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'''Tigers''' (''Panthera tigris'') are [[mammal]]s of the [[Felidae]] family and one of four "[[big cats]]" in the [[Panthera]] [[genus]]. A group of tigers is called an "ambush" or a "streak". They are [[predator|predatory]] [[carnivore]]s and the largest and most powerful of all living cats. The [[Indian Subcontinent]] is home to more than 80% of the wild tigers in the world. They breed well in captivity and it is believed that there may be more captive tigers in the United States of America than the entire population in the wild. This figure may well be exaggerated.
'''Tigers''' (''Panthera tigris'') are [[mammal]]s of the [[Felidae]] family and one of four "[[big cats]]" in the [[Panthera]] [[genus]]. A group of tigers is called an "ambush" or a "streak". They are [[predator|predatory]] [[carnivore]]s and the largest and most powerful of all living cats. The [[Indian Subcontinent]] is home to more than 80% of the wild tigers in the world. They breed well in captivity and it is believed that there may be more captive tigers in the United States of America than the entire population in the wild. This figure may well be exaggerated.


Most tigers live in forests and grasslands (for which their [[camouflage]] is ideally suited). Among the big cats, only the tiger and [[jaguar]] are strong [[swimmer]]s; tigers are often found bathing in [[pond]]s, [[lake]]s, and [[river]]s. Tigers hunt alone and eat primarily medium-sized [[herbivore]]s such as [[deer]], [[pig|wild pigs]], and [[African Buffalo|buffalo]]. However, they will also take larger or smaller prey on occasion. [[Humans]] are the tiger's only serious predator and often kill tigers illegally for their [[fur]] or [[penis]]es. Their bones and nearly all body parts are used in [[Chinese Medicine]] for a range of purported uses including pain killers and [[aphrodisiac]]s. [[Poaching]] for fur and destruction of [[habitat (ecology)|habitat]] have greatly reduced tiger populations in the wild, and it has been placed on the [[endangered species]] list.
Most tigers live in forests and grasslands (for which their [[camouflage]] is ideally suited). Among the big cats, only the tiger and [[jaguar]] are strong [[swimmer]]s; tigers are often found bathing in [[pond]]s, [[lake]]s, and [[river]]s. Tigers hunt alone and eat primarily medium-sized [[herbivore]]s such as [[deer]], [[pig|wild pigs]], and [[African Buffalo|buffalo]]. However, they will also take larger or smaller prey on occasion. [[Humans]] are the tiger's only serious predator and often kill tigers illegally for their [[fur]] or [[penis]]es. Their bones and nearly all body parts are used in [[Chinese Medicine]] for a range of purported uses including pain killers and [[aphrodisiac]]s. [[Poaching]] for fur and destruction of [[shag me please.FUCK ME

== Physical characteristics ==

Although different subspecies of tiger have different characteristics, in general male tigers weigh between 150 and 325 [[kilogram|kg]] (330 lb and 715 lb) and females between 100 and 167 kg (220 lb and 367 lb). The males are between 2.6 and 3.3 [[metre]]s (8 ft 6 in and 10 ft 9 in) in length, and the females are between 2.3 and 2.75 metres (7 ft 6 in and 9 ft) in length. Of the living subspecies, Sumatran Tigers are the smallest, and Amur (Siberian) Tigers the largest.

[[Image:Singapore Zoo Tigers.jpg|left|thumb|275px|White Tigers]]

The ground of the coat may be any color from yellow to orange-red, with white areas on the chest, neck, and the inside of the legs. A common recessive variant is the [[White tigers|white tiger]], which may occur with the correct combination of parents. They are not true [[albino]]s. Black or [[melanism|melanistic]] [[Black tiger (animal)|tigers]] have been reported. Another variant, the golden tabby tiger (also called the "golden tiger" or "tabby tiger"), has a golden hue, much lighter than the colouration of normal tigers, and brown stripes. This form is very rare, and only a handful of golden tabby tigers are known to exist, all in captivity. There are also old texts referring to 'blue'or 'Maltese' tigers, actually a silvery-grey tone, though no reliable evidence has been found.

The stripes of most tigers vary from brown or hay to pure black, although white tigers have far fewer apparent stripes. The form and density of stripes differs between subspecies, but most tigers have in excess of 100 stripes. The now extinct Javan Tiger may have had far more than this. The pattern of stripes is unique to each animal, and thus could potentially be used to identify individuals, much in the same way as [[fingerprint]]s are used to identify people. This is not, however, a preferred method of identification, due to the difficulty of recording the stripe pattern of a wild tiger. It seems likely that the purpose of stripes is [[camouflage]], serving to hide these animals from their prey (few large animals have colour vision as capable as that of humans, so the colour is not as great of a problem as one might suppose). The stripe pattern is found on a tiger's skin and if you shaved one, you would find that its distinctive camouflage pattern would be preserved.

