Tiger

Tiger in zoo habitat

The Tiger is a large, striped feline, a member of the Panthera Genus, and largest of the Big Cats found in the wild. Formerly found across much of Asia, much of its habitat is restricted in its range. Several species of tiger are endangered including the Siberian and South China tigers. The Javan, Balinese and Caspian varieties of tiger are now extinct. The biggest habitat is Malaysia, where plenty of wild tigers still roam.

Habits

Tigers are solitary predators, capable of easily killing prey as large as a buffalo or a yak, and frequently killing domestic livestock, including cattle. These predatory acts are a common justification for the hunting of tigers to near extinction.

Tigers are almost unique among the great cats in that they are fond of swimming. Though not as arboreal as the leopard, they can climb trees. They can jump almost their entire body length and some can run as fast as 40 miles per hour.

Man-eating tigers

There have been numerous historical cases of man-eating tigers; sometimes claiming hundreds of victims. However, the animals involved were often found to have been injured, frequently by porcupines or gunshot wounds, and healthy tigers do not generally eat people.

Famous tigers in literature and popular culture

• Tigger - in A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh.

• Shere Khan - in Kipling's The Jungle Book.

• Hobbes - in the comic Calvin and Hobbes.

• Tony the Tiger - a corporate icon associated with breakfast cereal.

• The Esso Tiger - in Canada the official symbol for Imperial Oil.

• And the most literary of all - William Blake's:

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Can frame thy fearful symmetry?