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The World's Greatest Cat

The tiger is the largest (pure taxon) member of the cat family and the largest hunter on earth. It can kill almost any animal. Unfortunately, to its detriment, it also preys upon domestic animals and sometimes humans. after killing its prey it will drag the carcass to a safe place and devour it. It can drag weights of up to 230kg (507lb), and can eat as much as 30kg (66lb) of meat in a single sitting. Tigers have such a large food demand, that each has a territory as large as most cities. It marks its territory (like the domestic cat) by spraying its urine against trees and scratching the bark.

The female produces a litter every two years. After mating, the male departs leaving the female to take full responsibility for rearing the litter. On the back of her ears is a black and white "eye-spot", which the young use to guide them when following her through the bush. When the cubs are about two years old, one day she will walk away and leave them to fend for themselves. Only one cub is likely to survive out of a litter of two or three.

The Size of a Tiger: Head + Body: 160 - 290cm (63 - 114in). Tail: 80 - 100cm (31 ½ - 39 ½ in).

The Weight of a Tiger: 190 - 320 kg (419 - 706lb).

Once common over the vast regions of Asia, the tiger today only number a few thousand. Here are a few reasons why:

1  The Asian population has doubled in size since the fifties, leaving less space for the tiger population.

2   Hunting still continues, even when it is illegal. In the past, one Maharajah alone was known to have killed 1,150 tigers.

3   The demand for wood has robbed tigers of their habitat.

4   The demand of people (including the West) for Chinese medicines that contain: ground tiger bones, teeth, claws and skin.