Mammal
Tiger
Panthera tigrisAlso known as Bengal Tiger, Siberian Tiger, Amur Tiger, Indochinese Tiger
Tigers reign as the largest of the world's big cats, relying on stealth and camouflage in dense Asian forests and grasslands. These solitary hunters establish vast home territories, marking boundaries with scent and scratch marks while hunting large ungulates under cover of twilight. Capable of swimming across broad rivers to stalk prey, their wild populations face immense pressure from habitat loss and severe fragmentation.
Apex PredatorSolitaryMammal
—observations
—countries
—peak records
EndangeredConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXEndangeredRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySambar Deer, Chital, Wild Boar
ThreatsPoaching for illegal wildlife trade, habitat loss and fragmentation, and human-wildlife conflict
HabitatsTropical rainforests, evergreen forests, mangrove swamps, grasslands, and boreal forests
Life span10–15 years in the wild
Classification
- OrderCarnivora
- FamilyFelidae
- GenusPanthera
- SpeciesPanthera tigris
Native
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Capable of fatal attacks; maintain a safe distance and remain inside enclosed vehicles during safaris.
- Why it is dangerous
- Massive physical strength and bite force allow tigers to inflict lethal injuries instantly if provoked or hunting.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for orange fur covered in dark vertical stripes with broad white patches around the face and underside.
- What to do
- Never approach on foot, back away slowly without running if surprised, and stay inside protected safari vehicles.
- What to notice
- Recognizable by distinctive black vertical stripes over a deep orange coat and powerful stocky build.
- Support conservation
- Support verified conservation reserves and follow strict park regulations to minimize human disturbance.
Responsible observation
- Safari Protocol: Remain inside enclosed vehicles at all times when travelling through protected tiger reserves.
- Avoid Walking at Dusk: Refrain from walking on foot through buffer zones during peak twilight hunting hours.
- Never Corner: Give wild cats ample space and an unobstructed escape route if encountered unexpectedly.
Competitor (c) Raja bandi, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Raja bandi · cc-by
Sympatric Carnivore "Clouded Leopard catching the light" by charlieishere@btinternet.com is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative "African Lion" by Mathias Appel is marked with CC0 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/. · cc0
Close Relative (c) Charles J. Sharp , some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Irbis1983 / Public domain · cc0
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