Tiger

Tigers are found in Southeast Asia, India, USSR, possibly China. Thier habitat consists of mangrove swamps, evergreen or deciduous forests and snow-covered taiga. They require year-round access to water and a steady supply of large prey. They are the largest of the living cats; males weigh between 400 - 595 lbs. (except for Siberian tigers which can reach weights of over 600 lbs.). Large males can reach lengths of over 13 feet including the tail. They feed on large prey such as deer, pigs, gaur and buffalo; they readily kill domestic livestock and have been known to prey on humans.

Tigers are the only cat with a striped coat. The stripe pattern works well as camouflage in the dense foliage in which they live. Although they are good sprinters, tigers prefer to stalk and ambush their prey. Their size easily allows them to pull down their victim. Tigers primarily hunt between dusk and dawn, when their prey is more active. Usually found in areas close to rivers or other water sources, tigers enjoy the water. They will often hunt in these areas as well, chasing down their prey in the water. Tigers are solitary in their lifestyle, with male ranges overlapping those of several females.

By 18 months, the young are usually making their own kills and traveling away from their mothers for long periods of time. They will leave their birth ranges between the ages of 18 and 30 months, depending on when their mother produces a new litter of cubs. Tigers have gained the greatest notoriety as maneaters among the big cats. Many times the "problem tigers" may be old or weak, but not always. Nowadays, when humans must travel into tiger dense areas, many of them wear a human mask on the back of their head which seems successful in deterring the tiger from attacking since their usual habit is to sneak up on their prey from behind.

Tigers have been hunted extensively in the past for many reasons: they have been considered a threat to human life as well as domestic livestock; they were considered a big game trophy; and their pelts were valued in the commercial industry. Tigers are facing extinction in the wild because of the demand for tiger body parts in Asia as well as the destruction of their habitat. The expansion of human populations, the logging industry, elimination of its natural prey and the spread of agriculture threaten its future existence in the wild. The establishment of nature reserves has helped but human encroachment still threatens.