14 INTERESTING SIBERIAN TIGER FACTS

1. Siberian tigers are the world’s largest cat

While tigers may be the largest among big cats, Siberian tigers are the largest within the species. A male Siberian tiger may grow to reach 10 feet long from head to tail and weigh up to 575 pounds.

For a comparison, a male Siberian tiger can be as long as a station wagon and weigh about half as much as a grand piano. Females are smaller, typically weighing 240 to 290 pounds.

In captivity, the largest tiger on record is a male Siberian tiger called Jaipur who was owned by an American animal trainer named Joan Byron Marasek. In 1986, at the age of nine years old, Jaipur measured 3.32 m (10 ft 11 in) long and weighed 423 kg (932 lb).

2. They are the only tigers that can survive in snow

Aside from their size, Amur tigers have various adaptations to help combat the cold. Siberian tigers’ coats grow thicker and longer than other tiger species.R

These cats also have “winter boots” fitted into their paws to protect them from the frigid snow, and a layer of fat on their belly to help keep out the cold. 2

3. No two tigers have the same stripes

Just like human’s have fingerprints, each tiger has its own unique pattern.

Siberian tigers also have the palest orange coat and the fewest strips of any tiger species. This is to help them blend in with their snow-covered habitat. They also have black and white spots behind their ears that allow the cubs to easily follow their mother through the forest.

4. They like to stay by the water

Unlike most cats, tigers love the water and are excellent swimmers. Because of their thick coats, they will submerge themselves in rivers during the summer months to keep cool.

Staying near water is also a great way to find food. Tigers not only hunt prey on land, but also fish. During the mating season, tigers will often catch fish in mountain rivers.

5. Tigers rarely leave their territory

Though Siberian tigers are always on the go in search of prey, they do much of their roaming within their own region. If there is enough prey within the bounds of their domain, they never leave.

The size of the habitat varies depending on the gender, age, and quantity of prey in the area. Tigers with cubs, for example, hunt in a significantly narrower area than single animals. They will mark their territory with their scent or leave markings on trees with their claws.

6. Tiger cubs are born blind

For the first two months, tiger cubs are completely reliant on their mother. The eyes of a tiger cub open between six and twelve days after birth. However, they still won’t achieve full eyesight until a few weeks late.

The tigress is exclusively responsible for the cubs’ security and care during this period, which is why she only leaves them for brief periods of time.

7. Cubs begin hunting at eight months old

Around two months of age, cubs will begin to follow their moms out of the cave. They do not, however, take part in the hunt at this time. Instead, they wait in a secure location for their mother to return with the food.

It isn’t until they are about eight-month-old that the mother will begin teaching her cubs to hunt. Tiger cubs spend the most of their time playing with their siblings and their mother. Playing helps developing tiger kittens learn vital life skills including stalking, pouncing, swatting, and climbing.

The tigress’s primary priority is teaching her cubs how to hunt and defend themselves before that set off on their own.

8. A Siberian tiger’s night vision is six times strong than a humans

Tigers have more rods than cones in their eyes to help with night vision. The increased number of rods enables them to detect prey movement in conditions when color vision would be ineffective.

Tigers also have a structure called the tapetum lucidum in the rear of the eye, behind the retina, that allows them to see better at night. This mirror-like structure reflects light back into the eye for a second time, aiding in the production of a brighter picture. When a light is put on their eyes at night, this is what causes them to glow. 3

9. They are extremely patient hunters

Tigers spend a significant amount of time hunting. They are extremely strong and have highly developed sensory organs. Only one out of every 10 efforts are successful.

If the effort fails, the tiger prefers to look for a new victim rather than following the previous one.

10. Siberian tigers can eat up to 60 pounds in one night

To survive in the frigid temperature, an adult must consume around 20lbs (9 kg) of food every day.

A hungry tiger may consume up to 60lbs (27 kg) in one night, however they normally consume less. 4

11. Siberian tigers are highly revered

Throughout many cultures tigers are seen as heavenly spirits.

In Siberia and Eastern Russian, the tiger is known as the guardian of the forest. The Indigenous peoples of this area view the tiger as a spirit who protects the forest and keeps nature in balance. The Tungusic people even refer to a tiger as “Grandfather” or “Old Man.”

