Two Tigers Face Off at the Zoo

Two Tigers Face Off at the Zoo

The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus Panthera. It has a powerful, muscular body with a large head and paws, a long tail, and distinctive black, mostly vertical stripes on orange fur. It was first scientifically described in 1758 and is traditionally classified into eight recent subspecies though some recognize only two subspecies, mainland Asian tigers and island tigers of the Sunda Islands

Throughout the tiger's range, it inhabits mainly forests, from coniferous and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests in the Russian Far East and Northeast China to tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests on the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The tiger is an apex predator and preys mainly on ungulates such as deer and wild boar, which it takes by ambush. It lives a mostly solitary life and occupies home ranges, which it defends from individuals of the same sex. The range of a male tiger overlaps with that of multiple females with which he has reproductive claims. Females give birth to usually two or three cubs that stay with their mother for about two years. When becoming independent, they leave their mother's home range and establish their own

Types of Tigers

There is actually only one tiger species, but each type of tiger is considered a subspecies. A subspecies is a group within a species that is either physically or genetically different from the rest. There are nine subspecies or types of tigers, three of which are now extinct. The remaining six subspecies include the Bengal, Indo-Chinese, South China, Amur, and Sumatran tigers.
Tigers are one of the most awe-inspiring, courageous wild animals living today. The world’s largest cat species can be found in far east Russia, parts of North Korea, China, India, Southwest Asia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. However, the human population has grown and encroached on tiger habitats, causing their territory to decrease. Pressure from habitat loss, illegal killing and shrinking food supply have pushed all species of tigers on to the endangered list.
Although no tigers are native to the United States, a few of these subspecies of tigers call Wild Animal Safari in Georgia and Missouri their home. Maybe that’s what makes it so special to see them up close. (Note: There are no tigers at the Texas safari park.)
While tigers can be identified by their signature stripes and powerful stature, not all of these big cats are the same. In fact, tiger stripe patterns are all as unique as a human fingerprint, no two are the same. Let’s take a closer look at each of them

Bengal tiger

Sumatran tiger

Siberian Tiger

Javan tiger

Indochinese tiger

Malayan tiger

South China tiger

Caspian tiger

Bali tiger

Panthera tigris trinilensis
Sunda Island tiger

Panthera tigris soloensis

Panthera tigris acutidens

Amur leopard

African leopard