Why Don't Tigers Live in Africa? Why Don't Tigers Live in Africa? By Remy Melina | November 23, 2010 02:28pm ET MORE Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service If you're on safari in Africa and spot a tiger, it's definitely something to write home about. Tigers as we know them, you see, have never lived in the wild in Africa. But there's still a chance you could see one there. Let us explain. Lions, leopards and tigers are all part of the Felidae family of cats, which originated in Africa and share a common ancestor. At some point, probably around 2 million years ago, one offshoot of Felidae migrated east toward Asia, and those cats evolved into the orange-, black-, and white-striped beasts we know today. Once established in Asia, however, tigers never returned to Africa, although scientists aren't exactly sure why. "One can offer a series of speculations about why tigers did not get to Africa, but they are all speculations," said J.L. David Smith, professor at the University of Minnesota's department of fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology.

"The best explication is time." Many wildlife researchers believe that, historically, tigers inhabited much of Asia, and that various tiger subspecies naturally migrated and spread out over time. Pleistocene glacial fluctuations and geographic boundaries, however, probably made it too difficult for tigers to return to Africa. According to University of Minnesota conservation biology researcher Shu-Jin Luo, tigers did not disperse westward to India until 16,000 years ago. Now, although tigers are not indigenous to Africa, they can be found there in zoos, special reserves and even kept as pets. And that's how you might come across one in the wild. In fact, this past July, a 310-pound (140 kg), 17-month-old pet Bengal tiger named Panjo escaped in South Africa. Panjo broke free from his owner's vehicle while being driven to the vet for a checkup, setting off a massive, panicked search party consisting of police and locals. He was found two days later, hiding by a farm, where his owner coaxed him safely out.

Tigers are endangered in India, Nepal, Indonesia, Russia, China and elsewhere largely because of habitat destruction, poaching and loss of prey. Only 3,000 remain in the wild, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Some 5,000 tigers are held captive in the United States, a prime location for refuge, to protect them from illegal poachers . In 2005, the Save China's Tigers foundation "imported" two rare South China tiger cubs (Cathay, female, and Hope, male) to a remote corner of South Africa in hopes of having them adapt to living in the wild, breed and pass on their hunting skills to their offspring. Another pair of South China tigers named Madonna and Tiger Woods was sent to the South African preserve, which is 81,510 acres (127.36 square miles). There they roamed, regained their hunting skills and killed their own food, which included blesbok, a white-faced African antelope. After surviving independently in their South African training grounds and having several litters of cubs, the tigers were returned to the Chinese reserve in 2008.

Information and Facts about Tigers, Habitat,Populations and Locations and Scientific Names. Navigation Tigers Tigers belong to the largest of the cat species. They can reach the length of 3.3 meters or 11 feet and can get as heavy as 306 kilograms or 670 pounds, while also gifted with enough bounding energy to catch their prey. You can easily recognize the tiger through the dark stripes that are stamped on its orange red fur; the combination creates a sharp contrast but the overall effect still allows the tiger to lurk in silence. Though attractive, the tiger can be dangerous to its prey, with its significantly large teeth and long canines, which can reach 74.5 millimeters or 2.93 inches at their crown height. Tigers originate from the Asian continent and are not native to Africa as is often believed. There are Chinese and Bengal tigers that have been resettled into Africa.These animals are commonly released from zoos and introduced for the purpose of extending the survival and habitat of their species. Longevity Tigers live long whether you find them in the wild or in the confines of a zoo. Their longevity reaches 26 years, which should have been enough time to breed well.

It is not only their size that is large but also its appetite for territory. Though tigers usually prefer living and hunting alone, they are also very social animals that need large areas in which to live and hunt. Unfortunately for tigers, developments favoring us humans have destroyed their habitats. This is food for thought to us all who want to do something to help revive the tiger population. Habitat and Population Tigers used to be abundant in Asian countries, including Turkey and Russia. However, the past century has seen the tigers lose almost a hundred percent of the place they used to inhabit. Today, the tiger habitats are living in grasslands, the Siberian tanga and even in the mangrove swamps of the tropics. On writing, it sounds as if there is still a generous patch of land available. There aren't a lot of tigers left in general, though. With only six subspecies left, tigers have been declared endangered by the IUCN. Tigers that remained in the forests are only a little more than 3,000 in number. The rest of the tigers, which may have not been included in the count, belong to small, isolated groups that sort of act like family units.

The population has suffered a rapid decline due to the destruction of the tigers' homes as well as because of the crime of poaching. So, at this point, the area left inhabited by tigers is at only 184,911 square kilometers or 457,497 square miles. This estimate, however, was good in the 1990s. Today, the area could be a lot smaller. Role in Mythology and Popular Culture Tigers are some of the most well-known and the most charismatic of animals. This is evident in their popularity in mythical tales that come from various countries, especially in Asia. Tigers have also been featured in works of film and literature because of the many possibilities that they present in terms of interpretation. Even countries and sports teams understand the beauty and danger that a tiger can represent when they chose it to be part of their flags and emblems. In fact, the Bengal tiger has been chosen to be named as both India's and Bangladesh's national animal. Scientific Names Back in 1758, Linnaeus gave the tiger "Felis tigrisas" as its scientific name in his Systema Naturae.

However, in 1929, Reginald Innes Pocock, a British taxonomist has declared the animal part of the genus Panthera. At that time, the tiger has instead become tagged with the scientific name Panthera tigris. Note that Panthera as a word could be Oriental in origin and may even be traced back to various ancient words such as pantera (Latin), pantere (French) and panther, which is Ancient Greek. The word, in the olden days, would most likely refer to a "yellowish animal", which the tiger is. Remains The oldest remnants that could be traced back to a cat-like creature with tiger-like qualities are ones that belong to the Panthera palaeosinensis. These remains have been discovered in China, as well as in Java. The excavation is quite a feat for the scientific community as the species could be traced back to about two million years ago. The animal was smaller than tigers that we know of today. Remains of tigers, which are ancestors of modern tigers, have also been found in Java. These remains are about 1.6 to 1.8 million years old.

