The Wildlife Waystation is home to two species of tiger - the Bengal (Panthera tigris tigris) and the Siberian (Panthera tigris altaica), both of which are endangered.
The Siberian tiger is the larger of the two and is also the largest member of the cat family in the world, weighing as much as 700 - 800 pounds. This beautiful carnivore was once found throughout Siberia, northern China and Korea but is now confined to a small area of Siberia. However, it is thought that fewer than 50 Siberian tigers survive in China near the border with North Korea.
The Bengal tiger is found in India and some parts of Nepal and Burma. The Bengal tiger is not only distinguished from the Siberian by it’s smaller size but also by it’s darker orange coat. Siberian tigers lose some of their color in the winter to help them blend in with the snow covered surroundings. Both species of tiger have white circular markings on the backs of their ears.
It is speculated that these markings are illusory "eyes" to fool prey or markings to help young tigers find their mothers in tall grasses. The stripes on a tiger’s face are as individual as human finger prints.
Tiger males are solitary hunters, marking the boundaries of their large territories with urine and by shredding the bark of trees. Male and female tigers only come together when mating. An average litter size is two to three cubs. Young tigers will stay with their mothers for about two years while learning to hunt, then they will leave to establish their own territories.
One of the few cat to enjoy water, the tiger is an excellent swimmer. Bengals frequently lie in rivers and ponds to escape the summer heat. The Bengal’s main prey is wild ox and buffalo, axis deer, wild boar and monkeys. The Siberian preys on deer or boar and smaller animals such as rabbits and fish.