==Method of killing==

[[Image:Tigergebiss.jpg|thumb|150px|Tigers' extremely strong jaws and sharp teeth make them superb predators.]]
Tigers use their strength and body size to knock their prey off balance. Tigers overpower their prey from almost any angle, usually from ambush, and bite the neck, often breaking the prey's spinal column or windpipe, or severing the jugular vein or carotid artery, much as the [[domestic cat]] does to far smaller prey.

Powerful swimmers, tigers are known to kill prey while swimming. Some tigers have even ambushed boats for the fishermen on board or their catch of fish.

==Biology and ecology==

Adult tigers are mostly solitary. They do not maintain strict territories, but their home ranges are often maintained unless threatened by other tigers. They follow specific trails within their ranges. A tigress may have a home range of 20 sq km while the ranges of males are much larger, covering 60-100 sq km. Male home ranges may overlap those of many females. To identify his territory the male marks trees by spraying urine and anal gland secretions on trees as well as by marking trails with scat. Males show a behavior called [[Flehmen response|flehmen]], a grimacing face, when identifying the condition of a female's reproductive condition by sniffing their urine markings.

A female is only receptive for a few days and mating is frequent during that time period. A pair will copulate frequently and noisily, like other cats. The gestation period is 103 days and 3-4 cubs of about 1 kg each are born. The females rear them alone. Wandering male tigers may kill cubs to make the female receptive. At 8 weeks, the cubs are ready to follow their mother out of the den. The cubs become independent around 18 months of age, but it is not until they around 2-2 1/2 years old that they leave their mother. The cubs reach sexual maturity by 3-4 years of age.

In the wild tigers mostly feed on deer and pig. Chital are their favored prey in India. In most of their range, tigers are the top predators and they do not fear from any other carnivores other than the [[dhole]] or Indian wild dog, which makes up for strength in numbers. They generally stay away from large mammals such as elephants, water buffalo and rhino, although they will sometimes prey on weak young. Siberian Tigers will even kill smaller brown bears, though they are no match for larger bears and large bears are known to kill tigers and steal their kills.
Tigers have been studied in the wild using a variety of techniques. The populations of tigers were estimated in the past using plaster casts of their pugmarks. In recent times, camera trapping has been used instead. Newer techniques based on DNA from their scat are also being evaluated.

Radio collaring has been a popular approach to tracking them for study in the wild.

==Subspecies==
There are nine [[subspecies]] of tiger, three of which are [[extinct]] and one of which is almost certain to become so in the near future. Their historical range (severely diminished today) ran through [[Russia]], [[Siberia]], [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]], [[China]] and southeast [[Asia]], including the [[Indonesia|Indonesian islands]]. These are the surviving subspecies, in descending order of wild population:

[[Image:RoyalBengalTiger.JPG|thumb|right|275px|The Royal Bengal Tiger]]
* The '''[[Bengal Tiger]]''' or the [[Royal Bengal Tiger]] (''Panthera tigris tigris'') is largely found in the [[Sundarbans]], a saltwater mangrove forest of [[Bangladesh]] and of [[West Bengal]], [[India]]. The estimated population of these tigers in the wild vary between 4,000 and 5,000 <ref>[http://home.globalcrossing.net/~brendel/tiger.html]</ref>, 3,000 of which are found in India alone. <ref>[http://www.wildlife-tour-india.com/indian-wildlife/bengal-tiger.html]</ref>. The Bengal tiger is also found in [[Nepal]] and [[Bhutan]]. It is the national animal of both Bangladesh and India. Even though this is the most 'common' tiger, these tigers are under severe pressure from both habitat reduction and poaching. In [[1972]], India launched a massive wildlife conservation project, known as [[Project Tiger]], to protect the depleting numbers of tigers in India. The project helped increase the population of these tigers from 1,200 in the [[1970s]] to 3,000 in [[1990s]] and is considered as one of the most successful wildlife conservation programs.

