The killing strike is usually a bite to the neck. Tiger cubs are born blind and helpless, weighing about 2 pounds each. The female tiger rears them alone, returning to where they are hidden to feed the youngsters every few hours. During the second week of life their eyes open and they begin eating some meat at about eight weeks of age. They become totally independent by 18 months, although they may stay in mom's territory until they're about 2 years old.
Many legends surround the tiger, including stories of man-eating tigers.
In 1951 the legend proved to be true when a white male was captured in India. Nowadays, specially bred white tigers are a popular attraction in many of today's zoos. Tigers live from southeastern Russia, where the Siberian tiger lives, to India, home of the Bengal tiger. Depending on the subspecies, the head to body length of a tiger can be about 4 to 9 feet. The length of the tail is 3 to 4 feet.