One of the largest of the 'big cats', the tiger (Panthera tigris) is an instantly recognizable animal and an iconic symbol of conservation. Readily distinguished from other large felids as the only striped cat, the tiger generally has a distinctive reddish-orange to yellow-ochre coat with a white belly and black markings. The characteristic dark, vertical stripes patterning the body vary in their width, spacing, and length, and whether they are single or double stripes. The pattern and distribution of the stripes are unique to each tiger, with no two individuals exhibiting the same stripe pattern. The different subspecies vary in their body size, coat color, and markings, with the Sumatran tiger being the smallest and darkest, while the Siberian tiger is the largest and palest subspecies. However, markings and coat color can overlap between subspecies, and individuals from different subspecies cannot always be differentiated on the basis of their appearance alone. Mainly hunting wild pigs and deer, the tiger is also capable of taking prey much larger than itself, including small elephants and rhinos. Unlike most other cat species, the tiger is a keen swimmer and often cools off in streams and lakes to escape the midday heat.
Tiger Species
- Mainland Asian Tiger (Panthera tigris)
- Sunda Island Tiger (Panthera sondaica)
Tiger Subspecies
- Bali Tiger (Panthera tigris balica)
- Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)
- Caspian Tiger (Panthera tigris virgata)
- Indochinese Tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti)
- Javan Tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica)
- Malayan Tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni)
- Ngandong Tiger (Panthera tigris soloensis)
- Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)
- South China Tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis)
- Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae)
- Trinil Tiger (Panthera tigris trinilensis)
- Wanhsien Tiger (Panthera tigris acutidens)
