Tiger the biggest of all cats is the most majestic animal of the forest. It is perfectly adapted for hunting and is called the supreme killer of the forest. The tigers were once found over a wide range stretching from the ice-cold Siberian to the hot and humid Indian plains. But now they live in the grasslands and forests of some Asian countries. Tigers are believed to have reached India through the state of Assam. They settled in the Himalayas and then spread to other parts of the country. In India tigers are found in many forests.
Six sub-species of tiger are in existence today- the Siberian, Bengal, Caspian, Chinese, Javan and Sumatran. Among them only the Indian or the Bengal tiger is found in any substantial number. The Siberian tigers are very large with a coat of thick fur; the Indian tiger is sleek with a short furred coat.
The tiger is a solitary animal. It lives and hunts alone in the forest. It needs shade and large quantities of water. It possesses high intelligence and a razor-sharp sense of hearing, vision, scent and touch. Its striped coat gives him good camouflage during hunting. It slowly stalks its prey, a deer or some other through the long grass. When it is close enough, it makes a sudden dash, leaps into the prey’s back and knocks it down. The well-developed claws enable the tiger to strike and hold the prey. It also has strong and sharp-big teeth supported by powerful jaws. It gives a quick bite to the neck and kills the prey. During its lone method of hunting, the tiger is sometimes injured and faces great difficulties. The solitary hunting is also a greater liability for the tigress. She has to feed herself as well as her cubs. It preys on nilgai, buffalo, gaur, peafowl, sambar, chital and some species of deer.
Mating season for the big cats is more common after the rains. The male tiger usually desert the female before or soon after birth. Three to four cubs are born to the tigress after a gestation period of about four months. The cubs are blind at birth and are completely dependent on their mother for six months. Male and female cubs do not differ in size during the first six months. However, as they grow the males gain more. The tigress feeds the young ones and trains them to hunt when they are about 6 months old. The cubs stay with their mother for over a year. They then develop the skills to walk stiffly and attack their prey.
The difference between an adult tiger and a tigress is about 6-7 cm. The adult tiger weighs more than its female. The full grown male also has a ruff around its neck.
The population of the tigers in the wild has been steadily decreasing. Even the Indian tiger is finding survival a tough task. Shrinking habitat, poaching and disappearing prey species have led to decline in their population. Tigers are hunted for their beautiful coats, and for their bones and body parts. Because of this, tigers are nearly extinct. So, tigers have been declared endangered and protected by law. Today they are seen in many sanctuaries set aside for it under the Project Tiger.