The subspecies differ slightly in size, colour and markings. The tiger is one of the most magnificent and imposing of animals. It has a powerful muscular body with big paws and large, curved claws which help to make it the perfect hunter. The claws are retractile, that is, they can be pulled in into the paw. The underside is pale white.
Young tigers have similar coloration but their stripes are more grey-brown.
A few individuals may be white or almost black. White tigers are actually albinos. Black' tigers are not really black but because they have wider black stripes, they appear darker. The tiger's large head, piercing yellow eyes, and long, sharp teeth set in wide cheekbones give it a formidable appearance. Tigers have a wide beardlike growth on the cheeks, more developed in males than in females.