Archeologists have also managed to dig up some fossils dating to largely the first half of the Pleistocene age in Sumatra and China. Fossils that have been found in Trinil, Java are known to belong to a subspecies that has been given the name Trinil tiger or Panthera tigris trinilensis, which has lived around 1.2 million years ago. In the late Pleistocene age, tigers first lived in India, as well as in northern Asia. They also reached Sakhalin and Japan among other areas. Judging from the fossils found in Japan, the local tigers were smaller compared to the ones living in the mainland. This could have been caused by a phenomenon that makes the body size adjust to the available space. Mainland tigers, after all, have more room to run and stretch and have therefore more chances to become larger. For a time, tigers also populated Borneo before the Holocene era arrived. They also once lived in Palawan, which can be found in the Philippines. 4 continents for tigers 4 continents for tigers Wild tigers on four continents: the key of future.

2 millions years ago, a family of faintly striped chinese "cave" lions plunged inside swampy vegetation of Yellow River basin, probably to escape from other clans'competition. Several generations later, tigers were born from this event. From their refuge, they could expand afterwards to the North beyond parallel 70th and to the South up to Borneo. At the end of the Pleistocene, their distribution went even to west, up to Oriental Europa. Protected during historical times by influence of indian culture throughout southern Asia, tigers have then submitted the tremendous collapsus of modernity. Audacious rewilding programs of captive tigers in prepared areas could offer a strongly securized future for the biggest and most beautiful cats in the world. America (particularly USA) and Europa might have major roles and responsibilities in this action, as they have all means to actually build an efficient protection for tigers worldwide, their own territories included. Next december, on this site,new elements upon: caspian tiger and his faunal environment; polymorphic tigration processes in lions; A new comprehensive reading of the Mahabharata....

September 14th : China offers to other ASEAN countries to make a particular effort and take strong initiatives to fight poaching and traffic Published on: 07/09/2028 On September 8th, a paper of Thomas Vinod, collaborator of the World Bank, was published by The Times of India under... Read more 24 December 2007: Thaï forests can home 2000 tigers Published on: 08/03/2024 Existant forests in Thaïland could heberge up to 2000 tigers if an efficient antipoaching policy were put in place Read more Which of the 'Big 5' animals from each continent have you seen? 1 Lion Although they're usually thought to be an African animal, the lion used to exist throughout Europe and parts of America as well; there are still small populations in some areas of Asia. 2 African elephant Though still fairly common in sub-Saharan Africa, elephants are vulnerable to conflicts with humans , particularly in the form of illegal ivory poaching. 3 Cape buffalo The Cape buffalo makes the list because of how aggressive it can be towards humans.

Along with hippos and crocodiles, it's considered one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. 4 Leopard Leopards are difficult to find because they're experts at stealth and tend to try and avoid humans. 5 Rhinoceros The white rhinoceros is the most common species in Africa and gets its name from a mistranslation of the Dutch word for “wide.” As you can see, it’s not really white at all. Rhinos have been known to charge humans and can be skittish in human presence. 1 Grizzly bear Grizzlies are the easiest choice for a North American Big 5. They're huge predators and are particularly dangerous. 2 Moose Moose are on the list because of their distinctiveness and also because of their cultural ties to Canada and the American North, although there are also moose in Eurasia, where they're called Eurasian elk. 3 Bison Bison used to virtually carpet the American plains. They were everywhere. Then, naturally, European settlers came and treated them like they were an endless resource, which drove them into endangerment; although, lately, they’ve pulled out of the “endangered” classification, thanks to conservation efforts.

4 Gray wolf The gray wolf is not exclusive to North America, but I’m putting it on this list due to its cultural ties, especially to the American West. Historically, gray wolves have existed in pretty much all of North America and Eurasia but were wiped out by humans. Lately, they’ve been making a bit of a comeback, most famously in Yellowstone National Park. 5 Polar bear The polar bear can be found in Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and pretty much any other Arctic region. They’re on the list because not only are they rapidly losing their habitat, and are thus decreasing in number, but also because they're particularly dangerous, and are known to hunt humans. 1 Jaguar The jaguar is the biggest cat in the Americas. Their habitat extends up into Central America. But they're probably best known for their jungle homes in the Amazon and were culturally important to many early American societies. 2 Caiman Caimans are members of the crocodilian family that reside primarily in the Amazon. They've been known to feed on humans and also tend to live relatively far off from major human population centers, making them fairly difficult to capture on camera.

3 Poison dart frog You’d have to eat a poison dart frog or come into contact with its poison for it to actually harm you. It’s not like it can attack you. But they get on this list because of their insanely vibrant colors and the fact that they're incredibly small, and thus can be tough to spot. 4 Ocelot Honestly, ocelots are all over the place in South America, particularly the Amazon. I just added them because I think they’re awesome looking. 5 Anaconda Probably known best for that absolutely ridiculous Jennifer Lopez movie, anacondas are the heaviest and largest snakes on the planet (though the reticulated python is longer). They pretty much never eat humans, but as they kill through constriction, they probably could if they were big enough. 1 Panda Of course pandas are on this list. Pandas are culturally connected with China, and though their population in the wild is somewhat precarious, there are a lot of them in zoos and preserves. 2 Bengal tiger The Bengal tiger is the largest cat in the world and also one of the most dangerous to humans, though of course humans are more dangerous to tigers.

Part of the problem is that they exist in areas with extremely high human population densities, notably Bangladesh and India, both of which consider tigers their national animal. 3 Snow leopard Snow leopards are endangered and are native to Central and South Asia, primarily the Himalayas and other alpine regions. They’re extremely difficult to spot in the wild and tend to avoid humans. There are no known attacks on humans. 4 King cobra King cobras are the world’s longest venomous snakes and can reach a length of up to nearly 19 feet. They're primarily found in Southeast Asia and prefer to avoid humans but can kill us with their bite. 5 Asian elephant Asian elephants are generally more docile than their African counterparts and can be domesticated. That said, they're still endangered thanks to encroachment on their habitats by humans and illegal ivory poaching. 1 Kangaroo You aren’t going to have much of a problem finding a kangaroo. There are actually almost too many of them, and overgrazing can be a problem in Australia. That said, they’re so iconic they can’t not be on this list. 2 Orangutan You’ll have to go to Borneo or Sumatra to see an orangutan in the wild.

