Top 10 largest tiger species in the world

Word “tiger” comes from Greek tiger, and it is from Persian, and was translated as fast and sharp. This name did not appear by chance. During the hunt, he sneaks up to the prey or waits for it in ambush, then overtakes it with several jumps and immediately grabs it by the throat with its sharp fangs.

Ungulates are the main food of tigers, but large animals, such as adult elephants, are almost never attacked, because lose them in size. But, nevertheless, tigers are considered one of the largest land predators.

In this article, we will talk about the largest tigers in the world, how much they weigh, where they live and how many of them are left on the planet.

10 Malay, up to 120 kg

They live only on the Malay Peninsula. Until 2004, experts were sure that he was an Indochinese tiger. But then he was allocated to his subspecies at the insistence of a group of scientists.

In appearance Malayan tiger really similar to the Indochinese, but differs from it in its size. Females weigh no more than one hundred kilograms (body length – 200 cm), and the weight of males reaches 120 kg (body length – 237 cm). The territory of the male is about 100 km², up to 6 females can exist on it.

Now there are only about 600-800 individuals in nature, which is not so bad when compared with other subspecies. This tiger is considered a symbol of Malaysia, its images can be found on the coat of arms of the state and many institutions.

9. Sumatran, up to 130 kg

Found only on the island of Sumatra. It is considered one of the smallest species, but it is also one of the most aggressive. It is orange or slightly reddish in color, with black stripes, they are even on the paws. The length of females is from 1,8 to 2,2 m, and for males – from 2,2 to 2,7 m, females weigh from 70 to 90 kg, males are slightly larger – from 110 to 130 kg.

Chooses for life the jungle, mountain forests, savannas, giving preference to areas with rich vegetation.

Sumatran tiger does not like to sit in an ambush. Having sniffed out the prey, he first sneaks up to her, and then jumps out of his hiding place on her and starts the chase. Their small size and powerful paws are adapted for a long chase, they can travel great distances, sometimes not leaving their prey for several days.

The Sumatran game is critically endangered, with no more than 300-500 species currently left. The Indonesian authorities are doing everything possible to preserve it, they created a reserve for these animals back in 2011.

8. Javanese, up to 130 kg (extinct)

Once upon a time, this subspecies lived on the island of Java, but by now its representatives have disappeared. Presumably they died in the 80s of the 20th century. But they have been on the verge since the 1950s, when their number did not exceed 25 pieces.

Javan tiger last seen in 1979, there are suggestions that there are still animals left somewhere on the island, but this has not been confirmed. They were seen in that part of the island, which is covered with virgin forest. But it could also be leopards.

Males of this species weighed from 100 to 141 kg, their body length was about 245 cm. The weight of females was even less, from 75 to 115 kg.

7. Tigon, up to 170 kg

He is called and tiger lion, crucible. Tigon – This is a cub that was born from a male tiger and a female lioness. Such hybrids are not found in the wild, because. these animals have different ranges. But in captivity, such cubs are sometimes born in which males are sterile, but females are not.

They may take signs from 2 parents, such as stripes from the father or spots from the mother (lion cubs are born spotted). A tigon also has a mane, but it is smaller than a real lion. Usually these animals weigh about one hundred and fifty kg.

Zoologists are sure that the tigrolev could survive in nature, because. he knows how to run fast (70-75 km / h) and he has developed all the senses.

6. Chinese, up to 170 kg

Among all kinds, chinese tiger almost disappeared. Experts believe that no more than 20 individuals now live. These are small animals, whose body length is from 2,2 to 2,6 m, and they weigh from 127 to 177 kg. They can run fast (up to 56 km/h). If the prey is not very large, they bite it in the neck, and huge animals are first knocked to the ground, and then they try to strangle them with their jaws and paws.

Lives only in China, in 3 isolated areas. But in 2007, for the first time, they managed to get the offspring of a Chinese tiger in South Africa, before that they were born only in China.

5. Indochinese, up to 200 kg

Lives in Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, etc. indochinese tiger can grow up to 2,55-2,85 m, weigh from 150 to 195 kg, but there are also individual large specimens that weigh more than 250 kg. Females are slightly smaller, grow up to 2,30-2,55 m and weigh from 100 to 130 kg. They have a dark color, the stripes are shorter and narrower.

Indochinese tigers lead a secretive lifestyle. Most often they hunt ungulates. It remains from 1200 to 1800, but the first figure is most likely correct. A large group of tigers lives in Malaysia. There were once many of them in Vietnam, but most (three-quarters) were destroyed in order to sell their organs for the manufacture of Chinese traditional medicine potions.

4. Transcaucasian, up to 230 kg (extinct)

Its other name is standing or Caspian tiger. Once lived in Central Asia and the Caucasus. He was bright red.

Transcaucasian tiger was large, weighing about 240 kg, but scientists do not exclude that there were larger subspecies. He lived in reed beds along the banks of the rivers, which the locals called tugai.

In Central Asia it was called “julbars” or “tiger” what could be translated and how “striped leopard“. The local population believed that tigers are not dangerous to humans. They began to be destroyed after Russian settlers appeared there.

3. Bengal, up to 250 kg

Bengal tiger the most numerous, in the world there are about two thousand five hundred individuals. It can be either yellow or orange. The body length of males, including the tail, is from 270 to 310 cm, but sometimes tigers grow up to 330-370 cm. , and in females – up to 240 kg.

The largest male was killed in India in 1967, his weight was almost 389 kg. The Bengal tiger, which lived in India, sometimes chose people as an object of hunting. This was due to the fact that these animals can prey on the Indian porcupine, and when its thorns pierce the skin, they cause them severe pain. So they start attacking people.

2. Liger, up to 300 kg

The cubs born from a lion and a tigress are called ligrams. They are very similar to a lion, but covered with blurry stripes. Their appearance and dimensions are the same as those of the once extinct cave lion. They most often do not have a mane, and, unlike lions, they are excellent swimmers.

They grow up to 4 m in length. Hercules is considered the largest liger. Its weight is 450 kg, i.e. it is about 2 times heavier than an ordinary lion. Ligers can give birth, but males cannot. But you will not meet ligers in nature, if only because lions and tigers live in different places. And in captivity, no more than 2% of couples that have lived in the same enclosure for a long time give offspring, so there are no more than 2 dozen of these animals in the world.

1. Amur, up to 300 kg

I also call him Ussuri tiger. He lives in Russia, in the northern regions. He has a thick coat of orange color, the belly is light. The body length of the male is from 2,7 to 3,8 m, and the weight is from 170 to 250 kg, but sometimes it reaches over 300 kg.

Amur tiger is also considered a rare species, according to 2015 data, no more than 540 individuals live in the Far East, and this is not so much, but their number may increase.