Download Amur Tiger - Brandywine Zoo Docents

Amur Tiger
Panthera tigris altaica
Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae Subfamily: Pantherinae
Other names: Siberian Tiger, Manchurian, Ussurian, or Northeast China tiger
Other Subspecies: The Amur Tiger is the largest subspecies of Panthera tigris.
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris); Indochinese (Panthera tigris corbetti);
Malayan (Panthera tigris jacksoni); South-China (Panthera tigris amoyensis);
Sumatran (Panthera tigris sumatrae); Bali (Panthera tigris balica) [extinct
1937]; Caspian (Panthera tigris virgata) [extinct 1968]; Javan (Panthera
tigris sondaica) [extinct 1980]
Brandywine Zoo Tiger 0.1
0.1 Zhanna
Born 4/28/2008 Aq: 6/29/2011
About Zhanna:
Zhanna was born at the St. Louis Zoo. She was one of 5 cubs. She typically
weighs between 220-270 lbs.
Status Endangered; less than 350-400 left in the wild [1]
Brandywine Zoo is part of the Amur Tiger Species Survival
Program (SSP), a cooperative program between zoos that plans
the breeding of this highly endangered species.
Geographic Region
Russian Far East, primarily in the Primosky Krai, as well as in southern
Khabarovski Krai , where approximately 15-20 individuals live on the Russian
border with Northeast China. [1]. They represent the largest unfragmented tiger
population in the world [2].
Habitat
Boreal and temperate mixed (deciduous broadleaf and coniferous-deciduous broadleaf) forests [3]
Characteristics
Size: average height range: 44-47”; average length: 69” for females; 77” for males (head to base of tail); average weight: 250-400 lbs for females;
400-650 lbs for males
Longevity: Wild 12-14 years
Captivity 18-20 years
Physical Description
• Tigers have a reddish-orange coat with vertical black stripes along the flanks and shoulders that vary in size, length, and spacing.
The underside of the limbs and belly, chest, throat, and muzzle are white or light. White is found above the eyes and extends to
the cheeks.
• A white spot is present on the back of each ear. [4]. Ocelli ‘eye spots’ are used by mother tigers (and other cats with ocelli) to
communicate with their cubs while hunting, making it easy for cubs to follow them in dense brush. Perked ears with fully visible
ocelli mean ‘follow me!’ while flattened ears (and hidden ocelli) means ‘get down!’ or ‘time to stalk!’
• Amur tigers live farther north than any other kind of tigers, and in the coldest climate. Animals that live in the cold north tend to
have certain traits that southern members of the species do not. For example, Amur tigers have large, heavy bodies and thick fur
that retains body heat in the frigid northern winters. Their coats are pale orange with light stripes, which blends in pretty well with
the whites and tans of their habitat [6].
• Amur Tigers are the largest of all wild cats [4], though some consider them about the same size as Bengals [3]
• Amur tigers’ coloring can be somewhat lighter than that of other tigers, especially in winter, and their fur is orange or light orange.
Some people mistakenly think that Amur tigers have white fur. White fur is actually a recessive genetic trait in Bengal tigers, and
all white tigers in captivity today are decedents of a single white Bengal tiger taken from the wild in India. [3].
• The dark lines about the eyes tend to be symmetrical, but the marks on each side of the face are often asymmetrical.
Dimorphism
Males: An adult male usually reaches a body length of 2 meters, with his tail adding another meter. Average weight for males is
160-190 kg [3]. The tail length in fully grown males is about 1 m (39 in) [5]. Typical weights of 180 to 306 kg (397 to 675 lb) for
males [5]
Females: females are smaller, weighing in at 110-130 kg [3]. Typical weights of 100 to 167 kg (220 to 368 lb) for females [5]
Diet: Carnivore
Tigers prefer to hunt at night, when their ungulate prey is most active.
Diet in the Wild: Elk, wild boar and sika deer, and roe deer make up 80-09% of diet, with smaller animals such as badgers and
raccoons, and larger animals such as black and even brown bears being occasionally taken during the summer months.
Occasionally will prey on domestic animals, leading to human conflicts [3].
Diet in the Zoo: raw, ground meat, whole or partial bones and carcasses
Behavior
• Crepuscular, active at dawn and dusk & Nocturnal, active at night
• Amur tigers have the largest home range of any tiger subspecies because low prey densities means they have to search over large
areas to find food [2].
• Amur tigers require large, intact forest ecosystems and act as indicators of overall ecosystem health [3].
• Tigers mark their territory by rubbing against trees – sometimes leaving hairs behind – and spraying urine on trees and rocks.
They paw and scratch the forest floor as well, leaving large scrape marks 40-70 cm long and 20-30 cm wide. These “scrapes” are
usually augmented with scat, anal gland secretions, or urine [3].
• They usually live alone, except for the mother and cub relationship, and the brief time adult males and females come together to
mate [6].
• Tigers roar, but not as often as lions do (lions live in groups and communicate with each other more often). Tigers also "chuff,"
making a noise just like the word sounds, when greeting other tigers [6]. Tigers chuff instead of purr.
• Tigers prefer to hunt in dense vegetation and along routes where they can move quietly. In snow, tigers select routes on frozen
river beds, in paths made by ungulates, or anywhere else that has a reduced snow depth.
