International Tiger Day is observed annually on July 29. It is an opportunity to celebrate one of the most iconic animals on the planet. Unfortunately, tigers are endangered and the wild tiger population has dropped by over 95% since the beginning of the twentieth century. Therefore, International Tiger Day was founded to create awareness about the plight of these incredible striped mammals and highlight the need to take action for their conservation.
International Tiger Day will be observed on Monday, July 29, 2024.
Interesting Facts About Tigers
Let’s find out more about these marvelous creatures on International Tiger Day.
They are the world’s largest cats. On average they weigh about 450 pounds (204 kg).
The largest of all subspecies is the Siberian Tiger, measuring up to 13 feet long(including the tail) and weighing up to 300 kg.
Siberian Tigers are primarily found in Russia’s birch forests, though a few exist in North Korea and China.
Tigers are heavier than lions because their large powerful muscles have more muscle mass.
They have distinctive striped coats as no two tigers have the same stripes.
Females give birth to a litter of two to six cubs after a gestation period of a little over 3 months. Cubs remain with their mothers for two to three years.
They have webbed toes and unlike most cats, tigers appear to enjoy being in the water.
While they normally eat less but a hungry tiger can eat up to 60 pounds in one night.
While running, they can attain a speed of up to 65km/h and their roar can be heard as far as 3 km away.
They live alone in large territories which they mark with urine, feces, scrapes, rakes, and vocalizing.
At one time there were nine subspecies of tigers, but unfortunately three became extinct during the 20th century.
They are excellent swimmers using their powerful muscles and webbed toes to propel their bodies in the water.
Out of six extant subspecies, the Bengal Tiger is the most numerous subspecies accounting for about 50% of the tiger population.
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