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Tiger
The tiger is the largest living cat species, yet it has lost at least 93% of its historic range since the early 20th century. This powerful, muscular predator with a large head and paws, orange fur, and distinctive black vertical stripes once roamed from eastern Turkey to the Russian Far East, and from the Indian subcontinent to the islands of Java and Bali. Today, it inhabits less than 7% of its historical distribution, existing in scattered populations across India, Russia, Indonesia, and parts of Southeast Asia. The species, scientifically known as Panthera tigris, is an apex predator that preys mainly on ungulates, taking them by ambush in forests ranging from coniferous and temperate broadleaf to tropical moist broadleaf ecosystems. Despite being listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with populations declining by 53% to 68% since the late 1990s, the tiger remains one of the most charismatic megafauna on Earth, captivating human imagination while facing the very real threat of extinction.
A Shifting Taxonomy
In 1758, Carl Linnaeus described the tiger in his work Systema Naturae, assigning it the scientific name Felis tigris, as the genus Felis was then used for all cats. It was not until 1929 that Reginald Innes Pocock placed the species in the genus Panthera, giving it the name Panthera tigris that is used today. The classification of tiger subspecies has been a subject of intense scientific debate, with nine recent subspecies proposed between the early 19th and early 21st centuries, including the Bengal, Malayan, Indochinese, South China, Siberian, Caspian, Javan, Bali, and Sumatran tigers. However, the validity of several subspecies was questioned in 1999, as most were distinguished based on fur length, coloration, striping patterns, and body size of specimens in natural history museum collections that were not necessarily representative of entire populations. A 2015 analysis of morphological, ecological, and mitochondrial DNA traits reaffirmed a two-subspecies proposal, recognizing only P. t. tigris in mainland Asia and the smaller P. t. sondaica in the Greater Sunda Islands. Yet, a 2018 whole-genome sequencing study of 32 samples from six living putative subspecies found them to be distinct and separate clades, a finding corroborated in 2021 and 2023. By 2023, a study found validity for all nine recent subspecies, leaving the Cat Specialist Group to state that the subspecific taxonomy of this species is currently under review.
The Ghost in the Grass
The tiger is one of the few striped cat species, and its coat is a masterpiece of evolutionary camouflage. The orange coloration, which varies from yellowish to reddish, is thought to aid in concealment because the tiger's prey is colorblind and may perceive the tiger as green, blending it in with the vegetation. The black or dark brown stripes are uniquely patterned in each individual, with tips that are generally sharp and sometimes split or fuse again. These stripes are mostly vertical, but those on the limbs and forehead are horizontal, and they are more concentrated towards the backside, sometimes reaching under the belly. A Fourier analysis study has shown that these striping patterns line up with the environment, providing effective camouflage in vegetation with vertical patterns of light and shade, such as trees, reeds, and tall grass. The tiger's coat also features a white underside, from head to tail, along with the inner surface of the legs and parts of the face. On the back of the ears, there is a prominent white spot surrounded by black, and the tail ends with a black tip. The density of the fur is usually thin, though the Siberian tiger develops a particularly thick winter coat, with hairs reaching up to 10 centimeters in length.
The scientific name of the tiger is Panthera tigris. Carl Linnaeus originally described the species as Felis tigris in 1758, but Reginald Innes Pocock reclassified it into the genus Panthera in 1929.
When was the tiger listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List?
The tiger has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1986. Global tiger populations declined from an estimated 5,000 to 8,262 individuals in the late 1990s to 3,726 to 5,578 individuals as of 2022.
How many tiger subspecies were recognized by 2023?
By 2023, a study found validity for all nine recent subspecies of the tiger. These subspecies include the Bengal, Malayan, Indochinese, South China, Siberian, Caspian, Javan, Bali, and Sumatran tigers.
What is the maximum speed a tiger can sprint?
A tiger can sprint up to 65 kilometers per hour. The species is not a long-distance runner and will give up a chase if the prey outpaces it over a certain distance.
How many human deaths were caused by the Champawat Tiger?
The Champawat Tiger was responsible for over 430 human deaths in Nepal and India before she was shot by Jim Corbett. This tigress suffered from broken teeth and was unable to kill normal prey.
Which year did the tiger population become extinct in South China?
The tiger population is considered extinct in South China since 2001. Large-scale anti-pest campaigns in the early 1950s fragmented suitable habitats and led to the decline of the population.
Adult tigers lead largely solitary lives within home ranges or territories, the size of which mainly depends on prey abundance, geographic area, and the sex of the individual. Males and females defend their home ranges from those of the same sex, and the home range of a male encompasses that of multiple females. In the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Reserve, 14 females had home ranges of 200 to 300 square kilometers, and five resident males had ranges of 400 to 600 square kilometers that overlapped with those of up to five females. When tigresses in the same reserve had cubs of up to four months of age, they reduced their home ranges to stay near their young and steadily enlarged them until their offspring were 13 to 18 months old. The tiger is a long-ranging species, and individuals disperse over distances of up to 400 kilometers to reach tiger populations in other areas. Young tigresses establish their first home ranges close to their mothers, while males migrate further than their female counterparts. Tigers mark their home ranges by spraying urine on vegetation and rocks, clawing or scent rubbing trees, and marking trails with faeces, anal gland secretions, and ground scrapings. Scent markings also allow an individual to pick up information on another's identity. Unclaimed home ranges, particularly those that belonged to a deceased individual, can be taken over in days or weeks.
