{"id":10842,"date":"2022-04-13T13:22:57","date_gmt":"2022-04-13T12:22:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/?p=10842"},"modified":"2023-03-30T11:04:16","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T10:04:16","slug":"facts-about-tigers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/facts-about-tigers\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Fascinating Facts About Tigers"},"content":{"rendered":"
There are many notable <\/span>facts about tigers<\/span> since they are such majestic animals. We prepared this article to highlight that and the need to protect tigers, as they are classified as endangered.<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s start!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is estimated that there are some 13,000 tigers in the world, with only 3,900 in the wild. The numbers appear to be stable\/increasing in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Russia. Still, there are also areas where the <\/span>tiger population<\/span> is declining (Southeast Asia, for example).<\/span><\/p>\n (iMedia, 2022; WWF, 2022)<\/span><\/p>\n Most people would agree that tigers are beautiful animals. But, unfortunately, they have been hunted for many reasons, their gorgeous coat being just one of them. So, let\u2019s see how many tigers are left today.<\/span><\/p>\n (Zoological Wildlife Foundation, 2022)<\/span><\/p>\n These extremely rare wildcats are also known as golden tabby tigers or strawberry tigers because of their rare color variation attributed to a recessive gene. It\u2019s believed that no such tiger lives in the wild anymore, only in captivity. Still, there are many more carriers of the gene.<\/span><\/p>\n (Tigers in America, 2022)<\/span><\/p>\n According to <\/span>white tiger facts<\/span>, this color variation can only be found in captivity. The last one found in the wild was killed by a trophy hunter in 1958.<\/span><\/p>\n It should be noted that <\/span>white tigers aren\u2019t a separate subspecies<\/a>, nor are they endangered<\/span>. Instead, they exist due to inbreeding, essentially for entertainment purposes. Unfortunately, this practice is very harmful, leading to numerous health problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n (WCS Russia, 2019; WWF, 2022)<\/span><\/p>\n These are also known as Amur tigers. Out of the total number, 95% live in the forests of the Russian Far East. <\/span>Some sources<\/span> claim the population is slightly higher<\/a> (around 500), though, so we can conclude that the conservation efforts have helped them.<\/span><\/p>\n The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has partnered with different companies and institutions to protect Siberian tigers (support anti-poaching operations, protect habitat, raise public awareness, and so on), but they are still endangered.<\/span><\/p>\n (World Land Trust, 2022)<\/span><\/p>\n This refers to Bengal tigers living in the wild. Hunting and human population growth are the main threats to these tigers, who are actually the largest among big cats \u2014 up to 9.84 feet long (3 meters), weighing over 550 pounds (more than 250 kilograms).<\/span><\/p>\n (The Sun, 2020)<\/span><\/p>\n This is a very rare color variant of the tiger. They are called black because of the thick stripes hiding their orange fur, making them look black from afar, but they are still orange with stripes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Black tigers live in the jungles of Odisha (India) exclusively.<\/span><\/p>\n (Fauna & Flora International, 2022)<\/span><\/p>\n They are listed as critically <\/span>endangered tigers<\/span> on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. That\u2019s <\/span>primarily owing to poaching<\/span><\/a>, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict.<\/span><\/p>\n (South China Morning Post, 2022)<\/span><\/p>\n Unfortunately, the number keeps dropping because of illegal hunting, diseases, and habitat loss. In contrast, back in the 1950s, Malaysia had some 3,000 tigers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n According to Christopher Wong, head of the Tiger Conservation Programme at WWF-Malaysia, every part of the tiger is seen in illegal wildlife markets, \u201cused for modern health tonics and folk remedies, and their skins are sought after as status symbols among some Asian cultures.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n (Cryptid Wiki, 2022)<\/span><\/p>\n Apart from reports from people claiming they saw blue (also known as Maltese) tigers, there\u2019s no evidence of their existence. That\u2019s why some believe these are only mythical creatures. Still, they might just be an extremely rare color variation, as there are domestic cats with it.<\/span><\/p>\n (Nature on PBS, 2020; Defenders of Wildlife, 2020)<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s the <\/span>Felidae family, whose evolution began 25 million years ago<\/span>.<\/span><\/a> Tigers are 6\u201310 feet long and weigh 220\u2013660 pounds. Males are normally heavier than females.<\/span><\/p>\n Tigers are mostly nocturnal animals, i.e., they are more active during nighttime, while daytime is for sleeping.<\/span><\/p>\n (World Atlas, 2020; Britannica, 2022)<\/span><\/p>\n The countries in question are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Among these, India has the highest number of <\/span>tigers in the wild<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n The natural <\/span>tiger habitat<\/span> includes savannas, rain forests, and dry grasslands. They aren\u2019t fond of heat, which is probably one of the reasons they enjoy swimming.<\/span><\/p>\n (Sciencing, 2018)<\/span><\/p>\n This speed can be maintained only over short distances, though. Additionally, <\/span>fun facts about tigers<\/span> tell us they can leap 9\u201310 meters (30\u201333 feet).<\/span><\/p>\n (WWF, 2022)<\/span><\/p>\n A <\/span>female tiger <\/span>(a tigress) can give birth every two years. However, if all the cubs born simultaneously die, a tigress can have another litter again in five months.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n They gain independence at about two years of age and reach sexual maturity when they\u2019re three or four years old for females and four or five years old for males.<\/span><\/p>\n (Britannica, 2022)<\/span><\/p>\n For cubs, however, survival is quite difficult. In fact, <\/span>approximately half of them die<\/a> before reaching the age of two<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\nHow Many Tigers Are Left in the World?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Top 10 Compelling <\/span>Facts About Tigers<\/span>:<\/span><\/h2>\n
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The Number of Different <\/span>Types of Tigers<\/span> Left in the World<\/span><\/h2>\n
1. There are fewer than 30 golden tigers in the world.<\/span><\/h3>\n
2. About 200 white tigers are left in the world.<\/span><\/h3>\n
3. The <\/span>Siberian tiger population<\/span> in the wild is 350\u2013400.<\/span><\/h3>\n
4. The global <\/span>Bengal tiger population<\/span> is under 2,000.<\/span><\/h3>\n
5. Only six black tigers are known to exist in the wild.<\/span><\/h3>\n
6. Fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers are believed to remain in the wild.<\/span><\/h3>\n
7. There are fewer than 150 Malayan tigers in the world.<\/span><\/h3>\n
8. Blue tigers may be the rarest in the world \u2014 if they exist at all.<\/span><\/h3>\n
General <\/span>Tiger Facts & Information<\/span><\/h2>\n
9. Tigers are nocturnal mammals and the largest member of the cat family.<\/span><\/h3>\n
10. These wildcats live in 13 countries in diverse habitats.<\/span><\/h3>\n
11. Tigers can run as fast as 35\u201350 miles per hour (49\u201365 kilometers).<\/span><\/h3>\n
12. Two to four cubs are born at a time.<\/span><\/h3>\n
13. According to <\/span>tiger life span<\/span> facts, they live up to 11 years in the wild and 20\u201325 years in captivity.<\/span><\/h3>\n