Information About Siberian Tiger Habitat

Tyger, tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye.
Could frame thy fearful symmetry? ~ William Blake

Also known by the names Amur, Manchurian, Altaic, Korean, North China, or Ussuri, the Siberian Tiger belongs to the subspecies Panthera tigris altaica. It is almost on the verge of extinction. It had once ranged across Western and Central Asia and eastern Russia.

However, now, due to deforestation, poaching, and other harmful activities carried out by man, it is confined to a small region in eastern Siberia where it is being protected. Animal lovers across the world have joined hands to save this beautiful animal from species extinction.

This animal is found in the southeast of the Trans-Caucasus. Here, it is mostly confined to the forested area of the Talysh lowlands, mainly in the areas where there are streams and reed thickets along the marine lagoons.

In countries like Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, it is mainly found around the rivers and lake basins, areas with thick growth of reeds, plume grass, or maybe in the tugai forests which consist of poplar, oleaster, and willow trees.

In the fir and juniper forests of Kirgiz, Trans-Illi, and Dzhunarsk Altau, which are located at a height of 2,500- 3,000 meters above the sea level, some tigers were captured in the past.

This animal is also sure to be found in areas with abundance of wild boar and Bactrian deer, where there are thick forests, low snow covers, and enough water supplies.

Having been displaced from the lower areas, the tiger population in the Far East is mostly confined to the low mountains, mainly around the areas near the river valleys and pads which are overgrown with Pine and Oak, or mountains thick with deciduous shrubs or in areas where there are oak or nut-tree groves.

It is mainly attracted to rocky and forested areas highly-populated with wild boar, wapiti, and moose. It usually avoids areas covered with thick snow.

95% of the population is found in Russia. It is said that northern China also has some tigers, but there has been very little evidence of their existence. In March 2010 however, there was some good news for China when a cub was found trapped in a woodpile. It was the first Siberian tiger to be spotted in China after nearly 60 years.

Unfortunately, the female cub could not be saved. However, this was proof that China had this tiger and now it could also be included in the list. Strange facts are that unlike the lion, the tiger usually likes to live alone as a single one can sneak up and surprise its prey better than a group.

The snowy spruce forests of Eastern Russia are a famous habitat for the white Siberian tiger. You will also find it in the zoos, swampy areas, and thick forest regions. This magnificent animal is almost on the verge of extinction. Right now there are only around 20 such tigers in China.

The Siberian tiger is the largest among the entire cat family. Its grace and strength makes it an excellent hunter. Its hunting grounds usually stretch for about 1600 sq feet and like dogs and other animals, it marks its territory by urinating there or scratching a tree. No two scratch marks are similar.

It is found mainly in cold and mountainous areas. Hence to survive the long winters, it has an extra layer of fat on its body which acts as an insulator from the cold. It also has a thick coat and more fur on the paws. This protects it while walking on snow-covered grounds.

The soft and broad pads on its feet allow it to stalk its prey silently. Even its tongue has a rough surface which helps it clean up the flesh from the bones of its prey and also to lap water and clean itself. It also has excellent night vision to hunt easily in the dark.

As it is the largest cat in the entire cat family, it has the reputations of being a 'vicious killer'. In reality though, that is not the case. Its diet mainly consists of deer, wild boars, and sometimes fish. A fully grown Siberian tiger needs at least 20 lbs of meat every day in order to survive in the cold and harsh climate.

Some tigers can eat up to 100 lbs of meat in one single meal. After this, they will go without food for days. Some people think that humans are also a part of its diet, but that's not true. Tigers are usually not man-eaters.

They only attack men when it comes to self defense, or when the mother tiger is nursing her cubs, or when the male tigers are searching for a female to mate. And also, due to old age, if the tiger is no longer able to run after its animal prey.

You must have realized how important it is for us to protect and save this cat from becoming extinct. So, do whatever is humanly possible for you to protect and save the Siberian tiger from disappearing off the face of the earth.