* '''[[Indochinese Tiger]]''' (''Panthera tigris corbetti''), also called ''Corbett's'' tiger, is found in [[Cambodia]], [[China]], [[Laos]], [[Myanmar]], [[Thailand]], and [[Vietnam]]. Estimates of its population vary between 1,200 to 1,800, but it seems likely that the number is in the lower part of the range. The largest current population is in Malaysia, where illegal [[poaching]] is strictly controlled, but all existing populations are at extreme risk from [[habitat (ecology)|habitat]] [[fragmentation]] and [[inbreeding]]. In Vietnam, almost three-quarters of the tigers killed provide stock for Chinese pharmacies. Also, the tigers are seen by poor natives as a resource through which they can ease [[poverty]].

* The '''[[Malayan Tiger]]''' (''Panthera tigris jacksoni''), exclusively found in the southern ([[Malaysian]]) part of the [[Malay Peninsula]], wasn't considered a subspecies in its own right until 2004. The new classification came [[Image:Panthera tigris sumatran subspecies.jpg|thumb|275px|right|The Sumatran Tiger]]about after a study by Luo et al from the Laboratory of Genomic Diversity Study, part of the National Cancer Institute, US. Recent counts showed there are 600-800 tigers in the wild, making it the third largest tiger population behind the [[Bengal Tiger]] and the [[Indochinese Tiger]]. The Malayan tiger is a national icon in Malaysia, appearing on its [[Emblem of Malaysia|coat of arms]] and in logos of Malaysian institutions, such as [[Maybank]].

* The '''[[Sumatran Tiger]]''' (''Panthera tigris sumatran'') is found only on the Indonesian island of [[Sumatra]]. The wild population is estimated at between 400 and 500 animals, occurring predominantly in the island&rsquo;s five [[national parks]]. Recent genetic testing has revealed the presence of unique genetic markers, indicating that it may develop into a separate species, if it is not made extinct. This has led to suggestions that Sumatran tigers should have greater priority for conservation than any other subspecies. [[Habitat destruction]] is the main threat to the existing tiger population (logging continues even in the supposedly protected national parks), but 66 tigers were recorded as being shot and killed between 1998 and 2000&mdash;nearly 20% of the total population.

[[Image:Siberian Tiger by Malene Th.jpg|thumb|right|The Siberian Tiger]]
* The '''[[Siberian Tiger]]''' (''Panthera tigris altaica''), also known as the ''Amur'', ''Manchurian'' or ''North China'' tiger, is confined almost completely to a very restricted part of eastern [[Russia]] where it is now protected. There are less than 400 of these tigers in the wild, and many populations are likely to no longer be [[genetically viable]], subject to potentially catastrophic inbreeding. Considered the largest subspecies, the largest wild Siberian tiger on record weighed 384 kilograms (845 pounds), while a captive one weighed 423 kilograms (930 pounds). Some Bengal tigers grow to the same length as Siberian tigers, but they are less stocky, and the maximum weight recorded for a wild Bengal tiger is 270 kilograms (594 pounds). Weights can vary substantially depending on whether the tiger has been fully fed or has an empty belly. The average weight of male Siberian tiger is around 225 kg (495 lb). The Siberian tiger is also noted for its thick coat, distinguished by a paler golden hue and a smaller number of stripes. The Siberian tiger is the most powerful of all living cats. [http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/agarman/tiger.htm]

* The '''[[South China Tiger]]''' (''Panthera tigris amoyensis''), also known as the ''Amoy'' or ''Xiamen'' tiger, is the most critically endangered subspecies of tiger and will almost certainly become extinct. This species of tiger is the smallest of the tiger family. The length of the South China tiger ranges from 87-104 inches for both males and females. Also, males weigh between 280 and 390 pounds while females weigh between 220 and 260 pounds. It seems likely that the last known wild South China tiger was shot and killed in [[1994]], and no live tigers have been seen in their natural habitat for the last 20 years. In [[1959]], [[Mao Zedong]] declared the tiger to be a pest, and numbers quickly fell from about 4,000 to approximately 200 in 1976. In 1977, the Chinese government reversed the law, and banned the killing of wild tigers, but this appears to have been too late to save the subspecies. There are currently 59 known captive Chinese tigers, all within [[China]], but these are known to be descended from only six animals. Thus, the [[genetic diversity]] required to maintain the subspecies no longer exists, making its eventual extinction very likely.

