Just once looking at it, it is impossible not to admire this powerful, beautiful and graceful animal. Amur tiger- this is the most big representative felines. It is also often called Far Eastern or Ussuri. This is explained by the fact that its habitat in our area is the Primorsky Territory, southeast Russia, the basins of the Amur and Ussuri rivers. To find out more interesting things about this animal, you need to find out everything that concerns its external characteristics and lifestyle.

Description of the tiger

The Amur tiger belongs to the class of mammals of the cat family, one of four representatives of the panther genus.

This predator is even larger than a lion. It is impossible to describe the Amur tiger without mentioning its weight and height. The weight of an adult animal reaches 200 kg, and in some cases it can vary within 250 kg. With such a mass, it has an equally impressive body length. The size of the Amur tiger ranges from 2.5 to 4 m, depending on gender and age. Its height at the withers varies from 100 to 110 cm.

Characteristics of external data

Despite its impressive appearance, the tiger's movements are silent and graceful. His quiet gait is ensured by soft and wide pads on his paws. Even making its way through thick grass, the animal will remain unnoticed. Also, thanks to them, the animal does not fall into the deep snowdrifts of the Ussuri taiga during the winter period.

The thick and fluffy fur of the Amur tiger is explained by the predator's habitat in a harsh climate. Mostly it is red in color, but the exception is the belly, chest and neck - they are white. His entire body is decorated with black stripes. The most interesting part of the characteristics of the Amur tiger is that no two animals are identical in color. Each individual has its own unique pattern of stripes. It is the black stripes that allow the animal to camouflage itself in the wild.

Habitat

Most Amur tigers live within the far eastern south of Russia, northeast China, and the southern and central Sikhote-Alin. The usual habitat of these animals is extremely unusual. Animals do not like to live too high, so they settle in areas of low mountains. They prefer to be between ridges, near sweeping river valleys, as well as in forest areas, where you can find oak and cedar. Luxurious, thick and warm wool allows you to adapt even to the conditions of severe winter. But if it is too long and harsh, tigers have to settle near populated areas in order to be able to feast on livestock.

Features of predators

Amur tigers do not live in packs, but alone. Each adult has its own habitat. One female can own a territory from 250 to 450 square meters. In males it expands to 2000 square meters. Each animal must mark its perimeter. He does this by scratching trees and also by releasing urine. Tigers avoid contact with people. Therefore, when hunting, they rarely go beyond their territory. Only in the event of an acute shortage of food and severe hunger does the animal begin to lose fear of humans and goes in search of food in nearby settlements. In such cases, an animal suffering from hunger will eat everything that comes its way: fruits of plants, livestock, dogs and fish.

Amur tigers in Russia

Just 100 years ago, these animals completely populated the entire Far East. But over the years, cases of their shooting have become more frequent in this region of Russia. When the number of killed exceeded 150 individuals, the Amur tiger population began to decline. By the 30s of the last century, predators began to rapidly disappear from Russian territory. This contributed to the imposition of a ban on their hunting. The law on this was adopted in 1947. Ten years later, the capture of Amur tiger cubs was banned. Graceful beauties found themselves on the verge of extinction. It was decided to include Amur tigers in the Red Book. These measures contributed to the preservation of the population, and by the 80s their number increased by 200 individuals.

Tiger conservation

The Amur tiger was considered an endangered species until 2007. In the Red Book of Russia, it was listed as an animal that is on the verge of extinction. However, in 2007, the leaders of the World Wildlife Fund said that the number of these predators has increased significantly over the past 100 years. How many Amur tigers are left in Russia? According to official data, about 500 individuals.

Members of the famous expedition called “Amur Tiger”, who were engaged in observing predators in the wild, reported that about 6 tigers live in the Ussuri Nature Reserve in the Primorsky Territory. Moreover, the territory of the reserve does not exceed 400 square meters. For 6 adults it is very small. Therefore, they called on the authorities to increase it, and also demanded to more thoroughly regulate the activities of people who live near the borders of the reserve.

What do tigers eat?

