Creature feature - tigers!

The largest wild cat in the world, the tiger is easily recognized by its coat of reddish-orange with dark stripes. The powerful cat weighs up to 363 kilograms, is 2 meters long, and has a 1-metre-long tail.

Tigers usually hunt alone when it’s dark, and are able to bring down prey, including deer and antelope. Once the large predator has seen its prey, it sneaks as close as possible,then sprints at the unsuspecting animal.

Unlike most members of the cat family, tigers seem to enjoy water. They’re good at swimming and often soak in streams or pools of water to cool off.

Sadly, the whole species is endangered throughout its range. Tigers have been overhunted for their fur, and bodies which are used in traditional medicines. The tigers' habitat is also disappearing as humans are developing land for uses such as farming and logging.

FAST FACTS

  • There are five subspecies of tiger: Bengal, South China, Indochinese, Sumatran, and Siberian
  • Three subspecies of tiger—Caspian, Bali, and Javan—are extinct
  • A tiger's roar can be heard as far as three kilometres away
  • Some tigers live where it gets very cold - in India and parts of southeast Asia
  • Tigers that live in cold northern areas are usually bigger and heavier than those that live in tropical habitats
  • No two tigers have exactly the same pattern of stripes
  • A tiger retracts its claws as it walks, leaving no claw marks in its tracks

Check out our other cool features:

  1. WIN! A trip to Nepal!
  2. WATCH! Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules videos and interview!
  3. Shark fans speak out!
  4. WATCH! Kung Fu Panda videos and interview!
  5. David de Rothschild interview - plus videos!
  6. WATCH! Dino Death Trap video and interview!
    
Pictures: Getty Images UK