The Siberian/Amur Tiger
Habitat
The Siberian Tiger while residing in the Far Eastern parts of Russia, live in areas consisting of mountains and coniferous forests. With the constant changes in temperature by season to season such as the in the winter at high altitudes it can be very cold, and in summer it can be mild to hot the Siberian Tiger is capable of withstanding many climates. Appearance The Siberian Tiger is the biggest of all the sub species of tigers. The Siberian often weighs between 300-600 pounds, 135 kgs- 270 kgs, however it can also extend to up to 700 pounds, 317 kgs, and reach lengths of 6-9 feet but reports have been shown in some cases to be up to 11 feet. The Siberian other than being the largest tiger of it's family, also has differences from the other sub species due to the environment and weather of it's habitat. The Siberian has a thicker coat and larger amount of fat to combat the snow and the conditions that Russia can bring. Comparing the Siberian to the other sub species, there aren't many recognisable differences. The only differences which can help distinguish the species is their thicker fur coat especially around the neck and legs and their thinner and less noticeable stripes. |
Population
The Panthera Tigris Altaica, also known as the Siberian Tiger or the Amur tiger resides in Far East Russia, extending to the smaller pockets in the border areas of China and North Korea. During the 1940's the Siberian Tiger was on the brink of extinction due to hunting with no more than 40 existing in the wild. However the subspecies was saved when the first grant was introduced for the full protection of tigers by the country of Russia. With this in place, by the 1980s, the Siberian tiger population had increased to around 500. However over time with the destruction of habitats and the now increasing poaching of the Siberian Tiger again the population is approximately 450 and is still considered an endangered species. Diet & Lifestyle
The Siberian Tiger is a very solitary creature, it is known that they mark their scent across trees in what they believe as their territory to ward off other tigers. The Siberian Tiger has the largest home space of all the sub species. Due to the harsh conditions prey is very scarce, and the tigers have to search for longer distances for enough food. The prey that the Siberian hunts in it's habitat varies from bears, elk and deer as well as smaller animals such as fish. |