Today is International Tiger Day — here are 15 stunning photos that show tigers in the wild
Darcy Schild
- Tigers are spectacular creatures, but the species is also listed as endangered by the World Wildlife Fund.
- There are currently five subspecies of tigers living in the wild, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
- To celebrate International Tiger Day on July 29, Insider rounded up 15 stunning photos of tigers in their natural habitats.
Tigers are nothing short of spectacular.
The species is listed as endangered by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), meaning tigers as a whole are considered to face a "very high risk of extinction in the wild."
The WWF, which describes itself as the world's leading conservation organization, reports that 93% of historical tiger habitats have completely disappeared because of human activity.
With habitat loss and poaching, tigers in the wild face several obstacles. Today, some 3,900 tigers live in the wild, according to estimates from the WWF. There were once eight tiger subspecies, but three are now extinct, leaving five subspecies, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Keep reading to celebrate International Tiger Day and explore the beauty of this endangered species.
Siberian tigers are the world's largest cats and can weigh up to 660 pounds.
Siberian tigers, also called Amur tigers, can be found in Russia, near the borders with China. There are about 540 Siberian tigers left in the wild, according to the WWF. National Geographic reports that Siberian tigers are the world's largest cats, weighing up to 660 pounds.
The Siberian tiger has thick, long fur that helps it survive harsh winters in its natural habitat.
Siberian tigers are known to live in the Amur-Heilong area in Russia and China, which is home to some of the most diverse forests in the world, according to the WWF. Their fur is thicker than tigers of other subspecies, according to the San Francisco Zoo and Gardens.
There are about 2,500 Bengal tigers in the wild, making them the most-populous tiger subspecies.
Bengal tigers can weigh up to 550 pounds, according to the WWF.
Bengal tigers mostly live in India, and some live in mangrove forests called the Sundarbans.
Bengal tigers are most commonly found in India. Some Bengal tigers live in the world's largest mangrove forest, called the Sundarbans, which is between Bangladesh and India, according to the WWF. The subspecies can also be found in China, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
Some Bengal tigers have a white-colored coat.
Some Bengal tigers have a white coat due to "a rare but naturally occurring genetic variant," according to Scientific American.
The smallest-weighing tiger is the Sumatran tiger.
Sumatran tigers could weigh around 310 pounds at most. That's nearly half of the Siberian tiger.
There are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the world, which has decreased from an estimated population of 1,000 in 1978.
According to the WWF, the Sumatran tiger subspecies is critically endangered. Sumatran tigers are named for the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the only place in the world where they live in the wild.
In order to take accurate tiger population counts, scientists and researchers identify tigers by their stripes, which are unique to each individual.
Using camera traps that capture photos of tigers from different angles, researchers can keep tabs on the tiger population, according to WWF.
Tigers' tails can reveal the animal's emotions or motives.
A tiger is relaxed if its tail is hanging loosely. Likewise, a tiger shows aggression when its tail is twitching or moving rapidly, according to SeaWorld.
Tigers stay with their mothers until they're about 2 years old.
Tigers hunt independently, but mother tigers and their cubs stick together until the cubs are 2 years old.
When it comes to hunting for prey, tigers rely on their hearing and sight.
Tigers are also skilled swimmers, according to Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
Speaking of which, tigers can consume up to 75 pounds of food in one night, according to Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
Tigers' stripes help them blend in to their environment when hunting, according to Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
Tigers' hind legs are longer than their front legs, allowing them to pounce forward up to 30 feet in one leap, according to Animal Planet.
Plus, tigers' padded feet make it easy for them to sneak up on prey without making noise.
Their night vision is six times better than the night vision of humans, according to National Geographic.
Tigers have excellent night vision in part because their eyes contain more rods than cones. Rods help with visual perception of shapes, and cones help with colors. This means tigers are excellent at detecting movement of their prey in the darkness, according to SeaWorld.
In the US, it is estimated that around 5,000 tigers are kept in captivity, according to the WWF.
WWF also mentions that out of the estimated 5,000 held in captivity, only about 6% are in accredited zoos and facilities.
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