# Tiger

By [Baslogh](https://paragraph.com/@baslogh) · 2022-06-08

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The **tiger** (_Panthera tigris_) is the largest [living](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extant_taxon) [cat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felidae) [species](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Species) and a member of the [genus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genus) [_Panthera_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panthera). It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An [apex predator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apex_predator), it primarily preys on [ungulates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ungulate) such as [deer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deer) and [wild boar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_boar). It is territorial and generally a [solitary but social](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solitary_but_social) predator, requiring large contiguous areas of [habitat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat), which support its requirements for [prey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prey) and rearing of its offspring. Tiger cubs stay with their mother for about two years, then become independent and leave their mother's [home range](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_range) to establish their own.

The tiger was first [scientifically described](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_description) in 1758 and once ranged widely from the [Eastern Anatolia Region](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Anatolia_Region) in the west to the [Amur River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amur_River) basin in the east, and in the south from the foothills of the [Himalayas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayas) to [Bali](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bali) in the [Sunda Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunda_Islands). Since the early 20th century, tiger populations have lost at least 93% of their historic range and have been [extirpated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_extinction) from [Western](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Asia) and [Central Asia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Asia), the islands of [Java](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java) and Bali, and in large areas of [Southeast](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asia) and [South Asia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asia) and [China](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China). Today, the tiger's range is fragmented, stretching from [Siberian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberia) [temperate forests](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperate_forest) to subtropical and [tropical forests](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_forest) on the [Indian subcontinent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_subcontinent), [Indochina](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indochina) and [Sumatra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatra).

The tiger is listed as [Endangered](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species) on the [IUCN Red List](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IUCN_Red_List). As of 2015, the global wild tiger population was estimated to number between 3,062 and 3,948 mature individuals, with most of the populations living in small isolated pockets. [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India) currently hosts the largest tiger population. Major reasons for population decline are [habitat destruction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_destruction), [habitat fragmentation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_fragmentation) and [poaching](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaching). Tigers are also victims of [human–wildlife conflict](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human%E2%80%93wildlife_conflict), particularly in range countries with a high human population density.

The tiger is among the most recognisable and popular of the world's [charismatic megafauna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charismatic_megafauna). It featured prominently in the ancient [mythology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythology) and [folklore](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folklore) of cultures throughout its historic range, and continues to be depicted in modern films and literature, appearing on many [flags](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag), [coats of arms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms) and as [mascots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mascot) for sporting teams. The tiger is the [national animal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_animal) of India, [Bangladesh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh), [Malaysia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia) and [South Korea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea).

Source: [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger)

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*Originally published on [Baslogh](https://paragraph.com/@baslogh/tiger)*