Elsewhere, they only live in zoos and are critically endangered. Unlike many of the other animals on this list, their endangerment isn't a result of poaching—it’s because of forest fires and deforestation of their natural habitats. 3 Komodo dragon The Komodo dragon can only be found on the Indonesian island of Komodo and a few others. It’s the world’s largest living lizard, and its bite can be very dangerous thanks to particularly nasty bacteria in its mouth and mild toxins. They've been known to attack humans. 4 Bird-of-paradise Birds-of-paradise are extremely colorful birds that are primarily found on New Guinea and a few other Pacific islands. They're incredibly difficult to catch on camera in the wild because they tend to live in dense rainforest, difficult to access in New Guinea. 5 Crocodile Crocodiles could be in the American continents’ lists, or in Africa’s or Asia’s, but I’m putting it under Australia, I’m ashamed to say, for two reasons: Crocodile Dundee and Steve Irwin. 1 Reindeer Technically, there are reindeer in North America, too, where they’re called caribou.

But reindeer are particularly iconic in Russia and the Scandinavian countries, and they’ve become culturally synonymous with European Christmases. 2 Lynx The Eurasian lynx is native to both Europe and Asia and tends to prefer forested areas. It's currently being reintroduced to Western Europe, where it was killed off. 3 Eurasian wolf The Eurasian wolf is primarily in Russia and the former Soviet Union countries and is a relative of the gray wolf. Like many of the European species, the Eurasian wolf was systematically killed off and can only be found in the less-populated areas of the continent. 4 Brown bear The grizzly bear is a type of brown bear but exists mainly in the Americas. The brown bear in Europe, again, is found mostly in mountainous and less-populated regions, meaning primarily Russia and Scandinavia. 5 Urban fox A quirk of urbanization in many European cities is that urban foxes—red foxes living in urban areas—have shown up everywhere. They're not uncommon, but a good picture is tough to get, so they make the list.

1 Blue whale There are a lot of great whale-watching tours around the world, but you tend to not see as much in the way of the blue whale—the largest living animal, and the heaviest animal ever—as there are only around 12,000 in the wild. 2 Great white shark Probably one of the most misunderstood animals in the seas, the great white shark can be found in most of the world’s oceans but is tough to photograph unless you manage to catch it leaping out of the water—or are diving with it, which is just not a thing most people want to do. 3 Manta ray Manta rays are large eagle rays whose wingspan can reach 18 feet or so. They get a place on my Big 5 list because I’ve always wanted to catch a good picture of a manta ray jumping. 4 Cuttlefish Cuttlefish are relatives of squid and octopi, best known for their camouflage and color-changing abilities. That’s why they’re on this list; they’re particularly photogenic. 5 Bottlenose dolphin Dolphins are among the most intelligent creatures in the world, and there are plenty of them out in the ocean.

They’re another particularly photogenic species and often seem to be basically mugging for the camera. If you can catch a photo of them underwater, or airborne, that’s extra points. Tigers: Facts & Information | Pictures of Tigers Tigers: Facts & Information By Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor | October 3, 2014 08:18pm ET MORE Sumatran Tiger. Credit: © Iorboaz, dreamstime Tigers are the largest felines in the world. Many cultures consider the tiger to be a symbol of strength and courage. However, because hunting them is also a sign of bravery in some cultures, tigers are endangered; no more than 3,200 tigers are left in the wild. Size Tigers have distinctive stripes, which help camouflage them when hunting prey. Some tigers have orange fur with black stripes; others are black with tan stripes, white with tan stripes or all white (albino), according to the San Diego Zoo. No two tigers have the same markings on their coats. They are as individual as fingerprints are for humans.

[ Photos: Elusive Siberian Tigers Captured in Brilliant Images ] On average, tigers are 4.8 to 9.5 feet (1.5 to 2.9 m) long and weigh 165 to 716 lbs. (75 to 325 kilograms). The largest tigers, the Siberian, also called Amur, are 10.75 feet (3.3 meters) long and weigh 660 lbs. (300 kg), according to National Geographic . The smallest tiger is the Sumatran tiger. They grow to 5 to 12 feet (1.5 to 3.7 m) and weigh 143-670 lbs. (65-305 kg), according to the Woodland Park Zoo . Tigers also have very long tails, which can add 2.3 to 3.6 feet (0.7 to 1.1 m) to their overall length. Habitat Tigers live in Asia. Larger subspecies, such as the Siberian tiger, tend to live in northern, colder areas, such as eastern Russia and northeastern China.

Smaller subspecies live in southern, warmer countries, such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. They live in arid forests, flooded mangrove forests, tropical forests and taiga, depending on the subspecies, according to the San Diego Zoo. Diet All tigers are carnivores. Most of a tiger's diet consists of large prey, such as pigs, deer, rhinos or elephant calves. To kill their prey, tigers will clamp down on the animal's neck with their jaws and suffocate the animal. Though tigers are fierce hunters, they are no strangers to failure. Ninety percent of the time they don't catch their prey, according to the Woodland Park Zoo. Habits Tigers are solitary creatures; they like to spend most of their time alone, roaming their massive territories looking for food. According to the San Diego Zoo, the Siberian tiger has the largest range. Its territory can be more than 4,000 square miles (10,000 square kilometers). Tigers mark their territory by scratching marks into trees with their claws.