In China, tigers are symbolized as the protections of goodness and the destruction of evil. They are also seen as a balancing force opposite the dragon. While the dragon represents yang (masculine energy), the tiger represents yin (feminine energy). 5

12. War has taken a toll on the tiger population

Siberian tigers once widely populated the Korean peninsula. So many, in fact, it was known as the land of tigers.

However, during the Japanese colonial period of between 1910 and 1945, hundreds or thousands of wild animals, including bears, tigers, leopards, and wolves were hunted down or killed every year by the Japanese on the excuse of protecting people from the animals.

13. The Siberian tiger is the national animal of South Korea

The tiger holds a deep status in South Korean culture. Siberian tigers often show up in Korean folklore and mythology as divinities or the soul of gods.

They are also represented in various painting and sculpture throughout Korean history. For this reason, the Siberian tiger (or Korean tiger as it is known within the country) named the national animal of South Korea.

14. The sub-species has been making a comeback, but still faces many threats

In 2008 the IUCN Red Lest of Threatened Species switch the status of Siberian tigers from Critically Endangered (CR) to Endangered (EN). This is considered to be a remarkable comeback since the population fell as low as 20 in the 1930s.

However, these tigers are still at risk. According to the Amur Tiger Center in Russia, 20-30 tigers are poached each year in the country. This accounts for 7-85% of all Siberian tiger deaths.

Tigers are mainly poached for their fur and for their body parts for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

 

LEOPARD VS TIGER: COMPARING THE BIG CAT CONTENDERS!

Two more big cat contenders are head-to-head and when it is leopard vs tiger, they are easy to tell apart! Leopards are known for their striking yellow coats with brown spots. And tigers wear their vertical black stripes on yellow, orange, or white fur with pride! But this is far from the only way each of these amazing animals is unique. And we need to compare all of them to decide which one of these ferocious felines would win in a cage match!

Leopard VS Tiger: Physical Characteristics

Leopards and tigers are both on the list of biggest cats in the world. To decide which of these big cats takes the gold, we must look at physical differences. Going into the key characteristics of each animal and what makes them unique is key. Apart from both being feline, tigers and leopards are each in a class all their own!

Physical Characteristics Of Leopards

Leopards are smaller than tigers and average about six feet in length and up to 140 pounds

Leopards are sleek, strong, and leanly muscled. Their legs are stocky and built for climbing

The spots and coat color vary depending on the environment, from deep brown or black to tan and even white overall

The leopard has advanced hearing and vision, adapted for nighttime hunting

Leopards can carry animals heavier than themselves while climbing!

Physical Characteristics Of Tigers

As the largest feline in the world, tigers are 267 to over 300kg in weight and up to ten feet long

Tigers are massive, muscular, and powerfully built with long tails that help them balance

They have teeth and claws that both measure up to four inches long

There are nine subspecies of tiger, and coat colors can be reddish-orange or white.

The largest tiger ever weighed over eight hundred pounds

The Siberian tiger is the largest and weighs up to 675 pounds

Tigers have webbed feet and are excellent swimmers

Can reach speeds up to 60 mph

The Sumatran tiger is the smallest, around eight feet long and 260 pounds

Bengal tigers have the highest population numbers

White tigers are caused by a rare genetic mutation and haven’t been seen in the wild for over 50 years

Leopard VS Tiger: Habitat And Behavior

Now that we know all about the physical attributes of tigers and leopards, it is time to investigate habitat and behavior. Would tigers and leopards ever encounter each other in the wild? And if they did, how do each attack or defend themselves and their territory? We know tigers are massive, but leopards are strong as well. It is down to behavior to answer the question of which would win in a fight!

Leopards are nocturnal and solitary

They hunt in the trees and on the ground

Leopards rely on stealth and ambush to catch prey

They can drag and lift a carcass like an antelope that is much heavier than them

Leopards are opportunistic predators that go after small and medium-sized prey

They carry prey up trees and stash it to avoid larger carnivores

Leopards share their natural range with tigers

Found in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia, in grasslands, rainforests, and mountain regions

Leopards are also called Panthers

Can run up to 30 mph

Habit And Behavior Common In Tigers

Tigers are found primarily in South and Southeast Asia, Eastern Russia, and China

Subspecies can be found in tropical, temperate, and cold climates

Siberian tigers develop an extra fur layer around the neck for added warmth

Habitat depends on individual subspecies, but tigers can be found in mountain areas, rainforests, mangrove forests, grasslands, or even swamps

Some tigers migrate

A tiger only eats once a week, but they eat a lot, up to seventy-five pounds in one sitting!

