, and the Malayan Tiger make up the rest. Sadly, there were 9 species of tiger previously known but the Bali, Javan, and Caspian tigers have all become extinct in the past 70 years.

Although scientists no longer classify tigers into subspecies, these names are still commonly used to describe "races" of tigers from different regions.

The Siberian Tiger

Despite the Siberian tiger’s power and acute senses, it has to dedicate a lot of time to hunting. This is because approximately only one in ten of its hunting forays are successful. The Siberian tiger mainly feeds on deer or wild pig, but surprisingly it is also known to eat fish!

Creeping to within 10-25 metres of its victim, the tiger will suddenly pounce and grab the prey by the back of its neck with its feet still planted firmly on the ground.

Small prey are killed by this bite to the neck, but larger prey are brought to the ground before being killed by a suffocating bite to the throat.

What do the other subspecies eat?

The rest of the sub-species tigers hunt by stealth at night. Although powerful and fast over short distances, they cannot outrun fleet footed prey like deer.

A tiger will attack its prey from the side or the rear. Like the Siberian tiger, it will kill small prey with a bite to the back of the neck, and larger prey by a suffocating bite to the throat.

Game is the tigers favourite food. They will hunt wild ox and buffalo. An adult male ox can weigh 900kg which is twice the weight of an average tiger. Although it is clearly capable of taking down such a beast, more often than not the tiger will attack young or old animals as they will put up less of a resistance.

In certain areas, the tigers prey is chital deer, wild boar, monkeys and lizards. Tigers will sometimes even attack porcupines. However, this can be very dangerous. Why? Because if any of the sharp quills become lodged in the face, eyes or paws they can cause infections which in extreme cases can result in death!

Special adaptations

The Siberian tigers winter coat lacks the rich red stripes of the tigers that live in warmer climates, but its white coat helps to hide it in its snow covered habitat. Because of the extremely low temperatures that Siberian tigers have to survive, it can grow a longer and thicker coat compared to other tiger sub-species. It is also unique amongst its relatives because it develops a layer of fat, sometimes 5cm thick, on its flanks and belly which helps to insulate it against the freezing winds crippling temperatures.

Tiger facts