===Recently Extinct===
:Tigers are uncommon in the fossil record. The distinct fossils of tigers were discovered from [[Pleistocene]] deposits&mdash;mostly in Asia. Nevertheless, remains of described tiger fossils 100,000 years old in Alaska. Possibly because of a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska during the ice ages, this Alaskan tiger might be a North American population of Siberian tiger. In addition, scientists discover similarities between tiger bones and those of the [[American lion]]: an extinct big cat that dominated much of North America as recently as 10,000 years ago. This controversial observations may lead to the assumption that the American lion was a New World tiger species. Tiger fossils have also turned up in Japan. These fossils prove that the Japanese tiger was no bigger than the island subspecies of tigers of recent ages. This may be due to the phenomenon in which body is related to environmental space, or in the case of a large predator like a tiger, availability of prey.

* The '''[[Balinese Tiger]]''' (''Panthera tigris balica'') has always been limited to the island of [[Bali]]. These tigers were hunted to extinction&mdash;the last Balinese tiger is thought to have been killed at Sumbar Kima, West Bali on [[27 September]], [[1937]]; this was an adult female. No Balinese tiger was ever held in captivity. The tiger still plays an important role in Balinese [[hinduism|Hindu]] religion.

* The '''[[Javan Tiger]]''' (''Panthera tigris sondaica'') was limited to the Indonesian island of [[Java (island)|Java]]. It now seems likely that this subspecies was made extinct in the [[1980s]], as a result of hunting and habitat destruction, but the extinction of this subspecies was extremely probable from the [[1950s]] onwards (when it is thought that fewer than 25 tigers remained in the wild). The last specimen was sighted in [[1979]].

* The '''[[Caspian tiger|Caspian Tiger]]''' or '''Persian Tiger''' (''Panthera tigris virgata'') appears to have become extinct in the late [[1960s]], with the last reliable sighting in [[1968]]. Historically it ranged through [[Afghanistan]], [[Iran]], [[Iraq]], [[Pakistan]], the former [[Soviet Union]] and [[Turkey]]. It was said, such a tiger was last shot dead in the south-eastern-most Turkey in [[1970]]. This tiger was said to be yellow with black stripes.

==Traditional Asian Medicine==

Tiger parts are used in traditional Asian medicines. Many people in Asia ignorantly believe that tiger parts have medicinal properties. There is no scientific corroberation to these beliefs which include:

*The tail of the tiger is sometimes ground and mixed with [[soap]] to create an [[ointment]] for use in treating [[skin cancer]]. The bones found from the tip of the tiger’s tail are said to ward off evil spirits.
*Crushed tiger bones added to [[wine]] serves as a Taiwanese general tonic.
*Tiger’s skin is said to cure a fever caused by ghosts. In order to use it effectively, the user must sit on the tiger’s skin, but beware. If too much time is spent on the tiger’s skin, the legend says the user will become a tiger.
*Adding honey to the [[gallstones]] and applying the combination to the hands and feet is said to effectively treat [[abscesses]].
*Burnt tiger hair can allegedly drive away [[centipedes]].
*Mixing the [[brain]] of a tiger with oil and rubbing the mixture on your body is an alleged cure for both laziness and [[acne]].
*Rolling the [[eyeball]]s into pills is an alleged remedy for [[convulsions]].
*If whiskers are kept as a charm, legend says one will be protected against bullets and have increased [[courage]].
*One will allegedly possess courage and shall be protected from sudden fright if you wear a tiger’s claw as a piece of [[jewelry]] or carry one in your pocket.
*Alleged Strength, cunning, and courage can be obtained by consuming a tiger’s [[heart]].
*Floating ribs of a tiger are considered a good luck [[talisman]].
*The tiger’s penis is said to be an [[aphrodisiac]].
*Small bones in a tiger’s feet tied to a child’s [[wrists]] are said to be a sure cure for convulsions. [http://www.bigcatrescue.org/tiger.htm#]

==Tigers in literature and popular culture==

<div style="float: right; width: 18em; padding: .5em; margin: .5em; border: 1px solid #ccc;">
''Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright''<br/>
''In the forests of the night,''<br/>
''What immortal hand or eye''<br/>
''Could frame thy fearful symmetry?...''

<small>William Blake, "The Tyger", ''Songs of Experience''</small>
</div>

The word tiger is borrowed from Greek tigris, itself borrowed from [[Persian language|Persian]] ([http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=t&p=11]). American English Tigress first recorded 1611. Tiger's-eye "yellowish-brown quartz" is recorded from 1891.

