Plight of TIGERS along with Beauty of TIGERS

Among all the Big Cats, only the Tiger and Jaguar are strong swimmers. Tigers are often found bathing in ponds, lakes, and rivers. Tigers are mostly solitary creatures that walk and hunt alone. Tragically within our liftimes Zoos might be the only places left to see these magnificent animals.

The Tiger is classified as endangered by the IUCN, and of the 6 surviving species the futures of the South China Tiger and the Siberian Tigers seem particularly bleak. Recent extensive surveys resulted in no sightings.

The key to the survival of the Tiger is the maintenance of large tracts of Contiguous Habitat, but protection of this species is complicated by its Man-eater reputation and by the threat posed to livestock.

There are eight Main Species of Tigers in World around, 3 of which are extinct and 1 of which is almost certain to go extinct. These are the surviving Species:

1. The Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera Tigris )
2. Indochinese Tiger (Panthera Corbetti)
3. The Malayan Tiger (Panthera Jacksoni)
4. The Sumatran Tiger (Panthera Sumatran)
5. The Siberian Tiger (Panthera Altaica)
6. The South-China Tiger (Panthera Amoyensis)
7. The Balinese Tiger (Panthera Balica) — extinct
8. The Javan Tiger (Panthera Sondaica) — extinct
9. The Caspian Tiger or Persian Tiger (Panthera Virgata) — extinct
10. The Trinil tiger (Panthera Trinilensis) — extinct

Bengal variety almost extinct, none has been seen in the wild since the last White Tiger was shot and killed in 1958. White Tigers are the most rare. They get their white color from an unusual and extremely rare genetic combination.