The largest cat in the world is a master of camouflage and stealth, but this can’t hide it from a number of challenges that threaten its very survival
Words Amelia Jones
TIGER
Panthera tigris
Class
Mammalia
Territory
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia and Thailand
Diet
Mainly large ungulates
Lifespan
10 years
Adult weight
65–300kg (143.3–661.4lb) depending on the species
Conservation status:
Endangered
Life in the jungle
Tigers are silent hunters with a secret love of the water
Possibly the most iconic feline on Earth, the tiger is known for its striking orange-and-black striped coat, its stealth and hunting instinct, and its sheer power and size. Tigers are the largest of all the big cats, and male tigers can be up to ten-times heavier than male snow leopards, their closest relative.
They are muscular, heavily built animals, weighing up to 300 kilograms (661.4 pounds) when fully grown. Yet despite their size they are agile in water and are excellent swimmers, dispelling the myth that cats are afraid of water.
Their pin-sharp hearing and eyesight are key adaptations that make them skilled hunters, allowing them to sneak up on their prey and ambush it from behind. They are opportunistic predators, and while they usually feed on ungulates such as buffalo and deer, they have occasionally been known to prey on other predators, including leopards, although this can be dangerous for inexperienced tigers.
These big cats spend most of their lives alone and rarely come into contact with other tigers, apart from during the mating season and when mothers are rearing young. Tiger cubs spend the first two years of their life at their mother’s side, learning how to ambush their prey, find shelter and water and protect themselves from danger.
Despite being top predators, life in the jungle can be challenging, especially when prey is scarce and habitats are threatened by human expansion. Sadly, this means up to 43 per cent of newborn cubs don’t reach the age of two. For those that do, they must leave the safety of their mother’s watch and venture out into the jungle alone.
The first few weeks of life female tigers raise their cubs alone and usually give birth to a litter of between one and three cubs in the shelter of their den, although they can have up to seven cubs. Weighing up to 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds), the cubs are born blind and do not open their eyes until around day six to 14. They are entirely dependent on their mother for food and protection, and only at around eight weeks old will they start to make short trips outside of their den, but they do not take part in the hunt.
At around three to six months old, the cubs are weaned and start to accompany their mother on territorial walks. During these expeditions their mother will bring them food and teach them the hunting skills they will need to survive as an adult.
Tucked away
The cubs are left in the safety of their den, usually a cave or thi
