Tiger Trivia: Did you know?

The tiger population in India is moving towards extinction faster than we can say Tiger! Soon school excursions to tiger parks, adventure holidays to tiger sanctuaries or even a visit to the zoo to see the big cat will be a thing of the past! 

Human encroachment of the natural habitat and poaching are the main causes for this travesty. We all need to wake up to this stark reality before we lose the national animal forever! Did you know.

• The earliest known portrayal of the Royal Bengal Tiger in India comes to us from the Indus Valley Civilization where a 2500 BC seal featuring a tiger was found.
  
• At the current rate of poaching and habitat loss, it is estimated that tigers in the wild could completely disappear within the next ten years
  
• Bengal Tigers are native to India, Nepal and Bangladesh.Tigers are fully grown at 3-4 years of age. Male Bengal tigers reach up to 230 kilograms and three metres in length, while the female Bengal tigers are 130-170 kilograms and up to 2.5 metres long
  
• Tiger stripes are like fingerprints. No two are the same. The stripes are not only in the tiger's fur, but are a pigmentation of the skin.
  
• At full running speed tigers reach up to 60 kilometres per hour.
  
• Tigers have a white spot on the back of both ears, which looks like eyes. This tricks predators into thinking the tiger is looking at them. This is why they are called 'eye spots
  
• A group of tigers is called a 'streak'.
  
• Tigers have two noses! Well, not literally of course. A secondary scent gland called 'Jacobson's organ' is located in the tigers mouth and is used in assisting the animals in identifying other scents.
  
• All tigers have a similar marking on their forehead, which resembles the Chinese symbol Wang, (King).
  
• The tail gives the tiger extra balance when running and is also used to communicate to other tigers.
  
• The tendons in a tiger's leg are so strong that it has been known to remain standing after it has been shot dead.

Top Tiger Facts

Tigers are considered to be one of the most fascinating creatures out there in the world.
Here are some fascinating facts about our National Animal:

1. Every single tiger in the world has their own distinct pattern of stripes. 

This is one of the easiest ways to tell them apart from each other. These stripes are used to help the tiger to hide in their natural environment though so they can sneak up on their prey.

2. They largest of the tiger subspecies is the Siberian Tiger.

3. There are 6 subspecies of tigers left in the world and 3 more are known to be extinct.
The remaining 6 subspecies of tigers are all classified as endangered species.

4. All subspecies of tigers are extremely territorial.

5. Tigers are loners.
They are most of the time loners with exception of when they are courting, mating, or raising their offspring in case of females.

6. Tiger mean "arrow".

The word tiger came from the greek work "tigris", which is derived from a Persian word that means arrow, probably the name came to be due to the comparison between the speed of the animal and an arrow, or because of the Tigris river.

7. Tigers are 2 million years old.
The oldest fossil remains of tigers are believed to be about 2 million years old. They were found in various areas of China.

8. Bengal Tigers are seriously endangered.
There are believed to be less than 2,000 Bengal tigers left in the world. However they are not the most endangered of the subspecies, being the South China Tiger the subspecies with less individuals left.

9. Tiger mix.There are some types of hybrid tigers out there. Most of them have been breed in captivity rather than engaging in this on their own in the wild. What is known as the liger is a cross between a lion and a tiger. A tigon is a cross of a female lion and a male tiger. Most of the time the males of these two hybrids are sterile but the females can breed successfully. The creation of such hybrids is still very common in zoos throughout China.

10. White tigers are result of a genetic mutation.
White tigers are extremely rare in the wild. Both parents must have a mutated gene in order for this coloring to occur. They are often bred for this coloring in zoos but the result is a great deal of inbreeding. This is why white tigers are more likely to develop severe health problems as well as physical deformities than other types of tigers.

11. The Maltese Tiger.
The Maltese tiger or Blue tiger features a black and blue coloring. Most of the Maltese Tiger are known to be South Chinese Subspecies, which is the most critically endangered subspecies.

12. Tigers have not an easy life.
It may surprise you that these calculated hunters only make the kill in 1 out of every 20 attempts.

