Indochinese tiger

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Indochinese tiger
Tiger at Houston Zoo, the United States of America
Tigress in the Tierpark Berlin, Germany
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Felidae
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Species:
Subspecies:
P. t. tigris
Trinomial name
Panthera tigris tigris
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Distribution of the Indochinese tiger (excluding Myanmar)
Synonyms

formerly P. t. corbetti Mazák, 1968

The Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti) is one of the six living tiger subspecies, and is found in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and southwestern China. The Indochinese tiger is also known as the Corbett's tiger, named after Jim Corbett. It has been listed as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.[1] In Myanmar it is the National animal of the country.

Description[change | change source]

Males are around 8–9 ft (2.4-2.7 meters) long, and weigh around 330 to 430 pounds. Females are around 7–8 ft (2.1-2.4 meters) long, and weigh around 221 to 287 pounds.[2] Indochinese tigers are darker in colour than the Bengal tiger, and have narrow stripes which usually break up into a row of spots. Their belly, chin and cheeks are white in colour.[3]

Where they live[change | change source]

The Indochinese tiger is found throughout Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Burma and Vietnam. It also lived in China, but no Indochinese tiger has been seen in China since 2007.[4] It is found mostly in lowland and highland tropical deciduous, semi-evergreen and evergreen forests.[5] The Indochinese tiger is also found in hilly and mountainous areas.[6]

Feeding[change | change source]

Indochinese tigers feed mainly on medium-sized and large-sized wild ungulates. Sambar deer, wild pig, serow, and large bovids such as banteng and young gaur make up most of the Indochinese tiger's diet.[7] Some of its prey, like the kouprey and Schomburgk's deer, are extinct, but some, like the Eld's deer, hog deer and wild water buffalo, are still living but rare. Indochinese tigers also feed on muntjac deer, porcupines, macaques and hog badgers. They have been known to supplement their diet with birds, fish, monkeys and reptiles.[3]

Reproduction[change | change source]

Female Indochinese tigers are pregnant for around 3–4 months, before giving birth to about 5 cubs. Newborn Indochinese tigers weigh around 1 kg (2 lb), and are blind and helpless. The mother feeds them milk for about 2 months and then the Indochinese tiger cubs are introduced to meat. Indochinese tiger cubs depend on their mother for the first 18 months and then they start hunting on their own.[8]

References[change | change source]

  1. "Panthera tigris ssp. corbetti (Indochinese Tiger)". iucnredlist.org. 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  2. "Indochinese Tiger : Tigers of the World : Animal Planet". animal.discovery.com. 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012. 221 to 287 pounds
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Of Cats: Indochinese Tiger". ofcats.com. 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  4. "Indochinese Tiger (Panthera Tigris Corbetti) - Animals - A-Z Animals - Animal Facts, Information, Pictures, Videos, Resources and Links". a-z-animals.com. 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  5. "WWF - Indochinese tiger". wwf.panda.org. 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012. lowland and highland tropical deciduous, semi-evergreen and evergreen forests in Indochina.
  6. "WWF - Indochinese tiger". wwf.panda.org. 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  7. "Asia's biodiversity vanishing into the m...( Unless the wildlife trade can be contro...)". news.bio-medicine.org. 2012. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  8. "Indochinese Tiger (Panthera Tigris Corbetti) - Animals - A-Z Animals - Animal Facts, Information, Pictures, Videos, Resources and Links". a-z-animals.com. 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.