Tiger Facts

Tigers are the biggest of the cat family and have been revered for their majestic beauty for thousands of years. As mankind has encroached on their habitat and killed them for their fur, the tiger has quickly become one of the endangered species of the world.

Interesting facts about tigers:

A majority of the tiger populations live in Asia: China, Korea, Southeast Asia and even Russia. They prefer living in grasslands, rain forests and swamp areas where they will reside in the tall clumps of grass, bushes and even trees.

• Tigers are the descendants of the sabre-tooth cat and survives through the use of its powerful teeth to catch its food. Once a tiger loses its teeth due to old age or if injured it will more than likely starve to death.
• Tigers are loners and mark their territories with their scent as a warning to their rivals.

A tiger is one of the most feared of all of the predators and it can kill animals that are twice its own size.

• Tigers, like many cat species, are nocturnal and do their hunting in the dusk and at night. They will travel long distances to hunt deer, buffalo and other larger animals.
• While powerful and sturdy, a Bengal tiger does not have the ability to outrun prey that is fast footed, like the deer. They rely on stealth and surprise.
• When a tiger roars at night, the sound can travel over 2 kilometers.
• Each tiger has a unique stripe pattern and they use it as camouflage.

Female tigers can give birth to 2-6 cubs and they raise them almost completely alone. Cubs are dependent upon their mothers until they are around eighteen months old and will stay with their mother for 2-3 years.

Tigers can purr, but they differ from domestic cats in that they can only purr as they breathe out.

In some cultures, a tiger whisker is the sign of good luck. A tiger’s whisker looks and feels like a kind of light weight fishing line.

Tigers are excellent swimmers and will often swim and soak in water during hot months to cool off.