Do Tigers Live In The Jungle?

Did you know that tigers are the largest member of the big cat family or that they can grow to weigh over 600 pounds? Did you also know that even the tiger’s skin is stripped and that a tiger’s roar can be heard up to two miles away? That tigers have a vision that is about six times better than ours? Tigers are very neat animals. And here, we’ll answer some of your most burning questions about tigers. 

Do tigers live in the jungle? Tigers can indeed be found in the jungle. They live in a wide variety of habitats. And on top of jungles, tigers can also be found in rainforests, grasslands, savannas, and swamps. Sadly, about 93% of historic tiger land has been taken over by humans and they can no longer live there. 

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What tigers live in the jungle? 

There are six subspecies of living tigers – Sumatran tiger, Siberian tiger, Bengal tiger, South China tiger, Malayan tiger, and Indo-Chinese tiger- and three subspecies of extinct tigers- Bali tiger, Javan tiger, and Caspian tiger. So which of these tigers can be found living in the jungle? 

Both Bengal tigers and Sumatran tigers can be found living in the jungles of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Myanmar, and Nepal, and protected pockets of Sumatra respectively. Additionally, the Javan tiger was also found in jungles. 

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What do tigers eat? 

Tigers are carnivores, making them meat-eaters. Tigers will eat prey that ranges from tiny (like termites) to huge (like elephant calves). They also eat deer, pigs, cows, horses, buffalos, goats, moose, rhinoceros calves, bears, and leopards. Tigers can eat up to 88 pounds of meat at a time! It is estimated that tigers eat about 50 deer-sized animals every year. 

Why do tigers have stripes? 

Tigers are known for their eye catching stripes! But have you ever wondered why they have those famous features? Animal experts say that their stripes allow tigers to hide in plain sight.

The stripes help to create the illusion that the tiger is broken up into smaller pieces, which allows them to blend in with the trees and grasses in their habitat. Unlike other animals, such as zebras, who rely on their camouflaged fur to be able to hide from predators, tigers are at the top of the food chain (called an apex predator). So why do they need to be able to blend into their habitat? 

This is because tigers do not hunt in groups like lions and they are not as fast of a runner as cheetahs. Instead, tigers use their slyness and camouflage abilities to sneak up on their prey.  

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Are tigers endangered? 

Sadly, these magnificent creatures are listed as endangered. There are only about 3,900 tigers left in the wild. On the other hand, there are about 5,000 tigers living in zoos in the United States alone.

There are many factors that have led to tigers being endangered. All of these reasons are because of humans. Tigers are at such a high risk because of poaching, illegal tiger trading, the loss of their habitat, and climate change. The tiger that is considered to be the most endangered is the South China tiger. It is estimated that there are only about 20 of these tigers left in the wild. 

How big are tigers? 

The biggest subspecies of the tiger is the Siberian tiger. Male Siberian tigers can grow to be up to 10 feet long and about 660 pounds! The smallest subspecies of tiger is the Sumatran tiger. These tigers do not usually get to be bigger than 8 feet long or weigh more than 310 pounds.  

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How long do tigers live to be?  

In the wild, the average tiger lives to be about 10 to 15 years, but in captivity, tigers usually live for about 20 to 25 years. Tigers in captivity live longer because they have a more regular food supply, are protected from natural threats, and have access to veterinary care. The oldest tiger on record was a male Bengal tiger named Guddu. Guddu lived at a zoo in India and lived to be 26 years old.