The Silent Hunter
The tiger is an ambush predator that waits for prey to come within striking distance, usually within 20 meters. It switches between creeping forward and staying still, and can even doze off and stay in the same spot for as long as a day, waiting for prey. If the prey spots it before then, the cat does not pursue further. A tiger can sprint up to 65 kilometers per hour and leap up to 10 meters, but it is not a long-distance runner and gives up a chase if the prey outpaces it over a certain distance. The tiger attacks from behind or at the sides and tries to knock the target off balance. It latches onto prey with its forelimbs, twisting and turning during the struggle, and tries to pull it to the ground. The tiger generally applies a bite to the throat until its victim dies of strangulation, with an average bite force at the canine tips of 1234.3 newtons. Holding onto the throat puts the cat out of reach of horns, antlers, tusks, and hooves. Tigers are adaptable killers and may use other methods, including ripping the throat or breaking the neck. Large prey may be disabled by a bite to the back of the hock, severing the tendon. Swipes from the large paws are capable of stunning or breaking the skull of a water buffalo. Estimates of the success rate for hunting tigers range from a low of 5% to a high of 50%.
The Shadow of Extinction
The tiger has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1986, and the global tiger population is thought to have continuously declined from an estimated population of 5,000 to 8,262 tigers in the late 1990s to 3,726 to 5,578 individuals estimated as of 2022. During 2001 to 2020, landscapes where tigers live declined from 375,000 square kilometers to 360,000 square kilometers. Habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation, and poaching for fur and body parts are the major threats that contributed to the decrease of tiger populations in all range countries. In the Tanintharyi Region of southern Myanmar, deforestation coupled with mining activities and high hunting pressure threatens the tiger population. In Thailand, nine of 15 protected areas hosting tigers are isolated and fragmented, offering a low probability for dispersal between them. In Peninsular Malaysia, 1,200 square kilometers of tiger habitat was cleared during 1988 to 2012, most of it for industrial plantations. Large-scale land acquisitions of about 1,500 square kilometers for commercial agriculture and timber extraction in Cambodia contributed to the fragmentation of potential tiger habitat, especially in the Eastern Plains. In China, tigers became the target of large-scale 'anti-pest' campaigns in the early 1950s, where suitable habitats were fragmented following deforestation and resettlement of people to rural areas, who hunted tigers and prey species. Though tiger hunting was prohibited in 1977, the population continued to decline and is considered extinct in South China since 2001.
The Human Shadow
Tigers have been hunted by humans for millennia, as indicated by a painting on the Bhimbetka rock shelters in India that is dated to 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. They were hunted throughout their range in Asia, chased on horseback, elephant-back, or even with sled dogs and killed with spears and later firearms. Such hunts were conducted both by Asian governments and empires like the Mughal Empire, as well as European colonists. Tigers were often hunted as trophies and because of their perceived danger. An estimated 80,000 tigers were killed between 1875 and 1925. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Champawat Tiger was responsible for over 430 human deaths in Nepal and India before she was shot by Jim Corbett. This tigress suffered from broken teeth and was unable to kill normal prey. Modern authors speculate that sustaining on meagre human flesh forced the cat to kill more and more. Tiger attacks were particularly high in Singapore during the mid-19th century, when plantations expanded into the tiger's habitat. In the 1840s, the number of deaths in the area ranged from 200 to 300 annually. Tiger attacks in the Sundarbans caused 1,396 human deaths in the period 1935 to 2006 according to official records of the Bangladesh Forest Department. Victims of these attacks are local villagers who enter the tiger's domain to collect resources like wood and honey. Fishermen have been particularly common targets.
The Cultural Beast
The tiger is among the most famous of the charismatic megafauna. In a 2004 online poll involving more than 50,000 people from 73 countries, the tiger was voted the world's favourite animal with 21% of the vote, narrowly beating the dog. While the lion represented royalty and power in Western culture, the tiger played such a role in various Asian cultures. In ancient China, the tiger was seen as the 'king of the forest' and symbolised the power of the emperor. In Chinese astrology, the tiger is the third out of 12 symbols in the Chinese zodiac and controls the period between 15:00 and 17:00 o'clock in the afternoon. The Year of the Tiger is thought to bring 'dramatic and extreme events'. The White Tiger is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations, representing the west along with the yin and the season of autumn. It is the counterpart to the Azure Dragon, which conversely symbolises the east, yang, and springtime. The tiger is one of the animals displayed on the Pashupati seal of the Indus Valley Civilisation. The big cat was depicted on seals and coins during the Chola dynasty of southern India, as it was the official emblem. In Buddhism, the tiger, monkey, and deer are the Three Senseless Creatures, with the tiger symbolising anger. In Hinduism, the tiger is the vehicle of Durga, the goddess of feminine power and peace, whom the gods created to fight demons. Similarly, in the Greco-Roman world, the tiger was depicted being ridden by the god Dionysus. In Korean mythology, tigers are messengers of the Mountain Gods. In both Chinese and Korean culture, tigers are seen as protectors against evil spirits and their image was used to decorate homes, tombs, and articles of clothing.