Tigers stalk their prey for as long as it takes

They rely on speed, agility, and deadly power to quickly take down prey

All subspecies prefer to hunt at night

Tigers are solitary hunters

Who Wins In A Fight, The Leopard Or The Tiger?

The facts are undeniable, and we can declare without hesitation that the tiger would beat the leopard hands-down. In fact, the tiger is a known predator of the leopard. Tigers will prey on leopards to take their kill, or in defense of territory. In a one-on-one match, the tiger’s sheer power would easily overwhelm the much smaller leopard. One swipe of a tiger’s paw contains over 10,000 pounds of force. When in a rage, that force can go as high as 18,000 pounds.

There is one animal that is a real threat to both big cat contenders, and that is us. Human beings are still actively hunting these two majestic felines, and both are at risk according to the Endangered Species List. All subspecies of tigers are listed as endangered, and leopards are listed as near threatened. Articles like these that both entertain and educate also have the added privilege of bringing awareness. We are proud to do our part to help all the irreplaceable animals like tigers and leopards that we love.

 

TIGER LIFESPAN: A FULL DOCUMENTARY

Tigers are frequently regarded as one of the most ferocious and yet majestic predators in the wild. As apex hunters, we have always been quite fascinated by tigers and what makes them so interesting. Sadly, the tiger‘s habitat has fallen by roughly 95 percent in the previous 150 years. Today, there are only around 3,900 to 5,000 tigers left in the wild.

Tigers are frequently regarded as one of the most ferocious and yet majestic predators in the wild. As apex hunters, we have always been quite fascinated by tigers and what makes them so interesting. Sadly, the tiger‘s habitat has fallen by roughly 95 percent in the previous 150 years. Today, there are only around 3,900 to 5,000 tigers left in the wild.

Are you curious to find out more about tigers and what makes them stand out amongst other large hunters? We’ve got the rundown on how long tigers live and what factors impact their lifespan.

A Quick Crash Course on Tigers

The tiger is the world’s biggest wild cat, distinguished by its reddish-orange coat with black stripes. The tail alone of this huge cat is three feet long. Tigers may grow to be as long as 11 feet long and weigh up to 660 pounds. The Sumatran Tiger, Siberian Tiger, Bengal Tiger, South China Tiger, Malayan Tiger, and Indochinese Tiger are all subspecies of the tiger.

As such a strong and ferocious predator, tigers hunt alone most of the time. They are able to take down animals as large as deer or antelopes. Tigers will wait until dark to begin hunting and will charge at their prey with their teeth and large claws. Interestingly, there have been new studies that found that the reason why tigers have evolved to be orange is that their prey sees them as green. Deer, the primary food of tigers, can only perceive blue and green light, thereby rendering them colorblind to red. As a result, tigers seem green to deer.

In general, adult tigers are solitary creatures and prefer to live alone. Based on the trees around him, a tiger can tell if he is in another tiger’s territory. Each tiger leaves urine and distinctive scratches on the trees in its territory.

How Long Do Tigers Live?

A tiger in the wild can live up to 15 years. In captivity, their lifespan is about 20 to 26 years. As can be expected, the lifespan of a tiger is greatly increased when they are privately owned or kept in zoos. This is because they no longer have to worry about hunting for food or being exposed to harsh weather patterns.

The Average Tiger Life Cycle

How exactly do tiger cubs go from such small and cute animals to the ferocious hunters they become? Let’s take a look at the average tiger life cycle.

For starters, tigers have four life stages: newborn, kid, young adult, and a fully grown adult.

Newborn tigers

A newborn baby tiger is called a cub. When they are born, cubs weigh on average between two to three pounds. For the first eight weeks of their life, they will be concealed and safeguarded in the cozy cave that their mother built before their birth. They are nursed by their mother for the first few weeks of their life. At around six to eight weeks of life, the mother will begin to introduce meat to the cubs.

