Tiger

Tigers are the largest cats in the world, and unlike most cats they LOVE water — they swim across rivers and even cool off in pools on hot days. Each tiger hunts alone at night, sneaking silently through the forest on padded paws.

Tigers live in the forests of Asia, from the steamy mangrove swamps of India to the snowy woods of the Russian Far East. They are the biggest cats alive, and the ones in the far north are the largest of all, with thick coats and a layer of fat against the winter. A tiger's stripes break up its outline in dappled light, so a huge orange animal can vanish in tall grass a few steps away. Unlike lions, tigers live alone, and each one patrols a territory it marks with scratches on trees and a strong-smelling spray.

A tiger eats deer, wild boar and other large animals, and it hunts mostly at night, when its eyes work far better than ours. It stalks in near silence on padded paws, creeping to within a few bounds of its prey before the final rush. Most hunts fail, so when a tiger does catch something big it eats an enormous amount in one sitting — up to 80 lb of meat in a night — and then may not need to hunt again for several days. Tigers are also strong swimmers and will cross wide rivers or cool off in a pool on a hot afternoon.

A mother tiger raises her cubs alone in a hidden den. They are born blind and helpless, drink milk for months and follow her on hunts as they grow, learning by watching before they ever catch anything themselves. Young tigers stay with their mother for around two years, then set off to find a territory of their own. Tigers are endangered: their forests have been cut into pieces and they have been hunted for their skins and bones. Protected reserves in India, Nepal and Russia are where their numbers have started to climb again.

Here is every tiger fact from this page and the tiger quiz in one list — handy for a school project or a car-ride quiz.

1. A tiger's stripes are on its skin, not just its fur!
2. Every tiger's stripe pattern is unique — no two are alike.
3. Tigers are great swimmers and actually enjoy water, unlike house cats.
4. A tiger can eat up to 80 lb of meat in a single night.
5. Tigers see about 6 times better in the dark than people do.
6. A big tiger can weigh as much as 660 pounds (300 kg).
7. Scientists can tell tigers apart just by looking at their stripes.
8. Sharp night vision helps tigers hunt after the sun goes down.
9. Saving their forest homes helps wild tigers find food and space.

❓ Common questions about tigers

No — tigers are wild animals that belong in the wild, and keeping one would be unsafe and almost always illegal. But if tigers are your favorite, here's the closest pet you actually can welcome home:

Meet the CatBecause tigers are the biggest members of the cat family — a house cat is their pint-sized relative. See care guide →

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