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The tiger, Panthera tigris, is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to 3.3 metresand weighing up to 306 kg. Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts. They have exceptionally stout teeth, and their canines are the longest among living felids with a crown height of as much as 75 mm During the 20th century, tigers have been extirpated in western Asia and became restricted to isolated pockets in the remaining parts of their range. Today, their fragmented and partly degraded range extends from India in the west to China and Southeast Asia. The northern limit of their range is close to the Amur River in south eastern Siberia. The only large island inhabited by tigers today is Sumatra. A Bengal tiger in the wild in Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, India. Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen [2] The size of a tiger's home range mainly depends on prey abundance, and, in the case of male tigers, on access to females. A tigress may have a territory of 20 km2 (7.7 sq mi), while the territories of males are much larger, covering 60 to 100 km2 . The range of a male tends to overlap those of several females. Tigers are strong swimmers, and are often found bathing in ponds, lakes, and rivers. During the extreme heat of the day, they often cool off in pools. They are able to carry prey through the water. In zoos, tigers have lived for 20 to 26 years, which also seems to be their longevity in the wild. They are territorial and generally solitary but social animals, often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support their prey requirements. This, coupled with the fact that they are indigenous to some of the more densely populated places on earth, has caused significant conflicts with humans. Siberian Tiger Photo: Mila Zinkova [4] The remaining six tiger subspecies have been classified as endangered by IUCN. The global population in the wild is estimated to number between 3,062 to 3,948 individuals, with most remaining populations occurring in small pockets that are isolated from each other. Major reasons for population decline include habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation and poaching. Tigers are among the most recognisable and popular of the world's charismatic megafauna. They have featured prominently in ancient mythology and folklore, and continue to be depicted in modern films and literature. Tigers appear on many flags, coats of arms, and as mascots for sporting teams. The Bengal tiger is the national animal of Bangladesh and India. Tigers are muscular, have powerful forequarters, and especially in males, a large head. The ground coloration of their fur varies between tawny and xanthine orange or cinnamon brown in the southernmost populations, to between ochraceous-orange or zinc orange or capucine orange in the northernmost populations. The face is framed by long hairs that form whiskers, which are more conspicuous in males. The ventral parts are usually white. A tiger with cub at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, 2008 [3] The body is marked with black or chaetura black stripes of various
length, breadth and form. The pupils are circular with yellow In the wild, tigers mostly feed on larger and medium sized animals.
Sambar, gaur, chital, barasingha, wild boar, nilgai and both
Dhole packs have been observed to attack and kill tigers in disputes
over food, though not usually without heavy losses. India is home to the world's largest population
of tigers in the wild.[84] According to the World Wildlife Fund, of
the 3,500 tigers around the world, 1,400 are found in India. Only
11% of original Indian tiger habitat remains, and it is becoming significantly
fragmented and often degraded The global wild tiger population is estimated at anywhere between 3,062 and 3,948 individuals. The World Wide Fund for Nature estimates the tiger population at 3,200. The exact number of wild tigers is unknown, as many estimates are outdated or come from educated guesses. Few estimates are considered reliable, coming from comprehensive scientific censuses. The table shows estimates per country according to IUCN and range country governments
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ANIMALS over 250 |
BIRDS over 500 |
FLOWERS over 225 |