TigersCopyRighted 2009. Philadelphia Zoo.

The Siberian TigerAbout the Tiger

The tiger is a member of the Felidae family; the heaviest of the four “big cats.” It is native to much of the eastern and southern parts of Asia. The tiger is an apex predator and an obligate carnivore. It can reach up to 13 feet in length and can weigh up to 660 pounds. The tiger’s most recognizable feature of the tiger is the pattern of dark vertical stripes that overlays the near white to reddish orange fur.

Behavior

Tigers are essentially solitary and territorial animals. Their territory depends on prey abundance and in male’s cases, the access to females. Territories can be up to 20 kilometers. Relationships are complex, there are no set rules. Though most tigers avoid each other, both male and female ti-gers have been known share kills. Most males tigers are less tolerable of oth-er males being in their territory. This will lead to a fight. If one surrenders it lays on his back and shows its belly.

Hunting and Diet

Tiger mostly feed on larger and medium sized animals. Most common animals that the tigers hunt are Sambar, boar, leop-ards, pythons, saiga antelope, and cam-els. Sometimes small animals are taken as well. The smaller animals that they will feed on are monkeys, hares, and fish. Oc-casionally tigers wll eat vegettion for di-etary fiber, the fruit from the Slow Match tree is their favorite.