Child

When the cub reaches the age of two months, it will be permitted to leave the safety of the den. Over the course of the next few months, they will spend time learning how to hunt independently. This is accomplished by both observing and doing practice hunts. They are normally capable of hunting for themselves by the age of 18 months. Nonetheless, both males and females will remain with their mothers until they are around 2.5 years old. Tigers have a rather high infant mortality rate. Fewer than half of all cubs born survive to the age of two.

Young Adult

Once they reach the age of adolescence, tigers abandon their moms for good. Despite the fact that they are no longer in a relationship, the females pick territory near their mother. Males must go far further to establish a territory.

Adulthood

When a tiger reaches maturity, he or she has established his or her own territory and begins to search for a mate. Adult tigers only spend time together while mating or hunting the same prey.

A female tiger achieves sexual maturity between the ages of three and four, and she will most likely have her first litter at that time.

Common Factors That Impact the Tiger’s Lifespan

Today, the most serious threats to tiger populations are habitat loss/fragmentation and poaching. The IUCN Red List classifies the tiger as endangered. The worldwide wild tiger population was estimated to be between 3,062 and 3,948 adult animals as of 2015, with the majority of the populations residing in small isolated enclaves. Other estimates of the tiger population now put them at over 5,000 tigers in the wild.

Tigers have been overhunted by humans for their fur as well as other body parts that are used in traditional medicines. Tiger bones have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years to alleviate anxiety and treat ulcers, bites, rheumatism, convulsions, and burns.

Tiger habitat has also been severely depleted as people have developed land for agricultural and timber purposes. When land is altered for agricultural reasons, logging, and land conversion for domestic animal grazing there is habitat loss and fragmentation that negatively impacts the tiger’s natural habitats.

However, there is optimism that these large cats may make a comeback in Russia’s Siberian area. According to the most recent data from the subspecies’ home in Russia, the Siberian tiger population is on the rise. Conservationists estimated 423-502 Amur tigers in Siberia ten years ago. However, the Russian government and WWF said last month that the number of tigers had increased to 480-540, including an estimated 100 cubs.

WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT TIGERS

Tigers are some of the most amazing creatures on the planet, they are the largest members of the cat family and are renowned for their power and strength.

As the largest member of the cat family, Tigers are strong, powerful and one of nature’s most feared predators. Their beautiful orange and black striped coats provide camouflage when hunting prey at night, when they can reach speeds of 65 km/hr (~40 mph).

Tigers are the most varied cat on earth, and have many unique features and interesting characteristics. They are magnificent creatures which are sadly endangered due to human carelessness. But, hopefully if we learn a little about them, we can become more aware of this admirable animal and help them grow in numbers once again.

HERE ARE SOME AMAZING FACTS ABOUT TIGERS THAT MAKE THEM SPECIAL:

- A Tiger’s legs are so powerful that they can remain standing even when dead, they have been known to have been shot, bleed out, and die, all while standing up.

- Tigers scratch trees and use their urine to mark their territories. Their urine smells strongly of buttered popcorn.

- Unlike most members of the cat family, Tigers like water. They are good swimmers and often cool off in pools or streams.

- Tigers can tell the age, gender, and reproductive condition of other Tigers by smelling their urine.

- If you look a Tiger in the eyes it is less likely to kill you. Tigers prefer to hunt by ambush, so by looking a Tiger in the eyes you are showing him you know he is there. Now he has lost the element of surprise, and will most likely go find something else to feast on. Because of this, men in India often wear masks on the back of their head with a second face.

- When several Tigers are present at a kill, the males will often wait for females and cubs to eat first, unlike Lions, which do the opposite. Tigers rarely argue or fight over a kill and simply wait turns.

- Every Tiger in the world is unique, no two Tigers have the same pattern of stripes.

- The markings on a Tiger’s forehead closely resemble the Chinese character for king, giving tigers a cultural status as a regal animal.

- Tigers have walked the earth for a long time. Fossil remains of Tigers found in parts of China are believed to be 2 million years old.

- Tigers have antiseptic saliva. They lick their wounds to disinfect them.

- Less than 100 years ago, Tigers could be found throughout Asia. Sadly, hunting and habitat loss have put populations at risk, and today their range has been reduced to around 7% of its former size. That’s why we need to do all we can to protect these beautiful beasts!