This male Sumatran tiger cub was born at the Sacramento Zoo on March 3, 2013. Its species is critically endangered. Credit: Sacramento Zoo Offspring Tiger babies, or cubs, are born helpless. At birth, a cub weighs 2.2 pounds (1 kg), and a female may have as many as seven cubs at a time, according to the San Diego Zoo . Usually, only two survive, though, because the mother must leave the cubs while she hunts, and she cannot kill enough prey to feed so many cubs. Tiger cubs mature quickly. At 8 weeks old, they are ready to learn how to hunt and go out on hunting expeditions with their mother. At 2 years old, the cubs will set out on their own, and their mother will have another set of cubs. Tigers typically live 14 to 18 years. Classification/taxonomy Nine subspecies of tiger are recognized; however, three of them are extinct, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).

The taxonomy of tigers, according to ITIS, is: Kingdom: Animalia Panthera tigris altaica (Siberian tiger, Amur tiger) Panthera tigris amoyensis (South China tiger) Panthera tigris balica (Bali tiger, Balinese tiger) Panthera tigris corbetti (Corbett's tiger, Indochinese tiger, Indo-Chinese tiger) Panthera tigris jacksoni (Malayan tiger) Panthera tigris sondaica (Javan tiger) Panthera tigris sumatrae (Sumatran tiger) Panthera tigris tigris (Bengal tiger) Panthera tigris virgata (Caspian tiger) The Javan tiger was last recorded in the 1970s, the Caspian tiger was lost in the 1950s, and the Bali tiger became extinct in the 1930s, according to Panthera , a wild cat conservation organization. [Gallery: Iconic Cats: All 9 Subspecies of Tigers ] Conservation status There are more tigers in captivity than there are in the wild.

According to the WWF, there are about 5,000 captive tigers in the United States alone, but there are fewer than 3,200 tigers in the wild . The International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN's) Red List of Threatened Species categorizes all remaining tiger species as endangered. Most live on wildlife refuges to protect them from poachers. Conservation biologist Firoz Ahmed caught a tiger resting in the water in Kaziranga National Park in India. Credit: Firoz Ahmed Other facts Tigers are fantastic swimmers. They can forge rivers and lakes that are 3.7 to 5 miles (6 to 8 km) wide, according to Woodland Park Zoo. Lions and tigers are closely related. If you shaved them you wouldn't be able to tell them apart because their body structure is so similar, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo . Their teeth can be very long, as well. Some tigers have teeth as long as 3 inches (7 cm).

Additional resources Do Tigers Live in Africa | Why Don’t Tigers Live in Africa Facts for Kids Do Tigers Live in Africa | Why Don’t Tigers Live in Africa If you ask people do tigers live in Africa, the answer would probably be ‘Of Course’. Well, this is a wrong answer! Tigers never lived in Africa; they are found in a different continent, Asia. Although they belong to the family of Felidae which also includes lions and leopards, and they also share common ancestor but tiger had never shared habitats or distribution with these big cats. It might have happened that a single offshoot of Felidae migrated toward Asia around two million years ago and those cats could have emerged as orange-white cats which we know today. Once inhabited Africa, tigers never went back to Africa. Scientists do not understand precisely what happened in the past that made tigers to stay in Asia. Do Tigers Live in Africa Tigers do not live in the wild in Africa but they are found in zoos, national parks or special reserves where they’re raised in captivity. Sadly though tigers are running out of their numbers and they’re in danger of becoming extinct in the wild.

They are highly endangered in Indonesia, Russia, Nepal, China, and India due to extreme hunting, habitat loss, poaching, and scarcity of its prey. Currently, there are no more than 3,000 tigers surviving in the wild, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). In the United States, 5,000 tigers are held in captivity that protects them from illegal poaching. People shoot these cats for tiger’s coats, and also they cut down the forests to sell logs. Because of this much exploitation, tigers are at the verge of extinction and there are less than 200 Siberian tigers; 600 Sumatran tigers; and 30 to 60 south china tigers remaining in the wild. Tiger in Water Tigers Habitat Royal Bengals are greatest in population—one that is found in Myanmar, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. The Royal Bengal shows reddish-brown coat with the black stripes that run down to its chest. They also live in Sundarbans, India. Tigers mostly live in a mangrove swamp and are thought to kill few local people which is why they’re often shot by the native people.

Generally tigers are not easy to spot even if they get closer to you because they camouflage themselves with coats. Tigers are the solitary animals but the tigress stays with her cubs for at least two to three years. It takes an absolute patience to find a tiger in the wild. Each species also moves around its territory regularly and they mark it by leaving its scent on rocks, trees, or bushes. This, indeed, convey other tigers about the territory being already marked by its counterpart. Tigers live near water and where prey is easily available. While the tigers mostly eat medium-sized mammals they also prey on small animals and birds. TAGS BBC Nature - Indian subcontinent wildlife FAQs Indian subcontinent wildlife About 50-55 million years ago, the chunk of the Gondwana supercontinent that was to become the Indian subcontinent crashed into Asia, causing the formation of the Himalayas and uniting eastern and western Pakistan. Some animals and plants found in the Indian subcontinent, such as the Indian gharial, are descendants of those that travelled with it and evolved in isolation during their epic journey. Once contact with Asia was made, Eurasian species colonised the newly arrived landmass and vice versa.

Monkeys, wild pigs, hares and elephants reached India and, in return, the Indian subcontinent gave the world many of its bovine (cattle and antelope) ancestors. Watch video clips from past programmes (4 clips) In order to see this content you need to have an up-to-date version of Flash installed and Javascript turned on. Panthera tigris (Tiger) Panthera tigris Synonym(s): Felis tigris Linnaeus, 1758 Taxonomic Source(s): Luo, S.J., Kim, J.H., Johnson, W.E., Van Der Walt, J., Martenson, J., Yuhki, N., Miquelle, D.G., Uphyrkina, O., Goodrich, J.M., Quigley, H., Tilson, R., Brady, G., Martelli, P., Subramaniam, V., Mcdougal, C., Hean, S., Huang, S.Q., Pan, W., Karanth, U.K., Sunquist, M., Smith, J.L.D. and O'Brien, S.J. 2004.