13. Tigers are great swimmers.
Tigers are excellent swimmers and are often found during the day relaxing in ponds, streams, and rivers. They seek out water to cool off during hot days and they are even capable to carry prey through water.

14. Some Tigers are human killers
Tigers have killed more humans than any other cat in the world. This has probably obey to the fact that humans have invaded their habitat.

15. Some Tigers are famous.
Tigger from the Winnie the Pooh series is one of the most well recognized tigers in the world. Millions of dollars are made annually from the sales of toys, games, and shows featuring this character.

16. Tigers are very popular.
The tiger was recently named the favorite animal of people through a poll conducted by Animal Planet. The dog was the animal closest to this top ranking.

17. Tigers size depend on their habitat
Tigers in the North are larger than those in the South based on their range of habitat and the size of the prey they have available to them. By the same token tigers in the North have lighter coloring than those living in the South.

18. A tiger can leap forward up to 33 feet at a time.

19. Tigresses are smaller than the males in each subspecies.

20. It is estimated that there are 12,000 Tigers in captivity only in the US.
This is more than the tigers registered in the wild. 

Introduction to Tigers

The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest of the four big cats, and one that is very fascinating to people all over the world.

Tigers are fierce predators with a calculated intelligence that makes them one of the leaders out there in their natural environment. They have been able to successfully evolve from ancient tigers for almost 2 million years and they have keep continually adapting well to their surroundings.

Most people easily recognize the tiger due to the stripes found on their bodies. These patterns of white and black stripes create very interesting and unique patterns. They give the tiger a coloring that helps them to camouflage amongst the shadow of the long grass.

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51 tigers died in 2011: Report.... :( That's really tragic but Times Of India reports NEW DELHI: Fifty-one tigers have died in different states of India between January and Dec 5, 2011, according to statistics collated by a prominent wildlife NGO. A tigress shot dead outside Kaziranga Park in Assam on Monday is the latest in that list. Figures provided by Wildlife Protection Society of India show that 14 tigers perished in Uttarakhand, the highest in a single state. Karnataka takes the second place with six deaths while Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh account for five each. Poaching, road accident, infighting and fight with other animals are some of the reasons for the deaths. Some tigers died of natural causes and diseases too. A few were killed by villagers, police and the forest department. "Tiger poachers are still active. On Dec 2, forest department officials recovered a tiger trap placed by poachers in the Nagarjunasagar Srisailam tiger reserve of Andhra Pradesh," says Tito Joseph, programme manager, WPSI. Skins, bones, skulls and claws of the royal big cat have also been seized in Manipur, Orissa, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand this year. A tigress was found dead without claws, canines and whiskers in Chhattisgarh's Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary on Nov 15. "A labourer engaged in patrolling had committed the act. He has been arrested and jailed. He confessed that he had poisoned a cow killed by the tigress. The big cat came back for the kill and died of poisoning. He then took out the claws and other parts of its body," Ram Prakash, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chhattisgarh told TOI over phone. There were three more tiger deaths in November. On Nov 3, a tigress was accidentally electrocuted by a cable connection connected to an electric motor pump in vihirgaon village in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district. In another case on Nov 20, tiger died after getting trapped in a wire set up by villagers near Tipeswar Wildlife Sanctuary, Yavatmal, Mahrashtra. "The tiger got entangled and was strangulated after it tried to break free. A local farmer has been arrested," says AK Saxena, Additional PCCF Wildlife, Maharashtra. On Nov 20, an injured 14-year-old tiger known as B2 was tranquilized and rescued by forest department in Madhya Pradesh's Bandhavgarh reserve. But the tiger died some time after the capture, WPSI sources say. The tiger census figures released officially in Jan 2008, showed a mere 1,411 tigers alive as compared to 3,508 in 1997, a drastic drop of 60%. According to fresh government estimates in March 2011, the number now is anywhere between 1,571 and 1,875; the average working out to 1,706. WPSI figures show 58 tiger deaths in 2010: poaching and seizure (30). Other reasons make up for the remaining 28. Samir Sinha, head of TRAFFIC-India that monitors illegal wildlife trade, said the loss of every tiger should be cause for worry. "We must also be prepared to accept that any population will have a certain level of mortality. More than the numbers, it's the nature and cause of death that's the concern," he says. Conservationists say while the death of every tiger counts, there's a positive side to the story. There are reports of 20 new cubs from Tadoba-Andhari, Pench (MP) and Bandhavgarh tiger reserves in Central India. Extrapolate these figures to other tiger habitats, and the rise in numbers could be significant. However, only when the cubs survive the first two years do they get into the official census figures. WPSI officials say that the main problem with tiger protection today is lack of intelligence-led enforcement leading a failure in breaching organised poaching gangs. There's also a need to improve co-operation from local people in tiger conservation and perk up management effectiveness, says Joseph.http://tigerstuff.wordpress.com/http://tigerstuff.wordpress.com/

