Tiger Habitat

Tigers are found throughout Asia, but are most heavily concentrated in India and Nepal.  Different subspecies of tiger are found in different areas, and tigers can adapt to a fairly wide range of environments.  Their environments must provide plenty of coverage so tigers can stalk their prey and find shade, so they are usually found in rainforests, swamps, and grasslands.  Tigers defy the stereotype of cats by actually enjoying the water.  They are strong swimmers and spend much time lounging in the water to escape the heat.  Here is a video of Odin, a white tiger who not only lounges in the pool, he dives underwater to retrieve food!

Tigers also must find an area with a dense population of prey.  This is one of the biggest problems facing tigers today.  As humans continue to take over their land, tigers have a harder time hunting and subsequently die off.

Sources:
http://www.miamisci.org/youth/unity/Unity1/Jasmine/pages/habitats%20of%20the%20tigers.html
http://www.wildlywise.com/tiger_habitat.htm
http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/tiger/habitat-&-distribution.htm
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/swimming-tigers.htm

Scholarly Article

Environmental Effects on the Behavior of Zoo-housed Lions and Tigers, with a Case Study of the Effects of a Visual Barrier on Pacing is a journal article written by Meredith J. Bashaw, Angela S. Kelling, Mollie A. Bloomsmith,and Terry L. Maple.  This article discusses animals in captivity and whether changing captive environments results in a change in the behavior of tigers and lions.  The researchers observed two Sumatran tigers.  The tigers were placed into two different exhibits, one larger with access to places to hide from the public and one smaller with no areas of cover.  Behaviors were divided into the categories of resting, resting but awake, pacing, and any other behaviors.  It was found that there were significant differences in the amount of activity the animals displayed at different times of the day, with the morning being the most active time for them.  There was no significant difference in behavior found between the larger and smaller exhibit.  

The researchers seemed to be concerned with the fact that most zoo visitors observe the animals during their peak of inactivity, and suggested that information about their activity schedule be made more readily available to the public.  They also mention that pacing behavior seems to indicate to the public that the animal is feeling stressed or bored.  The researcher found that the number of  areas of cover the animal has in his exhibit greatly effects the amount of pacing in small cats.  However, in a subsequent case study used to determine how the placement of barriers would effect tiger behavior, the researchers found that the placement of the barrier did not impact pacing.  This led them to believe that pacing may have more to do with a behavior like feeding rather than social situations, or that visual stimuli is not the only thing impacting the animal.  Auditory and olfactory cues may be just as significant. 

Sources:

Environmental Effects on the Behavior of Zoo-housed Lions and Tigers, with a Case Study of the Effects

of a Visual Barrier on Pacing by Meredith J. Bashaw et al.

Tiger Cubs!

Today I want to talk about tiger cubs.  Like us, they are born helpless and must rely on their mother for protection and nourishment.  They are blind upon birth and don't reach their full visual capacity for weeks.  It isn't until they reach the age of two that they can even begin hunting for themselves.  Because of the great amount of time and energy it takes to feed extra mouths, a tigress can generally only keep two of her cubs alive, no matter her initial litter size.

To protect herself and her cubs, a tigress finds shelter in dens where visibility from the outside is low.  This is important because the young tiger cubs must be left alone while their mother is hunting.  By about eight months, the tiger cubs can follow their mother on hunts and learn the tricks of the trade. 

Once they are around two years old, tiger cubs become independent of their mother.  Males roam further from their mother's territory than females and eventually establish their own territory once they reach full maturity. 

Resources:

http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/tiger/birth-&-care.htm

http://lifeevolution.wordpress.com/evolution/tigerbehavior/

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-tiger.html

http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/tiger/behavtiger.html

Pictures:

http://www.deviantart.com/download/61945407/white_tiger_cubs_by_buggy12.jpg

http://awtlblog.vitsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2003/10/Sumatran-Tiger-Cubs.jpg

Conservation Status

Of the nine subspecies of tigers, three are already extinct.  All six remaining subspecies of tigers are currently considered endangered animals.  There are many different estimates of the number of wild tigers alive today, ranging from 3,500 to as low as 2,000.  This number has gotten so low mainly as a result of poaching and habitat destruction.  According to the World Wildlife Fund, tigers have lost 93% of their historic range due to habitat destruction.  Tiger fur is the primary target of poachers, but according to one article, all parts of the tiger are in demand for use in traditional Asian medicine.  Tigers are even part of the illegal pet trade.  However, many organizations and governments in countries around the world have begun to work towards protecting tigers from extinction.  Movements such as India's Project Tiger establish tiger reserves as protection for the animals.  Various laws have made poaching and the pet trade illegal, as well as establishing rules for the protection of the forests tigers inhabit.  Many countries also have laws preventing the sale of products made with tiger parts.  Even zoos help with breeding programs and by educating the public on the current threat facing tigers.  Thus far, these measures have been largely successful, but the work is not done.  With numbers this low, tigers still need a lot of help.  If you are interested in learning more or donating to the cause, I recommend visiting the World Wildlife Fun website.  An Animal Planet survey found that tigers are the world's favorite animal!  If we want to keep these and the many other endangered animals around, we've got to keep educating ourselves and others and taking a stand for animals who can't help themselves.

Resources:
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-tiger.html
http://www.planetwildlife.com/information/species/tiger?section=other
http://www.indonesianfauna.com/tiger.php
http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/tiger/conservation.htm
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/tigers/threats.html

Image:
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/china/article/762492--china-s-year-of-the-endangered-tiger