The Scientific Facts

Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae Genus: Panthera Species: Tigris Length: Males can get up to 11 feet (including tail) while females are typically 8 feet long (including tail). Shoulder height: 36-42 inches Weight: Males are typically 400 to 600 pounds and females are 275-400 pounds. Lifespan: 15 to 20 years in the wild. Sexual maturity: 3-4 years Mating season: non-seasonal Number of young: 1 to 5 (usually has 2-3 cubs per pregnancy). Length Of Pregnancy: 95-112 days Development: Eight weeks after birth, cubs will start joining their mother in hunting. At six months, their mother will usually break the legs or maim their prey so the cubs can learn how to kill it. After a 1.5 years, tigers have the ability to sustain themselves. Maturation: Cubs are raised by their mother and stay with her for approximately 2 years. During this time, they will learn how to hunt plus acquire other behavioural traits such as grooming, sharpening their claws, etc. Behaviour: Mostly solitary, males and females only meet for mating purposes.Two tigers may meet crossing paths, rubbing heads together in a greeting, then a quick departure. Several tigers may share a kill. Tigers communicate by many sounds including a roar which can be heard for up to two miles. Habitat: India & South East Asia, Siberia, parts of China (extinct in Java). Usually, tigers are seen in swamps, savannas, grasslands, and forests. Prey: Tigers eat several kinds of wildlife including sambar (type of deer), antelopes, pigs and guar (type of buffalo). They take down the calves of guar though this is risky for them. Guars weigh approx. 1200 lbs. and pose a physical threat to tigers. The tiger will hunt at night wandering over other animal tracks, along stream beds. They depend on their keen eye sight and clear hearing. Occasionally relying on their sense of smell for prey. A tiger will rush its prey - being extremely swift for short distances and can leap nearly 30 feet (9 meters). If an attack fails, there is a need to rest. As long as a week may pass without a successful kill. A tiger will always drag its prey to thick cover, preferably near the water. The muscles of the neck, shoulders and fore legs are the most powerful. A tiger will drag up to 600 pounds nearly l/4 of a mile. A tiger will stay with the carcass until it has eaten everything but the bones and stomach. Eating up to 50 pounds of meet a night. A long drink and a nap quickly follow a kill. Territoriality: Males occupy territories of up to 200 sq. miles. Territories fluctuate in relation to season because of changing food abudancy and quality.

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