The predator prefers to eat ungulates. It often catches wapiti, deer, wild boar, elk or roe deer in its paws. If a tiger starves for a long time, he will not disdain anything. The fruits of trees, fish, frogs, birds and even mice are suitable as food. When placed in a favorable habitat where it lives a large number of ungulates, a tiger can quickly gain excess weight. An adult male usually builds up subcutaneous fat, the layer thickness of which reaches 6 cm. Having gained a sufficient amount of fat, the animal can go without food for about a week. However, it is better for no one to know what the Amur tiger is like during fasting. On such days, he can eat everything that comes his way.

How tigers hunt

Despite the fact that this predator has enormous strength and a well-developed sense of smell, only 1 out of 10 attacks on its prey ends in success for it. The remaining animals quickly run away to heal their wounds. At the same time, tigers extremely rarely go in pursuit of prey, preferring to go in search of less nimble prey. This is what makes a predator spend most of its time not only finding food, but also skillfully catching it.

Amur tigers are very careful. They sneak towards the victim very quietly, almost silently. The animal moves slowly on the ground, transferring the bulk of its weight to the forelimbs. At the same time, his back is arched, and his body is lowered as much as possible. When a tiger encounters small prey, it gnaws its throat first. It will not be possible to deal with a large animal in this way. Therefore, the predator first overwhelms it and only then bites its neck. Eating Ussurian tiger just like all felines - lying down. At the same time, he always holds the animal carcass with his front paws.

Tiger breeding

Females become ready to mate quite late, at about 3 years of age. After reaching this age, she can bear offspring and is quite ready to reproduce. These predators live alone. Therefore, they do not have one partner for a long period. The mating period takes about a week, then the male leaves his girlfriend. He does not take part in raising the brood. Females have to take care of the cubs for several years.

Caring for offspring

Pregnancy in tigress lasts from 95 to 115 days. Most often, no more than 4 tiger cubs are born. Babies are born completely blind and helpless. Only after 2 weeks their eyes open and their first teeth begin to grow. Tiger cubs feed on mother's milk for up to 6 months. In addition, from about 2 months they begin to taste meat. During the feeding period breast milk The tigress very carefully protects her offspring. She hides tiger cubs in hard-to-reach places, trying in every possible way to provide them with maximum protection from possible dangers, of which there are so many in the taiga and forests.

Tiger cubs grow quite slowly. An adult tigress teaches them to hunt and independently catch animals for food. Little tiger cubs have a very kind and obedient disposition. That is why people have been training them since the very beginning. early age. After a few years, the babies reach puberty, being constantly with their mother. Only at the age of 3-5 years does the family break up and the cubs begin a new independent life.

Amur predator and man

Everyone, without exception, is afraid of these wild animals. When looking at photos of Amur tigers, a feeling of fear and admiration appears at the same time. And not in vain, because these animals are considered one of the most dangerous predators planets. Ancient people decided to hunt them only in the most exceptional cases, since they rarely defeated such strong beast. In those days, wearing the skin of a tiger was an honor. Unfortunately, some people continue to hunt these beautiful animals. In Russia, only a monetary fine is imposed for killing an Amur tiger. In China, such a crime is punishable by death.

Lifestyle of Ussuri tigers

Some believe that this animal poses a danger to humans. However, such an opinion can be interpreted in different ways. The Amur tiger by nature prefers to hunt ungulates: deer, roe deer, wild boar or gazelle. A person is not included in the list of possible prey. Although a tiger may well attack a person, after all, he is a predator. But he will do this only in a hopeless situation.

For good nutrition The Ussuri predator needs to eat about 70 large ungulates per year. If the tiger is hungry, it will use its hunting skills. Amur beauties easily find traces of woodcutters, who often set traps for small game. They also skillfully scour hunters' hideouts.

Tigers rarely visit populated areas. Although some call these animals cannibals, predators very rarely attack people. This can only happen if the tiger is sick, injured or trapped. Penetrating into the nearest village, he can eat some of the livestock, but the person will be attacked only in the rarest and most desperate cases.