HELP OUR NATIONAL ANIMAL SURVIVE

AT-LEAST LET OUR NATIONAL ANIMAL SURVIVE..:(

51 tigers died in 2011: Report.... :( That's really tragic but Times Of India reports NEW DELHI: Fifty-one tigers have died in different states of India between January and Dec 5, 2011, according to statistics collated by a prominent wildlife NGO. A tigress shot dead outside Kaziranga Park in Assam on Monday is the latest in that list. Figures provided by Wildlife Protection Society of India show that 14 tigers perished in Uttarakhand, the highest in a single state. Karnataka takes the second place with six deaths while Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh account for five each. Poaching, road accident, infighting and fight with other animals are some of the reasons for the deaths. Some tigers died of natural causes and diseases too. A few were killed by villagers, police and the forest department. "Tiger poachers are still active. On Dec 2, forest department officials recovered a tiger trap placed by poachers in the Nagarjunasagar Srisailam tiger reserve of Andhra Pradesh," says Tito Joseph, programme manager, WPSI. Skins, bones, skulls and claws of the royal big cat have also been seized in Manipur, Orissa, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand this year. A tigress was found dead without claws, canines and whiskers in Chhattisgarh's Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary on Nov 15. "A labourer engaged in patrolling had committed the act. He has been arrested and jailed. He confessed that he had poisoned a cow killed by the tigress. The big cat came back for the kill and died of poisoning. He then took out the claws and other parts of its body," Ram Prakash, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chhattisgarh told TOI over phone. There were three more tiger deaths in November. On Nov 3, a tigress was accidentally electrocuted by a cable connection connected to an electric motor pump in vihirgaon village in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district. In another case on Nov 20, tiger died after getting trapped in a wire set up by villagers near Tipeswar Wildlife Sanctuary, Yavatmal, Mahrashtra. "The tiger got entangled and was strangulated after it tried to break free. A local farmer has been arrested," says AK Saxena, Additional PCCF Wildlife, Maharashtra. On Nov 20, an injured 14-year-old tiger known as B2 was tranquilized and rescued by forest department in Madhya Pradesh's Bandhavgarh reserve. But the tiger died some time after the capture, WPSI sources say. The tiger census figures released officially in Jan 2008, showed a mere 1,411 tigers alive as compared to 3,508 in 1997, a drastic drop of 60%. According to fresh government estimates in March 2011, the number now is anywhere between 1,571 and 1,875; the average working out to 1,706. WPSI figures show 58 tiger deaths in 2010: poaching and seizure (30). Other reasons make up for the remaining 28. Samir Sinha, head of TRAFFIC-India that monitors illegal wildlife trade, said the loss of every tiger should be cause for worry. "We must also be prepared to accept that any population will have a certain level of mortality. More than the numbers, it's the nature and cause of death that's the concern," he says. Conservationists say while the death of every tiger counts, there's a positive side to the story. There are reports of 20 new cubs from Tadoba-Andhari, Pench (MP) and Bandhavgarh tiger reserves in Central India. Extrapolate these figures to other tiger habitats, and the rise in numbers could be significant. However, only when the cubs survive the first two years do they get into the official census figures. WPSI officials say that the main problem with tiger protection today is lack of intelligence-led enforcement leading a failure in breaching organised poaching gangs. There's also a need to improve co-operation from local people in tiger conservation and perk up management effectiveness, says Joseph.