Tiger

The tiger (Panthera tigris) is a creature of the Felidae family, the largest of four "big cats" in the Panthera genus. Native to much of eastern and southern Asia, the tiger is an apex marauder and an necessitate carnivore. Reaching up to 4 metres (13 feet) in total length and weighing up to 300 kg (660 pounds), tigers are equivalent in size to the biggest vanished felids. Aside from their great bulk and power, their most recognizable feature is the pattern of dark vertical stripes that overlays near-white to reddish-orange fur, with lighter underparts.

Highly adjustable, tigers range from the Siberian taiga to open grasslands to tropical mangrove swamps. They are defensive and generally solitary animals, often requiring large adjacent areas of habitat that support their prey demands. This, coupled with the fact that they are prevalent to some of the more densely populated places on earth, has caused significant conflicts with humans. Of the nine subspecies of modern tiger, three are destroyed and the remaining are classified as endangered, some critically so. The primary direct causes are habitat destruction and disintegration and hunting. Their historical range, which once reached from Mesopotamia and the Caucasus through most of South and East Asia, has been radically reduced. While all surviving species are under formal protection, poaching, habitat destruction and inbreeding depression continue to be threats.

Nonetheless, tigers are among most decipherable and popular of the world's charismatic megafauna. They have featured outstandingly in ancient mythology and folklore, and continue to be depicted in modern films and literature. Tigers appear on many flags, coats of arms and as mascots for sporting teams and serve as the national animal of several Asian nations.