Ngandong tiger (SciiFii)

The Ngandong tiger (Panthera tigris soloensis) is a subspecies of tiger that originally inhabited the Sundaland region of Indonesia during the Pleistocene epoch and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced throughout modern day Java, Borneo, Sumatra and Sulawesi to help boost biodiversity. The Ngandong tiger is one of the largest subspecies of tigers and among the largest felids on Earth, being comparable in size to the American lion (Panthera atrox) and weighing about 400 kilograms (880 lbs). The Ngandong tiger is rusty-yellow in colour, with narrow black transverse stripes. Like all other tigers, the Ngandong tiger is a carnivore. It prefers hunting large ungulates such as Javan sambar, common sambar, gaur, and to a lesser extent also zebu, water buffalo, anoa, babirusa and banteng. Among the medium-sized prey species it frequently kills wild boar, and occasionally bearded pig, Sumatran muntjac, macaque, and grey langur. Small prey species such as porcupines, hares and peafowl form a very small part in its diet. Because of the encroachment of humans into tiger habitat, it also preys on domestic livestock. Ngandong tigers occasionally hunt and kill predators such as Javan leopard, clouded leopard, dhole, fox, mugger crocodile, Asian black bear, sun bear, and sloth bear. The Ngandong tiger has no definite mating and birth seasons. Most young are born in December and April. Young have also been found in March, May, October and November. Males reach maturity at 4–5 years of age, and females at 3–4 years. A Ngandong tiger comes into heat at intervals of about 3–9 weeks, and is receptive for 3–6 days. After a gestation period of 104–106 days, 1–4 cubs are born in a shelter situated in tall grass, thick bush or in caves. Newborn cubs weigh 780 to 1,600 grams (1.72 to 3.53 lbs) and they have a thick woolly fur that is shed after 3.5–5 months. Their eyes and ears are closed. Their milk teeth start to erupt at about 2–3 weeks after birth, and are slowly replaced by permanent dentition from 8.5 to 9.5 weeks of age onwards. They suckle for 3–6 months, and begin to eat small amounts of solid food at about 2 months of age. At this time, they follow their mother on her hunting expeditions and begin to take part in hunting at 5–6 months of age. At the age of 2–3 years, they slowly start to separate from the family group and become transient, looking out for an area, where they can establish their own home range. Young males move further away from their native home range than young females. Once the family group has split, the mother comes into heat again. The conservation status of the Ngandong tiger is Endangered due to habitat loss and poaching, however, thanks to the conservationists, the Ngandong tiger is a protected species and has made a slow, but steady population increase.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii