The South China Tiger

South China Tiger

South China tigers are a subspecies of tigers that can be found mainly in a very narrow area of south / south east China, mainly in forests.

South China tigers are not only one of the very endangered tiger species, but it is also considered to be THE one that is most likely to be extinct within a very short period if no real breeding and preservation efforts take place.

Experts estimate that the south China tiger population does not exceed two to three dozens only! This has earned it a ranking between the world’s top 10 animals that are on the verge of extinction � pretty sad.

What has mainly contributed to the reduction of the South Chinese tiger population is the amount of illegal hunting that was taking place in these southern forests, in addition to the reduction in the number of preys it can hunt (again, mostly due to humans).

These very tigers are now taking refuge in mountains within the area rather than open forests.

We have to also keep in mind that starting the 1960s, tigers were proclaimed a danger to humans in China, and as such hunting them down was taking place. This decision was reversed too late, almost two decades later. The South China tiger population had by then been reduced by more than 95%.

South China tigers (sometimes referred to as south Chinese tigers) are small in size, with the male ranging between 220 to 260 cm in length and around 140-170 kilograms in weight. Females are smaller in size (this is normal when it comes to tigers and similar mammals) with a length varying usually between 200 to 250 cm and a weight of around 120 kilograms. Their fur differs a bit from that of other subspecies, given that the stripes are somewhat thinner and more spaced along the body.

South China tigers are known for their patience and love for hunting. They would not get tired of spending several hours a day looking after preys. They also don’t mind attacking animals that are of equivalent weight if not more. But when it comes to hunger, they would settle down for anything, even small animals and insects.

If their prey is big, they try to suffocate it once they catch it, else they would simply attack lethally with their long teeth. They have no problem in attacking humans, and they have done many times in the past. So caution is required if one got to (ever) meet one in the wild.

TIGER

Tigers - Panthera Tigris
Tigers those big cats with the black stripes are just one of the many species of large cats found around the world. These beautiful animals possess not only grace and sophistication but razor sharp claws and a killer instinct to match. 


The tiger which is known as panthera tigris comes from the cat family( felidae) it is a carnivorous animals and a very known preditor to man and other animals.The tigers existed in mesopotamia,caucasus and south east asia. The tiger's majestic coat is it's most unique feature. It has a coat that ranges from yellowish orange or brownish white, and has distinct black stripes on it. These stripes are different for every tiger. The pattern will never be the same for any two tigers. These stripes act as a great tool for camouflage in the wild as the blend with the forest colors. Each tiger has over a 100 stripes.a tiger can weigh more than 600 pounds.

The tiger is the biggest species of the cat family.

Tigers can reach a length of up to 3.3 metres (11 feet) and weigh as much as 300 kilograms (660 pounds).

Subspecies of the tiger include the Sumatran Tiger, Siberian Tiger, Bengal Tiger, South China Tiger, Malayan Tiger and Indochinese Tiger.

Many subspecies of the tiger are either endangered or already extinct. Humans are the primary cause of this through hunting and the destruction of habitats.

Around half of tiger cubs don’t live beyond two years of age.

Tiger cubs leave their mother when they are around 2 years of age.

A group of tigers is known as an ‘ambush’ or ‘streak’.

Tigers are good swimmers and can swim up to 6 kilometres.

Rare white tigers carry a gene that is only present in around 1 in every 10000 tigers.

Tigers usually hunt alone at night time.

Tigers have been known to reach speeds up to 65 kph (40 mph).

Less than 10% of hunts end successfully for tigers

Tigers can easily jump over 5 metres in length.

Various tiger subspecies are the national animals of Bangladesh, India, North Korea, South Korea and Malaysia.

There are more tigers held privately as pets than there are in the wild.

Tigers that breed with lions give birth to hybrids known as tigons and ligers.

Extinct Tigers

As you may have already guessed tigers are some of the most endangered species of our time. To raise your awareness about the seriousness of the situation, and help spread the word about how real this danger is, we’re going to list some of the already extinct tiger subspecies.

The Sumatran Tiger

Sumatran tigers are one of the more famous categories of wild tigers. Their name is derived from where they’re found most i.e the island of Sumatra which is part of the republic of Indonesia. The bad news is that Sumatran tigers are also hugley endangered with the total population not exceeding five hundred.

The Siberian Tiger

Siberian tigers are one of the most critically endangered tiger species in the world. They can mainly be found in the east-most regions of the Siberia region of Russia, which explains their name origins. These lovely tigers are often called north China tigers.

The Bengal Tiger

Bengal Tigers form the largest subspecies of tigers in the world. Most commonly found in India and Bangladesh, they are the ‘national animal’ of both these countries. Living in grasslands and in rainforests, they can weight up to 220kg but have nearly been driven to extinction.

The South China Tiger

South China tigers are a tiger subspecies that can only be found in the very narrow forest areas of south east China. Like most tigers their numbers are dwindling but the South China tiger if not protected will probably be the next tiger species to go extinct.

You might also be interested with wildebeest-Masai-Mara-in-Kenya
The Largest VENOMOUS Snakes of the world
Snakes Species of the world