Tiger
Asia
The tiger is the largest member of the cat family. Its orange fur has bold black stripes that help it hide in tall grass, and no two tigers have the same stripes. It's a lone hunter that lives and hunts on its own.
Quick facts
- Habitat
- It lives in forests, grasslands, and mangrove swamps.
- Diet
- It hunts large animals like deer and wild boar.
- Size and weight
- Length 2–3m, weight 150–300kg.
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Conservation status
- Endangered
- Fun facts
- Tigers are great swimmers, and they love water!
Its stripes aren't just on its fur. They're on its skin, too.
Learn more
The forest's stealthy hunter who loves the water
The amazing secrets of the tiger that we never knew
- It boasts the largest build of any big cat.
- It roams forests and rivers, keeping the ecosystem in balance.
- Look closer, and it's full of surprising, endearing charm behind its fearsome image.
A one-of-a-kind pattern — the tiger's own natural fingerprint
- Every tiger's black stripes form a completely unique pattern, just like a human fingerprint.
- To prey like deer, the tiger's orange fur blends with the forest as a green protective color.
- Even if shaved, the stripe pattern remains etched directly into the skin.
The technique of a silent, powerful hunt — even more astonishing body secrets
- Thanks to its thick paw pads, it makes almost no footstep sound, surprising for its size.
- The white spots behind its ears look like fake eyes when seen from behind.
- With sturdy front paws and claws normally kept retracted, it snatches prey in an instant.
A giant cat that loves water — a surprising love of swimming
- Unlike most cats, which hate water, tigers love it deeply.
- They're excellent swimmers, able to cross up to 8km of water in one go.
- On hot days, they cool off and rest by soaking in small pools or streams.
A sturdy umbrella protecting the forest
A key "umbrella species" for the ecosystem
- Protecting the apex predator, the tiger, also protects the many other animals sharing its habitat.
- Forests where tigers live, like the Sundarbans, become massive reservoirs absorbing carbon from the atmosphere.
- The tiger's main habitats overlap with 9 river basins that supply drinking water to about 800 million people worldwide.
A guardian spirit that has stood by us for ages
The tiger's deep-rooted place in our culture
- Since ancient times, it's been a symbol of warding off evil and bringing good news.
- It was both feared and revered as the sacred mountain spirit that ruled the forest.
- In old folktales and folk paintings, it was often depicted in a friendly, even comical light.