Phylogeography and genetic ancestry of tigers (Panthera tigris). PLoS Biology 2: 2275-2293. Taxonomic Notes: Taxonomy is currently under review by the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group. We currently follow Luo et al. (2004), who confirmed the division of Tiger into six extant subspecies on the basis of distinctive molecular markers: Amur Tiger P. t. altaica: Russian Far East and northeastern China Northern Indochinese Tiger P. t. corbetti: Indochina north of the Malayan Peninsula Malayan Tiger P. t. jacksoni: Peninsular Malaysia Sumatran Tiger P. t. sumatrae: Sumatra Bengal Tiger P. t. tigris: Indian sub-continent South China Tiger P. t. amoyensis (although this subspecies has not been directly observed in the wild since the 1970s and is possibly extinct) Three subspecies previously recognized on the basis of morphology are extinct: Bali Tiger P. t. balica Schwarz, 1912: Bali Javan Tiger P. t.

sondaica (Temminck, 1844): Java Caspian Tiger P. t. virgata (Illiger, 1815): dry river valleys of the Takla Makan, western slopes of the Tianshan mountains, Amudarya and Syrdarya river valleys, shores of the Caspian sea, Elburz mountains, eastern Turkey, Tigris and Euphrates river valleys. Endangered A2abcd; C1 ver 3.1 Year Published: 2014-04-20 Assessor(s): Goodrich, J., Lynam, A., Miquelle, D., Wibisono, H., Kawanishi, K., Pattanavibool, A., Htun, S., Tempa, T., Karki, J., Jhala, Y. & Karanth, U. Reviewer(s): Nowell, K., Hunter, L., Duckworth, J.W., Breitenmoser-Würsten, C., Lanz, T. & Breitenmoser, U.

Contributor(s): Petracca, L., Pokharel, C., Dhakal, M., Samba Kumar, N., Pusparini, W., Hossain, A.N.M., Rayan, MR, Gumal, MG, Clements, R., Habib, B., Chundawat, R.S., Ahmad Khan, J., Sunarto, S., Wang, S.W., Nyhus, P. & Tilson, R.L. Justification: The Tiger is listed as Endangered under criterion A2abcd. Comparing a breeding recent range estimate (42 “source sites” totalling 90,000 km² : Walston et al. 2010b) to a 2006 total range estimate (1.1 million km² : Dinerstein et al. 2007) suggests a range decline much greater than 50% over the last three generations (7 x 3 = 21 years). As per IUCN guidelines (Nowell et al.

2007, IUCN 2013), we calculated generation length at seven years based on approximate age of maturity (four years) plus half the length of the reproductive lifespan (six years) (based on Smith and McDougal 1991 and unpublished information). This decline continues and at least two of the source populations listed in Walston et al. (2010b) have apparently been lost (one from Lao PDR and one from Thailand). In 2006, it was believed that breeding populations existed in 13 countries, but now known breeding Tiger populations occur only in eight (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand and Russia). In 1998, the global Tiger population was estimated at 5,000 to 7,000 Tigers (Seidensticker et al. 1999).

A comparison of these population estimates of the 1990s (many with little scientific rigour) to similar current ones (many of better quality; see Table 1 in attached Supporting Material) suggests a decline of about 50% (taking the upper bound of 7,000 as the number of mature individuals in 1993, using a precautionary approach, declining to approximately 3,500 in 2014), but differences in methodologies and accuracy make such comparisons uncertain. This declining trend is likely to persist in the face of continuing threats such as direct poaching, prey depletion and habitat degradation which continue in all range states. Although several sites in India and Nepal have indeed reported recent recoveries, population reductions may not be reversible in other areas where Tiger habitat itself has been lost. Given the uncertainties about future declines, criterion A4bcd is no longer used. The Tiger is also listed as Endangered under criterion C1 because the population of mature individuals may be fewer than 2,500 individuals. Walston et al.

2010a estimated 2,154 tigers in 42 protected source sites where there is evidence of breeding (two populations are since known to have been lost, as described above), and the numbers in Table 1 (see Supporting material) could be overestimated. Generally Tiger status outside the source sites is poor and large breeding populations are unlikely to exist. To ensure tiger persistence, large population sizes (implying highest possible densities) and high survival rates of breeding adult females are critical. Although well-protected tiger populations may achieve recruitment rates that can sustain annual losses from mortality and emigration of 20% or more (Karanth et al. 2006), some theoretical models suggest declines to extinction when annual mortality of breeding females exceeds 15% (Chapron et al. 2008). Population declines in recent years have been most pronounced outside protected areas (Walston et al. 2010b). For the purposes of Red List assessment, the estimated population in Source Sites is a good proxy for the breeding population of adult Tigers. This population has declined by over 20% during the last two generations (14 years); the decline continues and may not be reversible in all sites.

Previously, Tigers were also listed under criterion C2a(i), but we have removed this criterion because the population in the Western Ghats in India has increased to >250 adults (Karanth unpublished data). Other subpopulations in Terai, Central India, and Russia may also have >250 adults (Karanth et al. 2010). See attached Supporting Material for alternative depictions of range and population details. Previously published Red List assessments: 2011 – Endangered (EN) Geographic Range [top] Range Description: The Tiger once ranged widely across Asia, from Turkey in the west to the eastern coast of Russia (Nowell and Jackson 1996). Over the past 100 years Tigers have disappeared from southwest and central Asia, from two Indonesian islands (Java and Bali) and from large areas of Southeast and Eastern Asia. Tigers inhabit less than 6% of their historic range (Sanderson et al. 2006, Walston et al. 2010b), with a 42% decline since 2006.