The tiger has certainly managed to appeal to man's imagination. Both [[Rudyard Kipling]] in ''[[The Jungle Book]]s'' and [[William Blake]] in his ''[[Songs of Experience]]'' depict him as a ferocious, fearful animal. In The Jungle Books, the tiger [[Shere Khan]] is the biggest and most dangerous enemy of [[Mowgli]], the uncrowned king of the jungle. Even in the [[Bill Watterson]] [[comic strip]], ''[[Calvin and Hobbes]]'', Hobbes the tiger sometimes escapes his role of cuddly animal. At the other end of the scale there is [[Tigger]], the tiger from [[A. A. Milne]]'s [[Winnie the Pooh]] stories, who is always happy and never induces fear. In the award winning ''A Tiger for Malgudi'', a [[Yogi]] befriends a tiger. Rajah, a pet of the characters Aladdin and Jasmine of Disney's animated feature film [[Aladdin (cartoon)|''Aladdin'']], is uncharacteristically [[dog]]-like in its behavior, but even more oddly ''[[Tony the Tiger]]'' is renowned for his ''[[Frosted Flakes]]'' and may be the only cat, real or fictional, who thrives on a vegetarian diet.

A stylized tiger cub was a mascot of the [[1988 Summer Olympic Games]] of [[Seoul]] with the name "Hodori", and the tiger is one the most chosen animals to be a mascot for sports teams, e.g. [[Major League Baseball ]] team [[ Detroit Tigers ]]

Humble Oil, a division of [[ExxonMobil|Standard Oil Company of New Jersey]] (Jersey Standard), used a stylized tiger to promote gasoline and the slogan "Put a Tiger in your Tank". Jersey Standard adopted the use of a real tiger in its advertising when it took the Exxon name company-wide in 1972, and the brand kept the tiger mascot as a part of [[ExxonMobil]] when they merged in [[1999]].

Most recently, [[Yann Martel]] won the Man [[Booker Prize]] in 2002 with his novel ''[[Life of Pi]]'' about an [[India]]n boy castaway on the [[Pacific Ocean]] with a [[Bengal Tiger|Royal Bengal Tiger]].

In the Chinese novel [[Water Margin]], tigers appeared numerous times as attacking travellers. In the [[Wu Song]] story he became famous when slaying a tiger with his barehands who had been terrorizing the local towns nearly a decade. In reality, wild tigers, being dwellers of the jungle, have rarely been found in larger human cities in China, where the idea of a tiger on the street can act as a symbol of [[paranoia]] or unfounded fear, giving rise to such [[idioms]] as ''[[three men make a tiger]]''. The Tiger belongs to one of the 12 [[Chinese Zodiac]] heavenly creatures, people born in year of the Tiger tend to be independent and strong. Also, Tiger has always been seen as a fierce and dangerous beast compared to [[Lion]], which the Chinese consider as a noble creature.

The tiger was used by the Romans in the Roman Coliseum in gladiatorial showdowns with men, often for entertainment purposes. They were also pitted against other beasts in the Coliseum. It's said that tigers often emerged victorious against lions in mortal combat at the Coliseum.

==Media==
[http://endangeredtv.com/video_player.cfm?animalid=75 Endangered TV] Video of the Siberian Tiger and other Endangered Animals.

[http://endangeredtv.com/video_player.cfm?animalid=74 Endangered TV] Video of the Sumatran Tiger and other Endangered Animals.

[http://endangeredtv.com/video_player.cfm?animalid=76 Endangered TV] Video of the Indochinese Tiger and other Endangered Animals.

[http://imagineanimals.com/images_thumbs.cfm?animalid=76 Imagine Animals] Free images of the Indochinese Tiger and other Endangered Animals.

[http://imagineanimals.com/images_thumbs.cfm?animalid=75 Imagine Animals] Free images of the Siberian Tiger and other Endangered Animals.

[http://imagineanimals.com/images_thumbs.cfm?animalid=74 Imagine Animals] Free images of the Sumatran Tiger and other Endangered Animals.

Video of the Panthera tigris at Disney's Animal Kingdom
{{multi-video start}}
{{multi-video item|filename=Panthera tigris1.ogg|title=Panthera tigris #1|description= |format=[[Theora]]}}
{{multi-video item|filename=Panthera tigris2.ogg|title=Panthera tigris #2|description= |format=[[Theora]]}}
{{multi-video item|filename=Panthera tigris3.ogg|title=Panthera tigris #3|description= |format=[[Theora]]}}
{{multi-video item|filename=Panthera tigris4.ogg|title=Panthera tigris #4|description= |format=[[Theora]]}}
{{multi-video item|filename=Panthera tigris5.ogg|title=Panthera tigris #5|description= |format=[[Theora]]}}
{{multi-video item|filename=Panthera tigris6.ogg|title=Panthera tigris #6|description= |format=[[Theora]]}}
{{multi-video item|filename=Panthera tigris7.ogg|title=Panthera tigris #7|description= |format=[[Theora]]}}
{{multi-video item|filename=Panthera tigris8.ogg|title=Panthera tigris #8|description= |format=[[Theora]]}}
{{multi-video end}}