Information about this amazing predator cannot be limited to dry data. The Amur tiger is a very unique, majestic and beautiful animal. Therefore, it is worth listing a few of the most interesting facts about him:

• Even 100 years ago, hunters who lived in the valleys of the Ussuri rivers were afraid to even pronounce the name of this beast. The Amur tiger was worshiped as a deity endowed with incredible power.
• Chinese for a long time were confident that the bones and meat of tigers had healing effects.
• These predators were listed in the Red Book, since their population is considered the smallest among all other subspecies.
• In many photos of Amur tigers you can see their very dangerous weapon- teeth. In adults, their length reaches 10-15 cm.
• Most often, tigers kill their prey by biting the throat, but sometimes they use suffocation. Having attacked the victim, the tiger may not immediately reach the main artery in the neck with its teeth. Therefore, he can hang on large prey, waiting until it bleeds out and suffocates.
• The Amur tiger can jump over a distance of 6 meters and also make a jump up to 5 meters high.
• The Ussuri predator is able to accelerate to 60 km/h.
• Tigers do not consider people as their possible prey. There is no such instinct in their nature. They can attack a person only in defense if they are driven into a trap. This may also be due to severe hunger, which tormented the animal for several days.
• The most favorite hunting method among tigers is ambush. Therefore, when you see a predator in the savannah, you don’t have to worry - the animal is most likely resting.
• The natives living in India have interesting feature, which concerns the method of movement in the territory where the Amur tiger lives. They put a face-shaped mask on the back of their head. It is believed that by wearing a mask, you can avoid a tiger attack, since the animal is deprived of the element of surprise it needs, because the victim is “looking” at it all the time.
• Amur tigers love to swim. Unlike other felines, tigers enjoy swimming and splashing in the water. Little tiger cubs can play and frolic in a pond for a long time.
• The pattern on the forehead of Amur tigers is very similar to Chinese character, which denotes a king. That is why in China these predators are of particular value.
• The tiger's black stripes decorate not only their fur, but also their skin. If you shave an animal, it will not lose its unique stripes.
• Hunting of Amur tigers is prohibited throughout the world.

The Amur or Ussuri tiger is a predatory animal belonging to the cat family. The Amur tiger is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

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Amur tigers are the largest animals among all tigers, their weight reaches 320 kilograms. The body length of the Amur tiger reaches 290 centimeters from head to tail, and the length of the tail is 110 centimeters.

Amur tigers reach speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour, they are very durable; there have been cases when Amur tigers carried a horse for more than 500 meters. In speed, Amur tigers are second only to cheetahs.

Amur tigers have a small layer of fat on their belly that protects them when low temperatures and cold wind.

The fur of Amur tigers is thick, unlike other tigers that live in warm countries. The Amur tiger sees very well in the dark and distinguishes colors.

IN winter time The tiger's color is pronounced, and in the summer it becomes lighter.

The Amur tiger lives in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories near the Ussuri and Amur rivers in a protected area in southeastern Russia.

Approximately 10% of Amur tigers live in Manchuria, China.

The Ussuri or Amur tiger lives over a fairly large territory. The territory of the female is approximately 300-500 square kilometers, and that of the male is twice as large.

Amur tigers hunt mainly at night for deer, roe deer, wild boar, elk, and do not refuse birds, fish and even mice. If a tiger does not have enough food in the forest, then it can also feast on domestic animals.

Amur tigers eat their prey lying down, holding it with their paws; at night they hide the remaining food in a safe place. An Amur tiger needs up to 10 kilograms of meat per day.

The Amur tiger rarely comes out to people and almost never attacks them. Amur tigers are not known to engage in cannibalism. There were only a few cases of Amur tigers attacking people in the 1950s.

The average life expectancy of an Amur tiger is 15 years, in zoos good care tigers can live up to 25 years.

Amur tigers become adults at the age of 2.5-3 years, but they give birth to cubs after about a year. Weddings for Amur tigers begin in the winter of December, January, and after 3.5 months the babies are born, this always happens in the spring.

The tigress independently takes care of her babies, feeds them milk for up to 2 months, then begins to accustom the little kittens to meat.

The tigress feeds her cubs with milk for up to 6 months, then they completely switch to meat.

Typically, a tigress gives birth to one to four cubs. They are born blind, but after a week they begin to see.

Mother long time teaches his kids habits, hunting and other wisdom. At the age of 2.5-3 years, they become adults and go to live separately, but not far from their mother.

