Today is world tiger day! Head on over and check out the Tiger WWF facebook page. And check out this amazing information from the WWF on tigers!
Amur (Siberian) Tiger
Scientific name: Panthera tigris altaica IUCN Listing: Endangered
Habitat: Coniferous, scrub oak and birch woodlands
Location: Primarily eastern Russia, with a few found in northeastern China
Interesting Fact: In the 1940s the Amur tiger was on the brink of extinction, with no more than 40 tigers remaining in the wild. Thanks to vigorous anti-poaching and other conservation efforts by the Russians with support from many partners, including WWF, the Amur tiger population recovered and has remained stable throughout the last decade.
Bengal (Indian) Tiger
Scientific name: Panthera tigris tigrisIUCN Listing: Endangered
Habitat: Dry and wet deciduous forests, grassland and temperate forests, mangrove forests
Location: Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar and Nepal. India is home to the largest population.
Interesting Fact: Some Bengal tigers are cream or white in color instead of orange, due to a recessive gene for this coloration. These "white" tigers are rarely found in the wild.
Indochinese Tiger
IUCN Listing: Endangered
Habitat: Remote forests in hilly to mountainous terrain, much of which lies along the borders between countries
Location: Widely dispersed throughout six countries: Thailand, Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Interesting Fact: Access to the areas where Indochinese tigers live is often restricted, and biologists have only recently been granted limited permits for field surveys. As a result, relatively little is known about the status of these tigers in the wild.
Malayan Tiger
Scientific name: Panthera tigris jacksoniIUCN Listing: Endangered
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Location: Southern tip of Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia
Interesting Fact: The Malayan tiger was only identified as being a separate subspecies from the Indochinese tiger in 2004. It is very similar to the Indochinese tiger, but is smaller in size.
South China Tiger
Scientific name: Panthera tigris amoyensisIUCN Listing: Critically Endangered
Habitat: Montane sub-tropical evergreen forest
Location: Central and eastern China
Interesting Fact: It is estimated that the South China tiger is functionally extinct. Currently 47 South China tigers live in 18 zoos, all in China. If there are any South China tigers in the wild, these few individuals would be found in southeast China, close to provincial borders.
Sumatran Tiger
Scientific name: Panthera tigris sumatraeIUCN Listing: Critically Endangered
Habitat: Montane forests, the remaining blocks of the island's lowland forest, peat swamps, and freshwater swamp forests
Location: Exclusively on the Indonesian island of Sumatra
Interesting Fact: Sumatran tigers are protected by law in Indonesia, with tough provisions for jail time and steep fines. Despite increased efforts in tiger conservation, including law enforcement and anti-poaching capacity, a substantial market remains in Sumatra for tiger parts and products.
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