Siberian Tiger

The Siberian Tiger, the biggest cat in the world. Its scientific name is Panthers Tigris Altaica.

Their ears are very important. A Siberian tiger can hear from miles around. Warning them if danger is coming.



It uses its red, orange, black and white fur to camouflage itself in its surroundings. In the winter, they turn white. The male, from the head to the tail, is about 9 feet long. The height is about 3 1/2 feet at the shoulder. The female, from head to the tail, is about 8 feet long.

Their height is the same as the male. They usually spend a lot of time in their den. A Siberian tiger's job in the community is to keep the prey population down.

The cold Siberian winters can keep their numbers down. The only way to survive is to grow an extra layer of fat and thicker fur.

One way they clean themselves is by going swimming. Another way is by using their tongue. Their tongues are rough, so hair balls can accumulate by the fur getting caught in their tongues.

Not counting humans, this big cat is on the top of the food chain. This tiger is a carnivore and eats bear, elk, rabbits, hare, lynx, boar, deer and fish. These tigers only hunt in their territory, which can go on for miles. Once it catches its prey, they eat it near the water.

There average life span is about 25 years. A female is pregnant for about 3 months. Then she gives birth to a live cub. A female gives birth to a cub one at a time. At birth, the cubs are blind and helpless. The mother takes good care of her cubs for about 3 years. Once the mother teaches her cubs how to hunt and defend themselves, they leave her.

The cubs usually stay together for a couple of years, then go on their own. Now that the cubs are on their own, they begin to breed, making signs by leaving scratch marks on a tree.

They have no natural enemies except for humans. If a tiger sees a human, it will attack to protect itself. Sometimes humans may kill it before it attacks. While humans are ever pushing the tiger out by destroying their homes and habitats. No one really knows how long the these tigers have been endangered. We only know that they are being killed for their fur for fur coats; which we, as people should condemn without question to stop this senseless trade.

Lots are in zoos, but there isn't enough room for them to roam. The world understands that they need to be saved, so there are now laws making it illegal to kill them. People have also tried to breed them, but it is not working.

If you would like to help save a Siberian tiger, you may sponsor one on the internet at www.5tigers.org/basics2.htm.

The Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), also known as the Amur, Manchurian or North China tiger, is confined almost completely to a very restricted part of eastern Russia where it is now protected.

There are less than 400 of these tigers in the wild, and many populations are likely to no longer be genetically viable, subject to potentially catastrophic inbreeding. Considered the largest subspecies, the largest wild cat of this species on record weighed 384 kilograms (845 pounds), while a captive one weighed 423 kilograms (930 pounds).

Some Bengal tigers grow to the same length as their Siberian cousins, but they are less stocky, and the maximum weight recorded for a wild Bengal tiger is 270 kilograms (594 pounds).

Weights can vary substantially depending on whether the tiger has been fully fed or has an empty belly. The average weight of male Siberian tiger is around 225 kg (495 lb). The Siberian cat is also noted for its thick coat, distinguished by a paler golden hue and a smaller number of stripes.

These are the most powerful of all living cats.

Siberian Tigers in captivity

They are bred within the Species Survival Plan, a project based on 83 wild caught tigers. According to most experts, this population is large enough to stay stable and genetically healthy. Today, approximately 160 participate in the Species Survival Plan which makes it the most extensively bred tiger subspecies within the program. There are currently no more than circa 255 tigers in the Tiger.  

SSP from three different subspecies. The Tiger SSP was developed in 1982 and the Species Survival Plan is the longest running program for a tiger subspecies.

It has been very fortunate and productive and the breeding program has actually been used as a good example when new programs have been designed to save other animal species from extinction.

The Siberian Tiger is not very difficult to breed in captivity, but the possibility to release captive bred specimens into the wild is small.

Conservational efforts that secure the wild population are therefore still of imperative importance. If a captive bred tiger were to be released into the wild, it would lack the necessary hunting skills and starve to death. Captive breed tigers can also approach humans and villages since they have learned to associate humans with feeding and lack the natural shyness of thir wild brothers and sisters.

In a worst case scenario, the starving tigers could even become man-eaters. Since tigers must be taught how to hunt by their mothers when they are still cubs, a program that aimed to release captive bred Siberian tigers into the wild would face great difficulties.

St louis zoo

Siberian Tigers - David Attenborough

Return form Siberian Tiger to Tiger Pages