Amur tigers do not attack humans unnecessarily; in general, the person himself provokes the animal. Amur tigers can attack humans in two cases: if they feel threatened by humans or if they are protecting their cubs.

Description of the Amur tiger

Babr (from the Yakut “baabyr”) is the name in Rus' for the Siberian tiger, now known as the Far Eastern, Ussuri or Amur tiger. Panthera tigris altaica(Latin name of the subspecies) is recognized as one of the most impressive in the cat family, surpassing even in size. Nowadays, the Amur tiger is depicted on the flag/coat of arms of the Primorsky Territory and the coat of arms of Khabarovsk.

Babr adorned the coats of arms of Yakutsk (since 1642) and Irkutsk, until he turned into a “beaver” under Emperor Alexander II due to the fault of an overly zealous champion of spelling, who served in the heraldic department. The error was later corrected, but on the coats of arms of Irkutsk and the region there is still a strange black animal with big tail and webbed feet, carrying a sable in its teeth.

Appearance

Amur tiger - the most beautiful wild cat with a characteristic striped coloring flexible body, crowned with a rounded head with proportional ears. Babr, like all cats, is armed with 30 sharp teeth and tenacious claws, which help tear carcasses and climb trees.

The predominant color background (red) is replaced by white on the chest, belly and whiskers. Transverse black stripes cross the body and tail, turning into symmetrical black stripes on the head and muzzle.

Fleeing from the harsh winter, the Amur tiger is forced to grow thick hair and accumulate a solid (5 cm) layer of fur. subcutaneous fat, protecting the predator from frostbite.

A huge tiger can move without unnecessary noise, which is explained by the shock-absorbing ability of its wide paws with soft pads. That is why the babr silently walks and runs through the summer Ussuri taiga, without falling into high snowdrifts in winter.

Size of the Amur tiger

The Amur tiger, classified as one of the largest representatives of the cat family, Lately increasingly smaller in size than those living in national parks India. These related subspecies were once comparable in size, but the Ussuri tiger began to become smaller due to its proximity to humans, or more precisely, due to economic activity the last one.

Fact. The average Amur tiger stretches up to 2.7–3.8 m in length, weighs 200–250 kg and grows from 1 to 1.15 m at the withers.

Zoologists suggest that individual individuals can gain 300 kg or more, although a less impressive record is officially registered - 212 kg. It belongs to a male with a radio collar attached to his neck.

Lifestyle, behavior

Unlike the lion, the Amur tiger, like most felines, does not join prides, but prefers a solitary existence. An exception is made only for females, who, together with their brood, can live in the male’s territory, which usually reaches 600–800 km². The female's home range is always smaller, approximately 300–500 km².

The male vigilantly monitors the inviolability of the boundaries, marking them with secretory fluid and leaving deep scratches on the trunks. The Amur tiger, despite its size, easily climbs into the crowns of old oak trees and even onto the tops of tall spruce trees.

The animal does not go beyond its territory if there are many ungulates grazing on it, but if necessary, it is able to travel from 10 to 41 km. The tigress covers a shorter distance per day, from 7 to 22 km. The Amur tiger can drag a horse carcass for more than half a kilometer without visible fatigue, and when light and in the snow it is capable of accelerating up to 80 km/h, second only in agility to the tiger.

Interesting. The predator distinguishes colors well, and in the dark its vision is 5 times sharper than that of a human, which is perhaps why it likes to hunt at dusk and at night.

The Ussuri tiger is extremely silent: at least this is what naturalists say, who have observed the animal in nature for years and have never heard its roar. The tiger's roar is heard only during the rut - females are especially zealous. A dissatisfied babr growls hoarsely and dully, switching to a characteristic “cough” when angry. A peaceful tiger purrs like a domestic cat.

When greeting a comrade, a tiger uses special sounds produced by sharp exhalation of air through the nose and mouth. Friction of sides and contact of muzzles tell about the peaceful attitude of predators.

The Amur tiger is far from a cannibal (unlike the Bengal), which is why it tries to avoid humans and bypass their housing in every possible way. If you accidentally encounter a tiger, it is better to stop without trying to run, and slowly give way without turning your back to it. You can talk to him, but only in a calm and confident voice: a scream that turns into a pig squeal is more likely to stir up the tiger’s interest in you.