Breeding populations of Tigers are currently found in eight range states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Russia, and Thailand. There is evidence of breeding in China and Myanmar between 2009 and 2014, though these populations are likely dependent on immigration from neighbouring countries. Tigers may still persist in North Korea, although there has been no recent confirmed evidence. In 1994, the first comprehensive assessment to delineate Tiger range was carried out (Dinerstein et al. 1997). Priority areas for Tiger conservation were estimated to total 1.64 million km² in 159 Tiger Conservation Units (TCUs), roughly equivalent to discrete meta-populations, not including Russia (later estimated at 270,0000 km²: Sanderson et al. 2006) and China. While this was generally considered representative of current distribution, Tiger presence was confirmed in just 47% the TCUs, and 89% were scored as undergoing medium to high levels of poaching of Tigers and their prey.

This exercise was revised and updated ten years later, and in delineating Tiger Conservation Landscapes (TCLs), greater emphasis was placed on actual records of Tiger presence and breeding (Sanderson et al. 2006). TCLs were defined as areas where there is sufficient habitat to conserve at least five Tigers, and Tigers have been confirmed to occur in the past decade. Tiger range was estimated at 1.1 million km² in 76 TCLs (again, roughly equivalent to discrete meta-populations). This represented a 41% decline from the range described a decade earlier (in South and Southeast Asia, a drop from 1.55 million km² to 914,000 km²: Sanderson et al. 2006: 63), attributed primarily to poaching pressure (Dinerstein et al. 2007). Habitat loss due to deforestation was also to blame, notable particularly in Sumatra and Myanmar (Wikramanayake et al. 2010). In India, landscapes with Tigers found to be much smaller and more fragmented than in the original assessment (Sanderson et al.

2006: 63 and Figure 4.12). Records of Tigers were collected over a ten-year period (1995–2004), a period which may have been too liberal for places like Cambodia which underwent a sharp rise in poaching pressure in the 1990s (Sanderson et al. 2006: Appendix 6). While 53% of the TCU survey respondents reported evidence of Tiger breeding in the time period 1995–2004, out of over 2,500 point records collected in 2005, just 8% had confirmed evidence of breeding Tigers (Sanderson et al. 2006: 11-17). Large areas of habitat were defined as Tiger landscapes based on suitability, but given data paucity on Tiger presence there were often few records of breeding and actual Tiger occupancy to substantiate these (Sanderson et al. 2006: Figures 2.3 and 4.8). A review of land management within Tiger Conservation Landscapes described the TCLs as “potential habitat for Tigers” and found only 21% of their area to be legally protected.

Management effectiveness was generally poor in the protected areas, with regulatory, budgetary and enforcement constraints, and hunting cited as the main threat. Significant portions of the TCLs are designated concessions for resource extraction (timber, oil and gas, minerals, etc.) (Forrest et al. 2011). Tiger range was revisited again in 2009, by which time the extent of the Tiger’s range collapse had become evident. “Vast areas of Southeast Asia [were] recently found to be void of Tigers and depleted of prey by hunters” (Walston et al. 2010a: 5). The exercise used a different methodology to prioritize areas for Tiger conservation. Source Sites were defined as areas with confirmed current presence of Tigers and evidence of breeding, population estimates of >25 breeding females, legal protection, and embedded in a larger habitat landscape with the potential to hold >50 breeding females. An extensive review of scientific literature as well as correspondence with Tiger scientists and protected area managers resulted in the identification of just 42 source sites totalling approximately 90,000 km².

Many Southeast Asian countries, previously considered to have large areas with Tigers, were found, on the basis of extensive survey effort over the past decade or more, to have no healthy breeding populations. Since this publication, Lao PDR has lost its only source site, but Bhutan, originally listed as a country not containing source sites, has documented breeding populations. [See Figures 1 and 2 in supplementary material]. The map for this effort (Figure 1 in supplementary material) differentiates areas where breeding has been detected in the past five years (2009-2014), where Tigers, but no breeding have been detected in the past five years, areas surveyed where no Tigers were detected and areas not surveyed. Data include camera trap photos, DNA, and observations of Tigers and Tiger sign detected during scientific surveys. Unsurveyed areas were excluded from Tiger range. Figure 2 (attached Supporting Material) documents a 42% range decline since 2006, reflecting both real decline and improved knowledge from new and better surveys. For further information about this species, see 15955_Panthera_tigris_2015.pdf . A PDF viewer such as Adobe Reader is required.

Countries occurrence: Native: Bangladesh; Bhutan; China (Anhui - Regionally Extinct, Beijing - Regionally Extinct, Chongqing - Regionally Extinct, Fujian - Possibly Extinct, Guangdong - Possibly Extinct, Guangxi - Regionally Extinct, Guizhou - Regionally Extinct, Hebei - Regionally Extinct, Heilongjiang, Henan - Regionally Extinct, Hubei - Regionally Extinct, Hunan - Possibly Extinct, Jiangsu - Regionally Extinct, Jiangxi - Possibly Extinct, Jilin, Liaoning - Regionally Extinct, Shaanxi - Possibly Extinct, Shandong - Regionally Extinct, Shanghai - Regionally Extinct, Shanxi - Regionally Extinct, Sichuan - Regionally Extinct, Tianjin - Regionally Extinct, Tibet [or Xizang], Xinjiang - Regionally Extinct, Yunnan, Zhejiang - Possibly Extinct); India; Indonesia (Bali - Regionally Extinct, Jawa - Regionally Extinct, Sumatera); Lao People's Democratic Republic; Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia); Myanmar; Nepal; Russian Federation; Thailand Possibly extinct

: Population [top] Population: The thirteen Tiger Range Countries came together in an unprecedented pledge to double the world’s Tiger population by 2022, the next Year of the Tiger on the Asian lunar calendar, with a goal of achieving at least 6,000 Tigers.

This figure was based on a baseline global population of 3,200, agreed upon at a preparatory workshop held in Kathmandu, Nepal in October 2009; 3,200 Tigers was the IUCN Red List population estimate at that time. Since then, Tiger Range Countries have adjusted their baseline national Tiger estimates, finalized in the Global Tiger Recovery Program adopted at the International Tiger Forum in St Petersburg, Russia in November 2010 (GTRP 2010). The global Tiger estimate published in the 2010 Red List assessment of 2,154 tigers was an updated version of the estimate of Tiger numbers in source sites (Walston et al. 2010a). This was not a complete estimate of global Tiger numbers (for example, most Amur Tigers in Russia are found in unprotected areas), but justified because Tiger status outside the source sites is generally poor and poorly known.

