International Tiger Day

Why do tigers need protection?

Tigers are regularly poached for tourism

Tiger ‘experiences’ are big business in many areas where tigers are still found. Tourists will often pay for selfies with tiger cubs or to watch adult tigers ‘perform’. All of these are exploitative and harmful to the animals involved.

Tigers are in demand for traditional medicine

Tigers are also commonly poached or farmed for their body parts to be used in traditional medicine. As the largest big cat, an adult tiger has many large bones that are sought after to be ground up for ‘remedies’.

There is no evidence that tiger bones have any healing properties, and the animals bred for this purpose are kept in brutal conditions. South Africa is one of the few remaining countries that permits legal farming of big cats, but illegal farming is also common.

Tigers are still seen as trophies

A tiger’s distinctive striped coat is important for camouflage but can also attract the wrong kind of attention. Pelts are seen as trophies and sell for high prices, despite this trade being illegal. Tiger cubs are also prized as status symbols among some extremely wealthy individuals.

4 facts about tigers

1. International Tiger Day was created in 2010 to increase awareness of the challenges tigers face in the wild and encourage conservation efforts.
2. Tigers have unique voices and can identify each other by their roars, which can be heard over 3 kilometres away.
3. Tigers enjoy the water and are strong swimmers. They can swim several kilometres at a time and are happy to hunt in the water.
4. Tiger stripes are unique like fingerprints. Each tiger has a unique pattern of stripes that can be used to identify them, just like human fingerprints. In fact, researchers have set up cameras and used 3D modelling to identify different tigers based on their stripe patterns.

Learn more tiger facts

FAQs and facts about tigers

Take a look at these fun and interesting facts about tigers to learn more about the world’s biggest big cat.

How long do tigers live?

The average tiger lifespan is between 10 and 15 years. 

How much does the tiger weigh?

Tigers are the biggest of the big cats, with male tigers weighing between 100 and 260 kg.

What is the biggest tiger in the world?

There are five subspecies of tigers, including the Bengal, South China, Indochinese, Sumatran, and Amur tiger (also known as the Siberian tiger). The latter is the largest. 

Why are tigers endangered?

Tigers are endangered, and their population is decreasing. There are thought to be just 3,140 mature tigers left in the wild. The most endangered species are the South China and Sumatran tigers, which are both critically endangered.

Tigers are threatened by poaching, the illegal trade of tiger body parts, traditional medicine, climate change, and human encroachment on tiger habitat.

Are tigers bigger than lions?

Yes, tigers are bigger than lions. Lions weigh up to 230 kg and measure up to 2.1 metres long. Tigers can weigh up to 420 kg and measure up to 3.7 metres.

What does a tiger eat?

Tigers are carnivores and apex predators. They eat deer, buffalo, and wild boar but will also turn to fish, birds, rodents, primates, and insects when large prey populations are scarce. 

What is the habitat of tigers?

Tigers in the wild live in tropical and temperate forests across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, and in evergreen forests in Russia and China.

What are the threats to tiger habitat?

Farming and logging threaten tiger habitat. These big cats need a lot of space to hunt and mate, so habitat loss is a considerable threat to their survival.

When did the saber-tooth tiger go extinct?

The saber-tooth tiger is one of the most famous extinct tigers. The species disappeared around 11,700 years ago.

What is the biggest tiger in the world?

The Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is the biggest tiger in the world. Males can weigh over 300 kg and measure more than 3 metres in length. They also have a thick fur coat to survive harsh Russian winters.

How many white tigers are left in the world?

White tigers are not a subspecies of tiger or albino tigers. Instead, they are Bengal or Siberian tigers with a rare genetic mutation.

Only 1 in 10,000 tiger cubs is born white, and only a handful have ever been spotted in the wild. In captivity, however, white tigers are victims of wildlife exploitation and are bred for profit.

How many albino tigers are left in the world?

Albino tigers are extremely rare and are not a recognised subspecies. They are usually the result of captive breeding. There is no reliable estimate of how many exist, but their population is minimal and limited to captivity.

How big is a Siberian tiger?

Male Siberian tigers are up to 3.7 metres from tip to tail. They weigh up to 420 kg.

Why did the Tasmanian tiger go extinct?

The Tasmanian tiger was a meat-eating marsupial that once lived in Tasmania. It went extinct because European colonisers hunted the Tasmanian tiger, destroyed its habitat, and introduced competing species.

Are tigers nocturnal?

Tigers are mostly nocturnal, resting in the shade during the day and becoming active at dawn and dusk. During these hours, they can avoid conflict with humans and hunt their prey that are also more active during the night.  

Can tigers be domesticated?

Tigers are not domestic animals and can’t be trained or domesticated. They are wild animals with instincts to hunt and kill. They are also solitary animals and do not enjoy social connections.