From the middle of the last century to the present time, no more than 10 cases of Amur tiger attacks on humans have been recorded within the boundaries of settlements in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories. Even in its native element, the Ussuri taiga, a tiger very rarely attacks hunters pursuing it.

How long does the Amur tiger live?

The lifespan of the babr in nature is 10, less often – 15 years. IN ideal conditions Amur tigers often celebrate their 20th anniversary in zoological parks.

Fact. Lyuty is considered one of the oldest Amur tigers, having lived for 21 years in the Khabarovsk Utes wild animal rehabilitation center.

Lyuty was caught in the taiga, carelessly injuring both jaws, after which the tiger developed osteomyelitis, which was surgically stopped in 1999. And the very next year Lyuty sported a new fang made of a silver-palladium alloy with gold plating, thanks to a unique operation performed by Russian and American doctors.

The injured mouth did not allow Lyuty to be returned back to the taiga, and he became not only the most visited pet at the rehabilitation center, but also the hero of numerous enthusiastic reports.

Sexual dimorphism

The difference between the sexes is manifested, first of all, in weight: if female Amur tigers weigh 100–167 kg, then male ones are almost twice as much - from 180 to 306 kg. Research in 2005 conducted by zoologists from Russia, India and the USA showed that in terms of weight, modern Far Eastern tigers are inferior to their ancestors.

Fact. Historically, the average male Amur tiger weighed about 215.5 kg, and the average female weighed about 137.5 kg. Nowadays, the average weight of females is 117.9 kg, and that of males is 176.4 kg.

Sexual dimorphism is also visible in the lifespan of the Amur tiger: females live less than males. The latter withdraw from the upbringing and education of their offspring, entrusting all parental functions to the mother, which noticeably shortens her earthly lifespan.

Range, habitats

The Amur tiger is found in a relatively limited sector, most of which is a protected zone - this is China and the southeast of Russia, namely the banks of the Amur / Ussuri in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories.

As of 2003, the highest concentration of predators was observed in the foothills of Sikhote-Alin (Lazovsky district of Primorsky Krai), where every sixth Amur tiger lived. In general, when choosing habitats, tigers try to be closer to their main food (ungulates), and also proceed from the height of the snow cover and the presence of shelters, for example, creases or dense thickets of bushes.

The Amur tiger often settles in such biotopes as:

• mountains with deciduous trees;
• mountain river valleys;
• padi with forests of the Manchurian type, where oak and cedar predominate;
• clean cedar forests;
• secondary forests.

The Amur tiger has been displaced by humans from low-lying landscapes suitable for agriculture. In retaliation, babrians often inspect the outskirts of neighboring settlements in winter, when their usual food supply becomes scarce.

Diet of the Ussuri tiger

It is very difficult to obtain such a number of ungulates, considering that only one out of 6-7 attacks ends in success. That is why the predator hunts a lot, eating everything that is smaller than it: from the Manchurian (glove-sized) hare to the Himalayan bear, which is often equal in mass to the tiger itself.

The Amur tiger is the most major representative cat family. This powerful predator lives in Russia in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, as well as in the north eastern regions China. The total number of this subspecies in wildlife has just over 500 individuals. About the same number of cats live in zoos around the world.

Once upon a time, the living space of the beast was more extensive. It inhabited the lands south of the Caspian Sea and was even found on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. Lived in Central Asia, and in the east it spread to Alaska. That is, this large striped cat reigned supreme in the eastern regions of Eurasia. In the western regions of the vast continent, the palm belonged to the Asiatic lion. Man intervened in the established order of things and mercilessly destroyed both subspecies. Today, the Asiatic (Indian) lion ekes out its existence in the Gir forest in northwestern India, and the Amur tiger lives only in Primorye.

Appearance

This subspecies exceeds the Bengal tiger in height by 5-7 cm and reaches 112-120 cm at the withers. The body length of males ranges from 2.4 to 3.3 meters. Weight is 180-306 kg. Females reach 2.4-2.7 meters in length and weigh 120-170 kg. The tail of the Amur tiger grows up to a meter in length. Average weight The male usually weighs around 200 kg, and the height at the withers is 110 cm. The animal is capable of running at a speed of 50 km/h, and can drag large prey over a distance of 500 meters.

