Did You Know Tiger Stripes Are Unique?

The tiger is a beautiful animal and is the largest of the big cats in the world, so it’s not surprising that many cultures see it as a symbol of courage and strength. What we at udopt find so surprising given how much people revere the tiger, is they are endangered. Apart from the illegal wildlife trade, hunting is also seen as an act of bravery which has meant there are now less than 3,000 tigers left in the wild. For such a regal animal this number is despicably low. The tiger has nearly been hunted to extinction and its survival in the wild now depends on conservation. Lets take a closer look at one of the world’s most elegant apex predators.

Tiger stripes are like finger prints

The tiger is famous for its distinctive stripes which keeps them camouflaged whilst they are hunting. Some tigers are black with tan stripes whilst others have orange fur and black stripes. There are also albino tigers with tan stripes which are better known as white tigers. What very few people know is that tiger stripes are actually like fingerprints and no two tigers are striped in exactly the same way. This is convenient for conservationists who can identify specific tigers that live in areas where they are likely to come into conflict with humans.

These are really biiiggg cats

• Tigers are big, they grow to an average of 9.5 feet (2.9 metres) and weigh 324 kg (51 stone).
• The Siberian tiger is the largest of the species and can grow up to 10.75 feet (3.3 metres).
• The Sumatran tiger is the smallest of the species and can grow anywhere from 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3 metres).
• The tail of a tiger can grow very long and adds up to 3.6 feet or 1 metre to the length of a tiger.

Where do tigers live?

Tigers live exclusively in Asia which is a huge continent, with a large landmass and multiple environments and this means the tiger is extremely adaptable. Smaller sub species live in the warmer Asian countries such as Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and India. Larger subspecies tend to live in the colder northern parts of the continent such as Eastern Russia and North-Eastern China. The tiger lives in a variety of biomes  ranging from flooded mangrove forests and taiga, to tropical and arid forests depending on which subspecies we are talking about.

What do tigers eat?

It goes without saying the tiger is carnivorous and as such its diet consists of large prey such as elephant calves, rhinos, deer and pigs. When a tiger kills its prey, its jaws clamp down on the animals neck with tremendous force and it suffocates. Alternatively the tiger kills by snapping the spine of its prey. Either way, the tiger is uniquely designed as a predator. Whilst the tiger is indeed a ferocious hunter they do experience plenty of failure. Approximately ninety percent of the time, the tiger fails to capture its prey.

Baby tigers start learning how to hunt at eight weeks

Tiger cubs are born completely helpless. Newly born cubs weigh just 2.2 pounds and a female tiger may have a litter with as many as seven cubs at a single time. Only one or two cubs usually survive however, because the cubs must be left behind when the mother goes to hunt, and she is not able to kill enough prey to feed multiple cubs. Tiger cubs grow quickly, within eight weeks of their birth they are ready to learn from their mother how to hunt and can go on expeditions with her (check out the video below of tiger cubs hunting with their mother). When a tiger reaches two years old, it is ready to go its own way and the mother will have another litter of cubs. Tigers have a lifespan of between 14 to 18 years.

Tigers prefer being alone

The tiger is a solitary animal and prefers to spend most of its time alone roaming its huge territory seeking out food. The San Diego Zoo says the Siberian tiger is the species with the largest range. Experts at the zoo say  the Siberian tiger’s territory can stretch for more than 4,000 square miles. The tiger tends to mark its territory by using its claws to scratch marks into the trees.

How you can help with conservation

Sadly there are more tigers held in captivity than there are tigers left in the wild. WWF estimates that in the United States alone there are 5,000 tigers in captivity, which contrasts significantly with the less than 3,000 wild tigers that are left. With those numbers, it is not surprising the tiger is on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The good news is you can help. Why not learn more about the tiger by adopting one this Christmas for yourself or someone you care about? It makes for a great gift and goes a long way to helping tigers in the wild and we’re sure both you and the recipient will be chuffed to bits.