Extinction Tigers. Gayduk Vladimir

► In XX century, the tiger is included in the IUCN Red List, in the Red Book of Russia, as well as documents of title in other countries. As of 2009 prohibited hunting tigers worldwide.

Tiger (Latin Panthera tigris) - kind of predatory mammals felines, one of four members of the genus panther (Latin Panthera), which belongs to the subfamily of the big cats. The word "tiger" comes from the Greek tigris, which in turn goes back to drevnepers. * tigri from the root «* taig» meaning " sharp, quick." Among the representatives of this species occur largest felines. Tiger is one of the largest land predators, giving weight only to white and the brown bears. Allocated nine tiger subspecies, of which the beginning of the XXI century, only six survived - total population of about species, of which the most numerous is the Bengal tiger ( nominative subspecies), constituting 80 % of the total population.

Tiger is the largest and heaviest of wild cats, but its various subspecies vary greatly in size and body weight. Mainland tiger subspecies larger island. The largest of them are Indian ( Bengali ), and the Amur ( Ussuri Siberian ) subspecies. Male Siberian tiger can reach 3.5 meters in length and weigh no tail in some cases up to 300 kg. [9] Nevertheless, the average male Siberian tiger in length without the tail reach centimeters, with an average body mass of kg ( tiger tail usually has a length of cm). The length of the body without the tail in different subspecies ranges from 1.4 to 3.5 m tail cm ( from the Amur to cm).

Location bands is unique for each individual animal, and thus can be used for identification of individuals, similar fingerprints in humans.

Вымершие подвиды The Bali tiger (Panthera tigris balica) vodilsya always only on the small island of Bali. These tigers were killed by hunters: the last Balinese tiger (adult female) was killed in the western part of the island (Sumbar Kama) September 27, Javan tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) lived on the Indonesian island of Java. Apparently, this subspecies was destroyed in the 80s of the twentieth century due to hunting and habitat destruction.

Caspian ( Turan, Persian ) tiger (Panthera tigris virgata) became extinct in the late 1960s, the latest evidence of a meeting with him relates to 1968, although, according to some, the last Caspian tiger was shot dead in south- eastern Turkey in 1970.

Tigers hunt entirely alone, using two doses of hunting: the extraction and stalk her waiting in ambush. First reception tigers often used in winter, the second - in the summer. Tigers usually hunt down and waiting for prey on the trails and near watering. Tracked down the animal, the tiger stalks him downwind. At the same time it moves short careful steps, often dropping to the ground. With close to production at the closest distance, he catches up with her ​​ a few huge leaps - the most rapid way to travel. While waiting in ambush usually waits tiger lying in the wind, and when it approaches make a quick dash for a short distance. When pursuing prey slips no further m Thus, despite the large body mass, the tiger can reach speeds up to 60 km / h in virtually any terrain.

Cubs are born in March - April. In litter usually 2-4 tiger, rarely alone, even more rarely 5-6. Tiger cubs are born blind, helpless, with a mass of kg, but after about 6-8 days receive their sight. The first 6 weeks cubs eat their mother's milk. Finally to independent living young tigers are ready at the age of about 18 months, but usually stay with their mother 2-3 years, and sometimes up to 5 years. Life expectancy to 26 years old tiger.

As a result of hunting and habitat destruction tiger population in recent decades strongly reduced. One hundred years ago in the world to be allocated approximately 100,000 wild tigers, and now their numbers had dropped to 2,500 adults, capable of reproduction, and the abundance of any of the individual populations of less than 250 adult animals. Nevertheless, the probability of extinction of tiger as a species is negligible due to the presence of about 20,000 animals kept in captivity. In this regard, one of the essential areas is to impart the general public, through environmental projects, modern ecological ideas about the need to protect tigers and their habitat.