The tiger is the world’s biggest living cat and belongs to the Panthera genus. Dark vertical stripes on orange-brown fur with a paler underbelly distinguish it the most. It’s an apex predator that mostly eats ungulates like deer and wild boar. It is a territorial and solitary yet sociable predator that requires huge continuous tracts of habitat to sustain its prey needs and brood rearing. Tiger cubs stay with their mother for around two years before becoming self-sufficient and establishing their own home range.

The tiger was first formally described in 1758, and its range formerly stretched from the Eastern Anatolia Region in the west to the Amur River valley in the east, and from the Himalayan foothills to Bali in the Sunda Islands in the south. Tiger populations have been extirpated from Western and Central Asia, the islands of Java and Bali, and huge regions of Southeast and South Asia and China since the early twentieth century. The tiger’s range is now fragmented, ranging from Siberian temperate woods to Indian subtropical and tropical forests, as well as Sumatra.

The IUCN Red List classifies the tiger as Endangered. The worldwide wild tiger population was estimated to be between 3,062 and 3,948 adult individuals as of 2015, with the majority of populations surviving in tiny, isolated enclaves. India has the world’s biggest tiger population. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and poaching are all major causes of population decrease. Human–wildlife conflict also affects tigers, particularly in range nations with dense human populations.

The tiger has a strong physique with powerful forelimbs, a big head, and a tail that is almost half its length. Its pelage is rich and heavy, with hues of orange and brown, white ventral regions, and characteristic vertical black stripes that are unique to each individual. Stripes are likely beneficial for camouflage in plants with strong vertical patterns of light and shadow, such as tall grass. The tiger is one of just a few striped cat species; scientists aren’t sure why spotted patterns and rosettes are more frequent among felids. Because the tiger’s prey are dichromats, they may see the cat as green and blend in with the foliage, the orangish color may also assist in concealment.

When a tiger’s coat is shaved, the pattern remains apparent. This is due to the stubble and hair follicles buried in the skin, not to skin pigmentation. Males have a mane-like thick growth of hair around the neck and mouth, as well as lengthy whiskers. Irises are golden and the pupils are round. On the rear of the tiny, rounded ears is a conspicuous white patch encircled by black. Intraspecific communication is considered to be facilitated by these locations.

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