Tiger (Panthera tigris), the biggest of cats in the world, is one of the five species of the genus Panthera, found across the monsoon forests of Indo-Malaysia to the mixed coniferous-deciduous woodlands of the Russian Far East and the mangrove swamps of the Sunderbans, India. It inhabits in the dense forests or areas rich in tall grasses.
The average life span of tigers in the wild is about 10 to 15 years. It is one of the most threatened species on earth and hence had been declared endangered.
Tigers are typically solitary hunters and prey mainly on wild pig, wild cattle and several deer species. Tiger has a remarkable thick yellow coat of fur with dark brown or black stripes accented with white. The animal has a body length of 140-280 cm and tail length is 60 to 95 cm. Its upper parts are reddish orange to ochre, and the under parts are whitish.
[Source All India (30) 21-Oct-04]
