Species Spotlight: Tiger

Questions and Answers

How old are tigers when they become independent?
Tigers usually become independent at around two years old.

How many tiger species are there?
Since 2017, The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recognized two tiger subspecies, commonly referred to as the continental tiger and the Sunda tiger.

Which tiger populations does the continental subspecies include?
The continental tigers currently include the Bengal, Malayan, Indochinese, and Amur (Siberian) tiger populations. South China tigers are also part of this subspecies, although they may be technically extinct.

Habitat

Tigers are found in amazingly diverse habitats in Asia: rain forests, grasslands, savannas and even mangrove swamps.
Diet

Tigers are carnivores and can consume more than 80 pounds of meat at one time.
Threats

Across their range, tigers face unrelenting pressures from poaching, retaliatory killings, and habitat loss.
Interesting Fact

Since 2017, IUCN has recognized two tiger subspecies, commonly referred to as the continental tiger and the Sunda island tiger.