Facts About Tigers: 10 Fats That Will Amaze You
Introduction
1. Tiger stripes are a unique design.
The stripes on each tiger are as unique as fingerprints, and no two tigers have the same pattern. These stripes are essential for identifying individual tigers and are key in population estimations and monitoring efforts. Researchers can catalogue and document each tiger by capturing high-quality pictures of them using camera traps. These camera traps have been strategically placed near tiger habitats and automatically take pictures when an animal passes. Researchers can use the images to track tigers’ movements and identify them. They also gain valuable information about their behaviour.
The method can be used at different scales from small protected areas like national parks to large-scale research that covers entire countries or regions. Camera traps placed in a protected area can monitor the local population, evaluate the effectiveness of conservation strategies and track individual animals over time. Camera traps placed across large areas can provide a complete picture of the tiger population in a country. They help researchers estimate how many wild tigers there are, map their territories and identify areas that may require more conservation effort.

2. Tigers are among the largest cats on the planet.
A tiger adult can weigh as much as 363 kg (880 lbs), the equivalent of about ten 10-year-olds! The tiger’s enormous size allows them to become the top predators in their environment. They can take down large prey.
Tigers can reach a length of up to 3.3 metres (10.8 feet) from the tip of their nose to their tail. The tigers are one of the most powerful and largest big cats in the world. They have a remarkable combination of strength and speed.
3. Tigers use their ears as a means of communication.
The white spots that appear on the tigress’s ears are a vital communication tool when she is interacting with her cubs. The cubs can see these distinctive markings (often called “eyespots”), particularly when they are near. These spots are used by the tigress to indicate different behaviours. One of the most important signals is when she feels attacked. When a female tigress feels threatened, she will flatten her ears to her head and make the spots white. This is a warning to her young cubs that they should be on guard and ready for danger.
The cubs understand instinctively the message and act quickly when they see the ears flattened and visible white spots. They use the natural camouflage to their environment to conceal themselves from potential threats. This is an important survival strategy because it keeps the cubs out of sight and away from predators. White ear spots on tigers are a good example of nature’s ability to provide tigers with advanced communication tools which increase their chances of surviving in the wild.
4. Tigers can swim well!
Tigers love water. This might surprise some. Tigers are comfortable in the water, unlike many cats who avoid it. They seek out rivers, streams or pools in order to cool down, especially in the summer months.
Tigers use water for hunting as well as cooling off. Water is an essential part of a tiger’s lifestyle. They are skilled swimmers, and they will often wade in rivers or lakes to catch prey. Water is a major part of a tiger’s daily life, whether it’s for hunting or relaxing.

5. India is home to more than half of the world’s tigers.
The elusiveness of tigers and their vast, rugged habitats make it difficult to count them in the wild. Tigers are spread out over large areas and in diverse habitats, from dense forests to mountainous terrains, making it difficult to reach them. Researchers use camera traps to capture images of the tigers. This requires careful planning, and thousands of devices are placed at remote locations. The data from each camera must be carefully analyzed and analyzed. Each camera needs to be checked regularly and maintained. This complex process requires extensive coordination, resources, and time.
India’s national survey on tigers has created a new benchmark for wildlife monitoring. This method was used at a large scale. The survey, in recognition of its massive effort, was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest camera trap exercise in the entire world. The ambitious survey covers vast areas of India’s Tiger habitats and involves 26,000 camera traps spread across diverse landscapes.
6. One meal per week.
Tigers are excellent hunters, but they have a low success rate. Only one hunt in ten results in a kill. This low success rate is due to several factors, such as the tiger’s need for strength, stealth and precision in capturing its prey. The tiger must be very careful to stalk its prey, as even the slightest error can lead it to escape.
A tiger can get a substantial meal when it succeeds. One large deer can sustain a tiger for up to one week. Tigers hunt alone and rely heavily on large meals, especially when the prey is scarce.
7. There are 5 subspecies of the tiger today.
The Bengal tiger is one of these subspecies. Others include the Indochinese, Sumatran, and Amur (also called Siberian) tigers. Three subspecies have unfortunately become extinct: the Caspian tiger, the Bali tiger, and the Javan tiger.
8. Tigers have a wide range of vocalizations.
Tigers use a variety of vocalizations. Grunts and growls are among the most popular. They use these sounds to communicate their emotions and intentions. A deep growl, for example, could be used to signal aggression or to warn other animals of intruders.
Each vocalization has a different purpose depending on the circumstances. A grunt may indicate satisfaction or a reaction to a perceived threat. However, a growl can show dominance or challenge other tigers. Tigers can communicate complex messages by varying their grunts or growls.
9. Tigers have existed for more than 2 million years.
Tigers roamed Earth for millions of years before humans. The majestic animals have evolved into apex hunters, but they are under threat of extinction. Human development has had a dramatic impact on the tiger population over the last century. Their numbers have dropped by 97%.
This decline is primarily due to habitat destruction, poaching and human settlements encroaching on tiger habitats. For agriculture and urban expansion, forests that provide tigers with essential habitats to hunt and survive are being destroyed. Illegal hunting of tigers’ fur, bones and other body parts is also a threat. Tigers are now in a critical state of decline, and only a fraction of their historical range remains.

10. Tigers are endangered.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed tiger populations as “endangered” because they have decreased so drastically. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed tigers as ‘endangered’ because their populations have declined so drastically.
11. Every week, two tigers on average are confiscated from traffickers.
The illegal wildlife trade continues to threaten tiger populations despite an increase. The number of tigers in the trade is much higher than about 2 tigers seized a week as it is based on what is reported and seized.
WWF calls on governments to enforce clear prohibitions against trade in tigers, their parts and products, whether wild or captive.
12. More tigers are kept in captivity.
The wild tiger population is estimated at 3,900, while China as well as the US have over 5,000 tigers.
There are a few legitimate conservation breeding programs for tigers. These programmes use captive tigers that have been properly managed to help reestablish wild tigers in the future. Many tiger farm owners in Asia make money by selling their tigers, their parts and their products. This undermines law enforcement efforts and encourages poaching.
13. The TX2 target is the most ambitious commitment to conservation for a single species.
WWF is working to protect the tigers in Asia. In 2016, for the first 100 years, tiger population numbers were reported to be increasing in certain areas. In 2022, Tiger Range country will evaluate their progress toward the TX2 target and see if the wild tiger population has doubled.
The work isn’t done. Tigers in Southeast Asia continue to be threatened and their population is declining.