Tiger (panthera tigris)

Tiger... or Panthera tigris!

Tigers are one of the four "big cats" found around the globe. The others are lions, jaguars, and leopards. Tigers can grow up to 11 feet in length, and weigh up to 660 pounds. Yikes! In the wild, tigers  can live up to 15 years old, while tigers in captivity usually live to  around 20 years old. A tiger's diet consists mainly  of monkeys, peafowls, hares and fish. It will also prey on wild boar and deer.

The mating season for tigers usually lasts from November to April, and the gestation period lasts for about 16 weeks. A baby tiger weighs about 2.2 pounds at birth, and the litter usually consists of 4 cubs. Initially the cubs are nourished with their mother's milk, but when they are ten weeks old they stop drinking it.  The cubs will leave their mother when they are 2 1/2 years old, and will be able to have cubs of their own when they reach 5 years of age.

The word tiger comes from the Greek word "tigris", which  derives from the Persian word for "arrow". This could be refering to the tiger's speed. A tiger can reach up to 50 miles per hour, but would not be able to do so without it's 4 foot long tail. The tail helps the tiger to balance while it is running. Tigers are found in Eastern and Southern Asia, but not in Africa, where many people believe they reside.