IUCN Guidelines (IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2010) define population as the number of mature individuals, defined as “individuals known, estimated or inferred to be capable of reproduction.” While in general this refers to all reproductive-age adults in the population, the Guidelines also “stress that the intention of the definition of mature individuals is to allow the estimate of the number of mature individuals to take account of all the factors that may make a taxon more vulnerable than otherwise might be expected.” Tigers require large populations to persist, and the survival rate of breeding adult females is a key parameter, with models suggesting population declines when mortality of breeding females rises over 15% (Chapron et al. 2008). Population declines in recent years have been most pronounced outside protected areas (Walston et al. 2010b). The IUCN Guidelines advise that “mature individuals that will never produce new recruits should not be counted.” Thus, for the purposes of the Red List assessment in 2010, the estimated population in the Source Sites was used as a proxy for the breeding population of adult Tigers.

Due to extensive surveys using improved methodologies since this analysis, our understanding of tiger distribution and numbers is much improved, e.g., extensive camera trapping in Bhutan has demonstrated significant populations. Further, Walston et al. (2010a) ignored some important Tiger areas, e.g., thousands of square kilometres in Kerinci and Leuser National Parks known to contain breeding Tiger populations. Hence, the current estimate of 3,159 Tigers (Table 1 in supplementary material) is based on data collected in scientific surveys conducted over the past five years (i.e. since 2009). This is a minimum estimate because some important areas (e.g. the Russian Far East) did not have current estimates. However, because of differences in methodology, this can by no means be interpreted as an increase over the 2010 estimate of 2,154. Rather, it is a more complete counting. While Tiger numbers have increased in some areas in India (e.g. Western Ghats, Central India, and Corbett Landscapes in India), they have also declined in key areas, especially in mainland SE Asia (e.g.

Nam Et-Phou Louey in Lao PDR is no longer considered a potential source site). In 1998, the global Tiger population was estimated, less rigorously, at 5,000 to 7,000 Tigers (Seidensticker et al. 1999). Although to some extent the new numbers represent improved knowledge, it is clear that there have been substantial population declines, with Tigers all but eliminated from much of their recent forest range, particularly in Southeast Asia. See the supplementary material for further information about national Tiger population estimates. For further information about this species, see 15955_Panthera_tigris_2015.pdf . A PDF viewer such as Adobe Reader is required. Current Population Trend: Habitat and Ecology [top] Habitat and Ecology: Tigers are found mainly in the forests of tropical Asia, although they historically occurred more widely in drier and colder climes. One subspecies, the Amur Tiger P. t. altaica, persists in the Russian Far East. Photos of Tigers up to 4,500 m have been obtained in Bhutan (Wang 2008).

Availability of a sufficient prey base of large ungulates is the Tiger's major habitat requirement: "wild pigs and deer of various species are the two prey types that make up the bulk of the Tiger's diet, and in general Tigers require a good population of these species in order to survive and reproduce" (Hayward et al. 2012, Sunquist and Sunquist 2002). Tigers need to kill 50-60 large prey animals per year (Karanth et al. 2004, Miller et al. 2013). Tigers are opportunistic predators, however, and their diet includes birds, fish, rodents, insects, amphibians, reptiles in addition to other mammals such as primates and porcupines. Tigers can also take ungulate prey much larger than themselves, including large bovids (Water Buffalo, Gaur, Banteng), elephants and rhinos (Nowell and Jackson 1996). However, like many large carnivores, preferred prey are key to successful reproduction and are those species that are approximately the same weight as Tigers themselves (Hayward et al. 2012).

Tigers are generally solitary, with adults maintaining exclusive territories, or home ranges. Adult female home ranges seldom overlap, whereas male ranges typically overlap from 1–3 females, a common felid pattern of social organization. Tiger home ranges are small where prey is abundant - e.g., female home ranges in Chitwan averaged 20 km², while in the Russian Far East they are much larger at about 400 km² (Goodrich et al. 2010, Sunquist and Sunquist 2002). Similarly, reported Tiger densities range from a maximum of 17-19 Tigers per 100 km² where prey are abundant (India's Kaziranga and Corbett National Parks) to as low as 0.13–0.45 per 100 km² where prey is more thinly distributed, as in Russia's Sikhote Alin Mountains (Jhala et al. 2011, Soutyrina et al. 2012).

Systems: Use and Trade [top] Use and Trade: In the early 1990s, it was feared that poaching of Tigers for the use of their bones in traditional Asian medicine would drive the Tiger to extinction (Nowell 2000). Despite strong international action to eliminate it, illegal trade persists (Nowell 2007). Tiger bone has long been considered to hold anti-inflammatory properties, with some support from Chinese medical research, but many consider the effect to be more psychological than pharmacological (Nowell and Xu 2007). Although all countries have banned use and manufacture of Tiger bone, illegal production persists in several Asian countries, especially in China, Malaysia, and Viet Nam (Nowell 2007). In China there are several operations engaged in intensive breeding ("farming" of Tigers), with the captive population reportedly reaching over 6,000. They are pressuring the government to allow them to produce Tiger products, and several have already engaged in illegal production of Tiger bone wine. Market surveys indicate that medicinal use of Tiger bone has decreased since China banned Tiger bone in 1993.

Tiger farming perpetuates and threatens to re-ignite consumer demand (Nowell and Xu 2007). In 2008 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) adopted a Decision stating that “Tigers should not be bred for trade in their parts and derivatives” (CITES 2008). There are other illegal markets for Tiger products, especially skins, but also teeth and claws (particularly in Sumatra: Ng and Nemora 2007), contributing to poaching pressure. But many Tigers are also killed by people seeking to protect life and livestock. Conflict-killed Tigers can also feed into the illegal trade. Many Tiger products in trade are faked, a legal "grey area" in several countries which also perpetuates consumer demand (Nowell 2000). Tiger poaching is driven by less by poverty and more by wealth (TRAFFIC 2008), which is putting expensive illegal Tiger products within reach of a rapidly growing group of potential consumers.