==See also==
* [[White Tigers]]
* [[Black tiger (animal)]]
* [[Smilodon]] (popularly known as the ''Sabertooth tiger'', but not actually closely related to tigers)
* [[Tigon]], a hybrid of a male tiger and female [[lion]]
* [[Liger]], a hybrid of a male [[lion]] and female tiger
* [[Tiger Temple]], a Buddhist temple in Thailand famous for its tame tigers
* [[Siegfried & Roy]], two famous tamers of tigers
* [[Project Tiger]]

==References==
*[[Jim Corbett (hunter)|Jim Corbett]], <cite>Man-eaters of Kumaon</cite>, Oxford University Press, 1946

*[PBS] http://www.pbs.org/edens/bhutan/a_tiger.htm

==External links==
{{commons|Panthera tigris|Panthera tigris}}
{{Wikispecies|Panthera tigris}}
*[http://www.tigersincrisis.com Tigers in Crisis] Information about the Earth's vanishing Tigers.
*[http://www.rareearthexplorations.com/wildindia/tiger/saving.htm Sierra Club (A Tiger Conservation project)]
*[http://tadoba.blogspot.com The Tadoba Tiger Forest (India) Experiences Blog]
*[http://www.lairweb.org.nz/tiger Tiger Territory]
*[http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/tiger/ Enchanted Learning Software - All About Tigers]
*[http://www.thecatsjungle.com/ The Cats Jungle - Information About Cats]
*[http://www.exoticcatz.com/sptiger.html/ Exoticcatz.com - Info on tigers in captivity]
*[http://www.treesfortigers.org/index.html Trees for Tigers]
*[http://www.savethetigerfund.org Save The Tiger Fund]

[[Category:Tigers| ]]
[[Category:Mammals of India]]

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[[ar:نمر]]
[[bg:Тигър]]
[[ca:Tigre]]
[[da:Tiger]]
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[[eo:Tigro]]
[[es:Panthera tigris]]
[[fi:Tiikeri]]
[[fr:Tigre (mammifère)]]
[[gu:વાઘ]]
[[he:טיגריס]]
[[id:Harimau]]
[[io:Tigro]]
[[it:Panthera tigris]]
[[ja:トラ]]
[[ko:호랑이]]
[[la:Tigris]]
[[li:Tieger]]
[[lt:Tigras]]
[[hu:Tigris]]
[[ms:Harimau]]
[[nl:Tijger]]
[[no:Tiger]]
[[pl:Tygrys]]
[[pt:Tigre]]
[[ru:Тигр]]
[[simple:Tiger]]
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[[sl:Tiger]]
[[sr:Тигар]]
[[su:Maung]]
[[sv:Tiger]]
[[ta:புலி]]
[[th:เสือ]]
[[tr:Kaplan]]
[[vi:Hổ]]
[[zh:虎]]

Revision as of 11:11, 18 March 2006

For other uses, see Tiger (disambiguation).

Tiger
Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Carnivora
Family:
Felidae
Genus:
Panthera
Species:
P. tigris
Binomial name
Panthera tigris

Tigers (Panthera tigris) are mammals of the Felidae family and one of four "big cats" in the Panthera genus. A group of tigers is called an "ambush" or a "streak". They are predatory carnivores and the largest and most powerful of all living cats. The Indian Subcontinent is home to more than 80% of the wild tigers in the world. They breed well in captivity and it is believed that there may be more captive tigers in the United States of America than the entire population in the wild. This figure may well be exaggerated.

Most tigers live in forests and grasslands (for which their camouflage is ideally suited). Among the big cats, only the tiger and jaguar are strong swimmers; tigers are often found bathing in ponds, lakes, and rivers. Tigers hunt alone and eat primarily medium-sized herbivores such as deer, wild pigs, and buffalo. However, they will also take larger or smaller prey on occasion. Humans are the tiger's only serious predator and often kill tigers illegally for their fur or penises. Their bones and nearly all body parts are used in Chinese Medicine for a range of purported uses including pain killers and aphrodisiacs. Poaching for fur and destruction of [[shag me please.FUCK ME

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