Jack’s Presentation

The Siberian tiger

Scientific classification Kingdom: animila Phylum: chordata Class: mammalia Order: carnivora Family: felidae Genus: panthera Species: p.tigres

Classification Continued The Siberian Tiger is most closely related to…. The Bengal Tiger The Indo Chinese Tiger Other cats like the Lion

Physical characteristics An adult male Siberian usually reaches a body length of 6.5 feet, with his tale adding another 2 feet. A male Siberian Tiger will weigh around 500 pounds while females are smaller weighing typically around 350 pounds. The largest male captured for scientific research under the Siberian Tiger project weighed in at 650 pounds and measured around 11 feet long. Males, females and cubs can be distinguished by there tracks: a males paw pad measures from 4 to 7 inches across, a female’s measures 3 to 4 inches across, and cubs measure from 2 to 4 inches across. Siberian tigers, like all other tiger species, are sexually dimorphic, meaning male and females are distinctly different in appearance. Adult males for example, are larger and have thicker fur than adult females.

distribution Right now the Siberian Tiger is confined to the cold birch forests of eastern Russia where 95% of the world Siberian tigers live, but it can also be found in China and Korea. At one time this cat lived throughout the Russian Far East, the Korean peninsula and northwest China, stretching even into northwest Mongolia.

habitat Siberian Tigers prefer to live in areas with thick vegetation, low snow covers and enough water supplies, helps the Siberian Tiger stealthily hunt prey such as wild boar and different types of deer. tigers in the Far East are mostly confined to the low mountains, mainly around the areas near the river valleys and pad which are over grown with Pine and Oak, or mountains thick with shrubs and areas where you find oak or nu-tree groves. They usually avoid areas covered with thick snow.

Conservation status The Siberian Tiger is currently on the endangered species list and there are efforts to protect the tiger. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Russia have taken up the Siberian Tiger Project (in1992) with the objective of preparing conservation plans for these creatures. There are not definite figures as to know exactly how many still exist in the wild. Although there is a large effort to protect these very rare animals, they still suffer from poachers and deforestation, especially in China.

Reproductive characteristics The Siberian tiger has an average tiger life cycle. Siberian tigers reach sexual maturity at four years old. Siberian tigers do not have a mating season, therefore they may mate anytime of year. Female Siberians must signal her receptiveness by leaving urine deposits and scratch marks on trees in order to attract a mate. Siberians will usually spend around five or six days with their mate. The female however, will only be receptive for three days.

Parental care A Siberian Tiger litter will be between 3 to 4 cubs. It is uncommon for more than one of the cubs to reach adulthood. When born the cub is blind and toothless and is not much larger than a house cat. It will stay blind for about two weeks. The cubs usually open their eyes after two weeks. They begin hunting with their mother at six months and leave their mother between the ages of three and five years old. Males are more likely to leave farther away from the mother than females.

Longevity and mortality The Siberian Tiger lives, on average, less than 25 years in the wild. Most tigers can live up to 25 years in captivity where the basic needs for survival are very available. There is no difference between the lifespan of a male and a female Siberian Tiger.

Seasonal Patterns Siberian tigers live alone and only get together to reproduce and the female will raise the cubs. During the mating period, a male and female Siberian tiger can hunt together but this is very rare. They usually prefer to stay solitary hunters even during this time. Siberian Tigers don’t have any noted seasonal behaviors such as migration or hibernation.

diet Typically the Siberian Tiger will need 20 pounds of meat for their daily diet and prefer dear, elk, and wild pig. Monkeys, fowls, frogs and fish will do when other food types are scarce. An adult tiger can eat up to 200 pounds of meet in a single day, and as much as 100 pounds at one sitting.

Predator relationships The Siberian tiger uses the method of ambush while hunting. Although these tigers run with great speed, they need to be within feet of their prey in order to launch an attack. They hunt alone without a pack to help them catch prey, and their technique is to sneak up on their next meal. “Siberian tigers have been known to hunt brown bears successfully, and make it difficult for wolfs to exist in the same environment. A Siberian tigers usual diet consists of deer, wild boar, fish and birds.”

Human relationships Siberian tigers are not typically a threat to humans, but have been known to defend their territory and are very capable of killing a man. Only six incidents of man -eating have been recorded in the 20 th century. In the few instances where these tigers become man-eaters, they are often times sick and unable to hunt normally, or live in areas where their traditional prey has vanished.

Fun facts No two Tigers have the same identical strip pattern (like a fingerprint) You can hear it roar from over a mile away. The heaviest tiger recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records is a 1,025-pound male Siberian tiger. Tigers can see in the dark six times better than humans can. They can also see in color.

Sources Cited ”Facts About Tigers" Clash of the Tigers Web. 30 Mar “Siberian Tiger vs. Goat” YouTube Web. 30 March “Panthera tigris ssp. Altaica” The IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. IUCN Web. 30 March “Siberian Tiger Adaptations and Features” Ehow. Tim Raud Web. 30 March features.html. features.html “Siberian Tiger Panthera tigris altaica ” National Geographic. National Geographic Society Web. 30 March