The animal's fur is thick and coarse in the summer. On the back it reaches a length of 15-17 mm, 25-35 mm on the stomach and 14-16 mm on the tail. In winter, the fur becomes longer, softer and silkier. On the back its length is 40-50 mm, on the chest 60-100 mm, and on the stomach 65-105 mm. The predator's whiskers reach a length of 90-115 mm. In the lower part of the body there is a thick layer of subcutaneous fat. All this protects the big tabby cat from the harsh cold. The color of the coat in winter is less bright and red than in summer. The general red background is crossed by black stripes. The belly and chest are white.

Reproduction and lifespan

The Amur tiger usually lives alone. Only for a while mating season males form pairs with females. There are 3.5 times more of the latter than representatives of the stronger sex. Therefore, the male, having fertilized one female, goes in search of another. Pregnancy lasts 3.5 months. From 2 to 4 cubs are born. They are born blind and absolutely helpless. The eyes open on the 10th day, the teeth erupt on the 15th day. Upon reaching 2 months, the cubs begin to leave the den.

Milk feeding lasts six months. Then the babies begin to accompany their mother during the hunt. The female teaches them this difficult task for many months. At one year old, a young Amur tiger is already capable of hunting on its own. At two years old, the animal turns into a seasoned predator, capable of defeating any prey. However, the tabby cat leaves its parent only after reaching puberty. It occurs at the age of 4-5 years. Males go as far as possible and occupy vast territories. Females do not move far away from their mother. They also form their own plots of land and often visit their mother. It is not uncommon to see several females at once, resting peacefully, lying next to each other. The Amur tiger lives in the wild for about 15-17 years. In general, the life expectancy of this animal is 35-40 years.

Behavior and nutrition

The mighty striped predator hunts deer and wild boars. They make up up to 70% of his diet. The menu also includes sika deer, elk, wapiti, musk deer and Amur goral. The cat does not disdain hares, rabbits, pikas, and her favorite fish is salmon. When there is little regular food, the animal attacks bears. In times of famine, it approaches people's homes. Here livestock and dogs become its prey. The Amur tiger is active at night. His eyes distinguish colors, and he sees in pitch darkness 5 times better than a person.

A striped cat is not a polar bear, which owns the entire Arctic. The mighty striped predator is a land owner. Each animal has its own huge territory. Its area can reach up to 500 square meters. km. Boundaries are marked by urine and scratches on trees. The domains of females often overlap with those of males. The male does not experience aggression towards the weaker sex. He behaves completely differently towards representatives of the stronger sex. Here, when boundaries are violated, conflicts cannot be avoided. The owner of the land makes it clear by all means that the newcomer should get out of his territory. In such cases, as a rule, it does not come to bloody clashes.

Enemies

In the wild, the Amur tiger has no enemies. Rather, the predator itself is a mortal threat to its colleagues. In this case we mean wolves. Where there are many tigers, the gray wolf is practically not found. The tabby cat mercilessly destroys these canines. This antagonism is apparently explained by similar appetites. Wolves eat the same things as tigers and create competition for the latter. Therefore, the formidable striped beast expels the gray colleagues from its possessions, acting in the most ruthless ways.

But the Amur tiger cannot cope with a person. People drove the beast out of the vast valleys into mountainous regions. He currently lives in the dense spruce forests, alternating with rocky areas teeming with wild boars, wapiti and elk. The animal avoids areas with deep snow and heavy snowfalls, trying to live in places more suitable for hunting. There are several programs to increase the size of this population. Experts want to transfer some of the animals to the northeast of Yakutia. There is also an opinion that this subspecies adapts well to the northern regions of the American continent. For now, these are just projects, and their implementation is a matter of the future.

Tigers are representatives of the class of mammals; they are large predators from the cat family. The length of individual males is 3 m, and their weight exceeds 300 kg.

The tiger animal is protected by the state and cannot be hunted.

