Black Stripes Matter & 'Absolute Predator': Top 7 Amazing Facts About Tigers

1. Black Stripes

The number and pattern of the black stripes on the fur of a tiger is the main trait that distinguishes various subspecies of this animal. The number of stripes can reach up to 100! The Amur tiger, living in Russia, has thick and long fur. It has smaller stripes than other subspecies, but the longest tail (up to 115 cm).

2. Six Species

All in all, there are six tiger species worldwide. The Amur tiger is the largest of them in size, yet the most endangered.

3. Tiger Farms

Over 5,000 tigers live in cages on so-called "tiger farms" in China. Trading the body parts of tigers is prohibited worldwide, but the owners of the "farms" don't close them in the hope that the ban will be lifted. In China, various parts of the tiger's body — from bones to whiskers — are illegally used to produce pseudo-drugs, mainly for the treatment of sexual problems.

4. Mating Period

During the mating period a male tiger meets a female for only two or three days. After this short meeting, he leaves the future mother until the moment when the children grow up and are ready to start an independent life. This period lasts for about two years, during which the father doesn't take part in the rearing of the cubs.

5. Tiger Cubs

Tiger cubs can get food for themselves at the age of 11 months. However, they are considered fully mature at the age of two. If their mother dies (or is killed by poachers), the cubs are incapable of regularly getting food for themselves in the wild and often come to places where people live to hunt for pet animals.

6. Absolute Predator

The Amur tiger can be called an "absolute predator" standing on top of the food chain. The tiger attacks and eats animals inferior to it in size. A hungry tiger attacks even bears. However, the Amur tiger never kills more animals than it needs for sustenance.

7. Poaching Fines

Tiger poachers face a fine of up to 100,000 rubles (about $1,800) and a prison term of up to two years. However, for the storage and transportation of tiger skin, a wrongdoer pays only a 1,000 rubles fine (about $18). The WWF is struggling to ensure that the punishment for the transportation and storage of tiger body parts is toughened.