BLOG ARCHIVE

• FACINATING FACTS ABOUT FROGS YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW
• DO FROGS MAKE A GOOD PETS
• 10 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT MONKEY
• IF EVOLUTION IS REAL THAN WHY ARE THERE STILL MONK...
• HOW SMART ARE DOLPHINS?
• 8 PEACOCK FACTS THAT WILL CHANGE HOW YOU SEE THE BIRD

FACINATING FACTS ABOUT FROGS YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW

Frogs: Fascinating Facts About Frogs You Probably Didn’t Know

Did you know not all frogs can jump? And they use their eyes to help them eat? These fun frog facts will give you a new appreciation for these amazing amphibians!

Unless one jumps in front of you, or you have ranidaphobia (fear of frogs and toads), you probably don’t give frogs much thought. Or maybe you make note of them in springtime when the peepers emerge from their frozen slumber and sing in their loud chorus. But how much do you really know about these amazing amphibians?

Frogs live around the world, on every continent, except Antarctica.

There are more than 6,000 species. These familiar amphibians are famous for their croaking sounds, leaping abilities, bulging eyes, and slimy skin. They live in and around still or slow-moving fresh bodies of water such as ponds, marshes, streams, lakes, or rivers.

A group of frogs is called an army. Maybe it’s because they wear army green camouflage!

Not all frogs are green. There are brilliant, colorful species in every color of the rainbow. Red, blue, orange, yellow, and purple. Some are multi-colored, with patterns, spots, or stripes. A frog’s coloration helps it survive by blending in with the environment or warning predators that it’s toxic (see #15). Their eyes vary in an array of colors and patterns, too. Most of the bright, colorful species are found in tropical regions.

A frog’s bulging eyes allow it to see in front, sides, and partially behind it. The position of the eyes on its head gives them an almost 180-degree field of vision. Superior night vision enables these nocturnal creatures to hunt prey easily in the dark without moving.

A frog can’t keep its eyes open when eating. That’s because they need them when consuming prey. According to the American Museum of Natural History, “When a frog swallows food, it pulls its eyes down into the roof of its mouth. The eyes help push the food down its throat.”

Bullfrog calls can be heard up to a mile away! If you’re near a pond, lake, or other freshwater sources, listen for its distinct “brrr-ummmm” or “jug-o-rum” call.

Each frog species has its own special call. Males croak during mating season to attract a female. The louder he croaks, the more likely he is to attract a mate.

They have teeth! The small teeth on the roof of their mouths are not typically used to bite or chew; they keep the frog’s dinner from escaping before it’s had a chance to swallow it. However, if a frog feels threatened, or you hand-feed a pet frog, certain species have been known to bite.

Frogs don’t drink water. These aquatic creatures absorb water through their skin.

Not all frogs can jump. While most long-legged species can jump a distance greater than 20 times their body length, those with shorter back legs can hop, crawl, or walk.

The South African sharp-nosed frog holds the world’s record for the longest jump. It jumped 44 times its body length. This 3-inch species leaped more than 130 inches. To match that, a five-foot-tall person would have to jump 220 feet in one leap.

The world’s tiniest frog is the Paedophryne amanuensis. It’s about the size of a common housefly. It lives in leaf litter in the rain forests of Papua New Guinea.

The biggest and heaviest frog on earth is aptly named the Goliath (see below). It grows up to 12.5 inches long and weighs about 7.1 pounds. It is found in the rainforests of Africa. It comes out at night and dines on fish, crabs, baby turtles, young snakes, and other vertebrates along the river’s edge. Its average life span in the wild is up to 15 years.

The golden poison frog, native to Central and South American rainforests, has the distinction of being the most poisonous animal in the world, despite being about the length of a paper clip. Its skin secretes enough nerve toxin to kill 10 humans. Most poison frog species are colorful; the vibrant coloring warns predators to steer clear. Unlike most species, poison frogs are active during the day.

Related Article

DO FROGS MAKE GOOD PETS?

Have you ever considered keeping a pet frog? You should! Frogs make great pets, as long as some things are kept i...

• 10 Reasons Why Cats Make Better Pets Than Dogs Here Are 10 Reasons Why Cats Make Better Pets Than Dogs Many people think that cats are better than dogs. Cats are easy to care for, quiet...
• Does catnip really get your cat high? Does catnip really get your cat high? Here's what catnip does to cats—and why they go crazy for it. If you’re lucky enough to be a cat...