Description of predators

The body of tigers has developed muscles and is flexible. A convex forehead stands out on the round head, beautiful eyes and small ears capable of detecting any sound.

Animals see well dark time days. Scientists say that predators are good at distinguishing colors.

The highest weight was recorded for the Bengal tiger, it was 388.7 kg. Females are smaller than males in size and body weight.

Tiger whiskers stick out like antennae, they are located on the muzzle in 4 or 5 rows. The tiger's fangs are 8 cm long, so it is not difficult for him to quickly deal with his prey.

The animal's tongue has keratinized projections that help in cutting the carcass. In addition, it is also an additional hygiene product. Adult carnivores have 30 teeth.

The front limbs have 5 fingers, but the hind legs have only 4. The fingers have claws that the tiger can retract. The shape of the mammal's ears is round. The pupil of the eye is round, and its iris is yellow.

Representatives of the southern species are distinguished by short and thick fur. Their brothers from the north have fluffier fur. In the paint palette, the main color is rust, to which shades are added: red and brown. The animal's chest and belly are lighter, and sometimes they are simply white.

What gives the big cat its extraordinary beauty is its distinctive pattern of dark brown or black stripes. Stripes with pointed ends are located throughout the body. They can bifurcate and then connect again.

The number of stripes on the body is more than 100, and the long tail seems to have rings of stripes on it, and at the end there is usually a black frame.

The stripes are arranged in a unique pattern and can be compared to fingerprints.

For the animal itself, fur with this color provides excellent camouflage.

If you pay attention to the tracks, the male has larger paw prints than the females. The footprint dimensions are 15 or 16 cm long, 13 or 14 cm wide. The roaring beast can be heard 3 km away.

Large dimensions do not prevent the animal from demonstrating excellent physical characteristics; the tiger is an excellent runner. The speed of the beast can reach up to 60 km/h, while it runs quickly across any landscape. Captive big cat can live about 15 years.

The king of beasts and the tiger - who is the strongest?

Many people are interested in this question. In fact, little is known about actual fights between lions and tigers. Therefore, there is no sufficient reason to claim that one of the predators is stronger than the other.

• A tiger and a lion can be compared by external signs or way of life.
• In terms of weight, a tiger is 50-70 kg heavier than a lion.
• Both animals clench their jaws with equal force.
• Lions and tigers kill their prey in the same way. They bite the victim's neck with powerful fangs.
• If we compare the lifestyle, it is very different for two different predators.

So, the tiger hunts alone, he hunts in his own territory. They practically do not collide with each other; when males go hunting, they do not meet.

Lions live in prides or clans. Males have to fight to have the right to hunt. They often engage in fights for females during the mating season. Such battles can result in serious injury or death of the male.

Based on endurance, it is difficult to say who is in the lead. Both animals are excellent runners, and endurance is affected by age, habitat and health status.

It is difficult to decide unambiguously which animal is stronger.

Types of tigers

The classification includes 9 subspecies, but 3 of them are now extinct. In the wild they live:

Ussuri or Amur tiger. Its population is small. The large predator has thick fur, which does not have as many stripes as other representatives of the species.

The Ussuri predator is orange in color and has a white belly. The body length can be 3.8 m, the height at the withers can be up to 106 cm, and the weight can be up to 220 kg.

Bengal tiger. This subspecies is larger than the others in numbers. The color of predators varies from white to light orange. The length of the male can be up to 310 cm, and body weight up to 320 kg. Maximum length the predator's tail is 110 cm. The population numbers about 3,000 individuals.

Indochinese tiger. The animal differs from the rest in its dull red fur with narrow and short stripes. The maximum length of tigers is 2.55 cm. The male weighs up to 195 kg.

Malayan tiger. It is the smallest, its length is only 237 cm and its weight is 120 kg. Between 600 and 800 representatives of this species live in nature.

Sumatran tiger. It also belongs to the small species. The male weighs up to 140 kg and reaches a length of up to 225 cm.

Chinese tiger. The subspecies, which has about 20 representatives, lives in China. The male is 2.6 m long and weighs about 177 kg.

In the photo of tigers you can see representatives with a yellow color. These representatives of the species are called golden tigers. They have lighter fur and brown stripes.

Tiger photo