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.
Some tigers even have a short mane on the neck. A large male Bengal tiger is about 3m long from nose to tail. Of this, the tail measures 1m. It might weigh as much as 250 kg. Female tigers are somewhat smaller.