Amur Tiger
(Panthera Tigeris Altaica)
Order:
Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus:
Panthera tigris
Species: P.
tigris
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HABITAT AND RANGE:
Forests and river drainage system.
Usually a solitary cat, a tiger will
hunt with its mate for a few weeks in
winter or spring when mating takes
place. Because they can not run fast for
long distances, tigers stalk their prey.
Natural camouflage is used to approach
within a few yards before making a final
rush. Hunting takes place at dusk or at
night. Territories are marked off with
urine, scratch marks on trees and
proclaimed with roars. A roar can be
heard up to a mile and a half away.
Tigers are one of the few cats that like
the water. They often lie in shallow
pools to cool off or as relief from
flies and mosquitoes. They also love to
swim. |
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REGIONAL
DISTRIBUTION: Yonchuria and Siberia |
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HISTORY:
Over the last 200 years, the tiger has
almost been eliminated in the wild.
Today, they are one of the most
endangered animals on earth. |
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PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Tigers are the largest, most awesome of
the big cats. The Siberian tiger is the
largest of all living tigers. The
largest tiger ever measured was a male
Siberian with a length over 9 feet (2.6
meters) and a weight of male than 700
pounds (320 kilograms). Females are
slightly smaller than males. Normal
coloration ranges from yellowish orange
to, orange with black stripes. The fur
is very thick to keep it warm in the
cold climate where it lives. The eyes
are yellow. Tigers have longer canine
teeth than any other predator. These
large canine teeth and broad, powerful
jaws enable a tiger to kill its prey
with one quick bite. Tigers have
retractable claws like most other cats.
No two tigers have exactly the same
stripe pattern. |
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ECOLOGICAL
ROLE: By hunting and killing deer
and other prey, they keep the numbers of
these animals under control preventing
aver grazing of the prey animal's food
supply. The surviving prey animals are
healthier and make better breeding
stock. |
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DIET: To
satisfy its large appetite, tigers will
prey on deer, wild oxen, buffalo, pigs,
bears, lynxes, badgers, wolves, monkeys,
crocodiles, fish, snakes and lizards.
They have been known to attack leopards
as well as other tigers. A tiger must
eat approximately 70 deer or other large
animals each year. A big, hungry tiger
can consume up to 100 pounds of meat (45
kilogram) at one sitting. This is about
one-fifth of its total weight. |
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REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT:
Mating takes place in the spring
with 2-4 cubs born after a 95-110 day
gestation period. At birth, cubs are
about 12 inches long (30 centimeters)
and weigh less than two pounds (1
kilogram). The cubs are born blind and
helpless and are weaned after 3-6
months. At 11-12 months of age the cubs
are large enough to hunt deer and
buffalo. Cubs remain with their mother
until about 2-3 years of age. |
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STATUS IN WILD:
Endangered. There are an estimated 200-300 in
the wild with over 1200 Siberian tigers
in zoological parks and collections
worldwide. |
