For my fourth event, I took a course on tigers through the San Diego Zoo on June 10, 2020. This course was led by Donna Parham. Donna Parham is an Interpretation Specialist at San Diego Zoo Global. She has been in this career for 30 years and over those years, she has had experience in exhibits, research, and being a tour guide. One thing that I didn’t know about Tigers (Panthera tigris) is that they are the largest living member of the “Big Cat” family. I always thought Lions were the largest but no. One thing that differentiates tigers from other Big Cats is their stripes and their ears. They have round furry ears that are very small in comparison to their head size and have a white stop on the back of them. Tigers tails are about 3 feet long and their tail helps them keep their balance when active and serves as a form of communication. I did not know that their whiskers are actually extremely sensitive. A fun fact about their whiskers is that through their whiskers they can sense what is moving around them and where it is. Before I thought there were maybe two types of tigers but there are 6 different subspecies of tigers and sadly there used to be three others but they have become extinct over the years. The three extinct tigers are the Balinese, Caspian, and the Javan tigers. The Amur tiger can be found in Eastern Russia and they are the largest of the tiger subspecies. The South China tiger is found in South China. The most common tiger to be seen is the Benegal or Indian Tiger, they can be found in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The Indochinese tiger can be found in Myanmar, Thailand, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Southwestern China. The Malayan tiger can be found in Peninsular Malaysia and the Sumatran tiger in the Island of Sumatra. Sumatran tigers are the darkest and Amur tigers are the lightest. Their appearance is dependent on where they live, generally they are darker and have more stripes if they live in the equator in comparison to those who live in higher altitudes.
Before
Now
Another really interesting thing is that unlike most cats tigers don’t have a very developed scent but it’s still very important when it comes to marking territories, recognizing young, and mates. However, they have great eyesight and acute hearing. Which is astronomical because they can hear a roar two miles away! An additional thing that differentiates them from other cats is that they don’t always sleep during the day. I always thought that all Big Cats lived in a “family” or a group but for most of the tiger's life they live solitary lifestyles. The only time they will be with other tigers is when finding a mate because they interact with each other and get to know each other for about 2 months or when a mother is raising her cubs. One of the reasons as to why they live solitary lives is to reduce their competition for prey. According to San Diego Zoo Global, “It requires a larger area to sustain a healthy tiger population, because individual female territories do not overlap.” Tigers are very territorial and they spend most of their day patrolling the perimeter of their territory. For females, their territory encompasses between 5 and 20 squared miles. And she will mark her territory and show aggression towards other females who dare enter. For males, it’s quite different. For instance, their territory is much larger, they are 2 to 15 times larger than female’s. Typically their territory will overlap the territory or 2-3 females and sometimes even more. I used to think that tigers roared frequently but they don’t. They will most likely roar to announce a kill, attract a mate, or mothers will roar to call her cubs. They actually make a variety of sounds. They can meow, growl, hiss, moan, and cuff a gentle puff when approaching other tigers in a non-aggressive way. In tropical regions, tigers will mate year-round but in temperate regions, they will mate seasonally. A tiger is in gestation for about 103-106 days and their litter size is between 1 and 7 cubs. A cub will nurse for 6 months but will start to eat meat at 2 months. When a cub turns 6 months old he/she will start to participate in hunts. Another thing that I learned is that mortality is high during the first 2 years of life, sometimes as high as 50%. Cubs die of disease, starvation, and attacks by predators including male tigers. Tigers are in trouble today. Over 93% of tigers' former range has been lost. Since 1999 there has been between 45% and 64% population decline. Today, there are an estimated 4,500 tigers worldwide! The IUCN list Bengegal (3,400 remaining tigers), Indochinese (250), and Amur (450) tigers as Endangered. And they classify Malayan (200), Sumatran (370), and South China tigers as Critically Endangered. Scientists think that South China tigers might have already become extinct but there hasn’t been any confirmations. There are many reasons why this species is becoming extinct, such as unsustainable habitats, wildlands are logged, mined, or cleared for farming to support a growing human population, illegal logging, extraction (pulp, paper, and palm oil), and Tradition Folk Remedies. Since 1993, there has been a trade ban in China but wildlife trafficking continues.
Brain → Remedy for pimples and lesions
Eyes → Treat Epilepsy and Malaria
Whiskers → Toothaches
Teeth → Ingredients used in treatment for fevers
Claws → Treat Insomnia
Bones → Treat Rheumatism and Arthritis Tiger Bone Wine as a luxury item
Penis → Treats male impotence
Tail → Used in the treatment of skin disorders
Skin → Treats fevers
Fat → Rheumatism and Leprosy
Even though we can’t interact with tigers or physically protect them there are many things we can do to protect them and this species REALLY needs our help. We can spread the word, purchase the Save Vanishing Wildlife Semipostal stamp, Support AZA-accredited Zoos, Support the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy, Buy Approved Wood, read our label and avoid purchasing items with palm oil.