Amur Tiger

Panthera Tigris altaica

Animal Class: Mammals

Length: Males 10ft 9in & Females 8ft 6in

Weight: Males 660 pounds & Females 200-370 pounds.

Lifespan: About 15 years in the wild. Tiger mortality rises at age 12.

Diet: In the wild, Amur tigers eat elk, deer and wild boar.

Habitat: Although primarily associated with jungle habitats, Amur tigers also thrive in grasslands, pine forests and hardwood forests. At home in the snow, they live in the cold forests of the Russian Far East as well as cold mountain climates.

Amur tigers have pale orange coloring with brown, instead of black, widely-spaced stripes. The chest and belly are white, as is a thick white ruff around the neck. Their ears are black with white spots on the outside and white on the inside. These are the largest of the great cats. These northern dwellers are usually lighter colored than tigers in the south and grow thicker winter coats. The striped coat disrupts body outline, providing camouflage. They have binocular vision and sees well at night. They hear at ranges lower and higher than humans, and some believe tigers use infrasound like whales and elephants to call and hear across great distances. Their whiskers are rooted in nerve cells and can help move more silently. The tiger’s teeth and claws more than 3 inches long; the claws are retractile. They are also strong and can overpower something twice their size. Amur tiger’s acute sense of smell allows it to read urine (territory) marks up to 20 days later. Tigers love water and are good swimmers. They often lie in water to cool off.

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