TRAFFIC has documented rising levels of recent illegal trade within the Tiger range countries, with seizures and confiscations in 2007–2009 averaging the equivalent of approximately 150 Tigers per year (Verheij et al. 2010). Interdictions represent just a fraction of the true level of illegal trade, indicating that Tigers are gravely imperilled by black market demand. Threats [top] Major Threat(s): Poaching for illegal trade in high-value Tiger products including skins, bones, meat and tonics is a primary threat to Tigers, which has led to their recent disappearance from broad areas of otherwise suitable habitat, and continues at unsustainable rates. That there are roughly one million square kilometres of unoccupied Tiger habitat is a clear indication that poaching is the greatest threat to Tigers range-wide. Asia is a densely populated and rapidly developing region, bringing huge pressures to bear on the large wild areas required for viable Tiger populations. Conversion of forest land to agriculture and silviculture, commercial logging, and human settlement are the main drivers of Tiger habitat loss. With their substantial dietary requirements, Tigers require a healthy large ungulate prey base, but these species are also under heavy human subsistence hunting pressure and competition from domestic livestock.

Tiger attacks on livestock and people can lead to intolerance of Tigers by neighbouring communities and presents an ongoing challenge to managers to build local support for Tiger conservation and can lead to high rates of retaliatory killing of Tigers. In some areas there have been many human deaths - for example, about 40 people were killed by Tigers in the Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh and India 2000-2010 (Barlow et al. 2013). Conservation Actions [top] Conservation Actions: At a “Tiger Summit” held in St Petersburg, Russia in November 2010, the 13 Tiger Range Countries adopted a Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP 2010). The goal is to effectively double the number of wild Tigers by 2022 through actions to: i) effectively preserve, manage, enhance and protect Tiger habitats; ii) eradicate poaching, smuggling and illegal trade of Tigers, their parts and derivatives; iii) cooperate in transboundary landscape management and in combating illegal trade; iv) engage with indigenous and local communities; v) increase the effectiveness of Tiger and habitat management; and vi) restore Tigers to their former range.

The Tiger Summit was attended by Heads of State including Russia, China, Lao PDR, Nepal and Bangladesh, and represented significant government commitment to Tiger conservation. The future of Tiger range depends upon the Asian governments creating effective Tiger landscapes by conserving large areas of suitable habitat. Within these landscapes, the most urgent need is to first secure the source sites—protected areas with viable Tiger populations—where most of the global Tiger population is now clustered, and many of which are currently too threatened to deliver their potential as the demographic sources for species recovery (Walston et al. 2010b). Countries that do not currently support known breeding populations (Myanmar, Cambodia, Viet Nam and Lao PDR) but still have large landscapes with suitable habitat, Tigers might still be recovered if government commitment to Tigers, staff capacity for law enforcement and legal frameworks for Tiger protection can be established (Lynam 2010), though reintroduction may be needed in some places.

Citation: Goodrich, J., Lynam, A., Miquelle, D., Wibisono, H., Kawanishi, K., Pattanavibool, A., Htun, S., Tempa, T., Karki, J., Jhala, Y. & Karanth, U. 2015. Panthera tigris. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T15955A50659951. . Downloaded on 18 January 2017.

Disclaimer: Cougar (Felis Concolor) - Animals - A-Z Animals Five groups that classify all living things Animalia A group of animals within the animal kingdom Chordata A group of animals within a pylum Mammalia A group of animals within a class Carnivora A group of animals within an order Felidae A group of animals within a family Puma Comprised of the genus followed by the species Felis Concolor The animal group that the species belongs to Mammal What kind of foods the animal eats Carnivore How long (L) or tall (H) the animal is 1.5m - 2.75m (5ft - 9ft) The measurement of how heavy the animal is 29kg - 90kg (64lbs - 198lbs) The fastest recorded speed of the animal 45km/h (30mph) How long the animal lives for 10 - 20 years Whether the animal is solitary or sociable Solitary The likelihood of the animal becoming extinct Least Concern The colour of the animal's coat or markings Tan, Black, Brown The protective layer of the animal Fur The specific area where the animal lives Forest and mountainous regions The average

 number of babies born at once 3 Other animals that hunt and eat the animal Human, Grizzly Bear Characteristics unique to the animal Powerful forearms and paws and muscular jaw Cougar Location Map of North America Cougar The cougar is native to the Americas, particularly south America and western North America and is often known by other names such as mountain lion , puma and panther .

Cougars can be found mainly in the mountain regions of Canada and Mexico , but as the name cougar is often used to describe an un-spotted leopard , cougars are also found in Asia and Africa . The cougar is the fourth biggest feline in the world behind the lion , tiger and jaguar , making the cougar the second largest cat in the Americas. The cougar has longer back than front legs and a long heavy body. Cougars prey on large mammals such as moose , deer , elk and stray wolves and can often go for long periods of time without food. Cougars are also well known for their amazing ability to jump up to 30ft. Cougars tend to have between 1 and 4 cubs, generally during the spring and summer time when the adult cougars are hunting well again after the harsh winters. A cougar typically lives until its about 20 years old. Due to the cougars vast range, the cougar is known in different places by different names. Until the late 1990s there were thought to be 32 different species of cougar inhabiting both North and South America.

Recent studies however, have shown that the DNA of the majority of the 32 cougar species was too similar. There are therefore only 5 different species of cougar found on the American continent. Today the cougar is only found in parts of Florida in North East America and the cougars range on the west coast has been dramatically reduced by human interference. The cougar is most commonly found in the Canadian Rockies and the more mountainous regions of Southern Mexico . Share This Article

Question: The tiger is native to which continent?
Answer: Asia