• Tigers have tremendous leaping ability, being able to leap from 8 to 10 meters. Leaps of half that distance are more typical.
• Tigers are excellent swimmers and water doesn't usually act as a barrier to their movement. Also, they can easily cross rivers as
wide as 6-8 km and have been known to cross a width of 29 km in the water.
• Tigers are also excellent climbers, using their retractable claws and powerful legs.
• Tigers are thought to locate their prey using hearing and sight. They use a stealthy approach, taking advantage of every rock, tree
and bush as cover and rarely chase prey far. Tigers are silent, taking cautious steps and keeping low to the ground so they are not
seen or heard by the prey. They typically kill by ambushing prey, throwing the prey off balance with their mass as they leap onto
it.
Reproduction and Growth
• Placental mammal
• Tigers are solitary and do not associate with the opposite sex except for mating.
• Tigers can reproduce starting at around 3 years of age, and mate at any time of year [3].
• Gestation is 3 – 3 ½ months and most cubs are born in summer and fall, but cubs can be born in the dead of winter. Surprisingly,
tigers often do not give birth in a den, but simply on the ground in dense, brushy areas [3].
• Litter sizes are between one and five cubs, and due to disease, hunger, congenital defects, and predation, approximately 50% of
cubs die in their first year [3].
• Mothers will move cubs if they think there is a chance of danger and frequently do so after cubs are about 1.5 months old.
Tigresses usually leave their cubs behind while hunting, but begin taking them to kills when they reach about 3 months in age [3].
• Weaning occurs at three to six months, but cubs are dependent on their mother until they become proficient hunters themselves,
when they reach 18 months to 3 years old. Young tigers must learn to stalk, attack, and kill prey from their mother.
• Male tigers do not provide parental care.
Conservation
• Use & Trade: In the 1940's, the Amur tiger population hit an all time low, where it was estimated that only 20-30 individuals
remained. This was due to widespread hunting for their skins and because cubs were being taken from the wild to supply zoos
around the world. However in 1947, Russia outlawed tiger hunting and the population began to recover [1].
• Threats: In the wild, low genetic diversity threatens these tiger populations. However, due to the success of the Species Survival
Plan implemented by zoos such as the Brandywine Zoo, genetic diversity is very high among captive populations.
o Conflicts arise when tigers prey upon livestock and upon people's dogs. This often leads to local people taking matters
into their own hands and illegally killing tigers [1].
o Poaching Tiger parts – like their skin, bones and meat – also fetch a high price on the illegal wildlife market, providing
another incentive to hunt these cats [1].
o Habitat loss Tiger forests are at risk from logging, conversion to agriculture, urban expansion, road construction,
mining, fires, and inadequate law enforcement [2]. Tiger habitat is under threat in the Russian Far East due to
uncontrolled burning, unsustainable use of forest resources, and wide-scale logging concessions, where the development
of roads risk fragmenting the landscape, and where tigers fall victim to logging trucks [1].
o The tigers' wild prey like elk, wild boar, and sika deer, have also been overhunted by people, which in this remote area
serve as a primary source of protein for humans. If wild prey are managed sustainably, habitat is protected, and people
have the tools to take better care of their livestock, conflict situations can be avoided, and people and Amur tigers
can share a future together in the Russian Far East. [1]
•
Predators: Tigers are at the top of the food chain and have no dedicated natural predators. Humans are the only true predators of
adult tigers.
Did You Know?/Fun Facts
• Each stripe pattern is different on each cat- as unique as our fingerprints
• Their eyesight is six times greater than a humans
• They eat about 20 lbs. of meat in one sitting
• Indigenous peoples of the Russian Far East forbid killing the tiger, whom they called Amba, and
considered that a meeting with the striped cat was a sign of bad luck [3].
• The Chinese character ‘Wang,’ which means king, was modeled after the stripes found on the tiger’s
forehead.
• The feline formerly known as...Amur tigers live in a region surrounding the Amur River in eastern Asia. The Amur River runs
through parts of Russia, China, and North Korea. Amur tigers used to be called Siberian tigers because they were found in a small
part of the Siberian region of eastern Russia. Now they are officially known as Amur tigers to more accurately describe where they
live (in the wilds of China, Russia, Siberia, and Manchuria) [6].
Glossary: List of definitions of the most important recurrent technical terms used in the text.
Chuff- or ‘chuffing’ is a low-frequency vocalization made by some species of wild cats, including tigers and leopards, equivalent to
the purring found in domesticated cats. The animal's mouth is mostly closed and it blows through the nostrils, producing a
breathy snort. This sound is non-threatening and often used when two big cats encounter each other on neutral territory, or
between courting pairs. Mothers use it to their cubs as a form of reassurance. It has been known for wild cats in captivity to use
this sound to familiar zoo keepers. Also known as prusten, which is a German word meaning to sneeze or snort.
Ocelli – can be a simple eye, single lens, or false eye spot on an animal. Latin for ‘little eye.’
References
[1] Panthera, "Tiger Subspecies," Panthera, 2014. [Online]. Available: http://www.panthera.org/node/59. [Accessed October 2014].
[2] World Wildlife Fund, "Amur Tiger Overview," World Wildlife Fund, 2014. [Online]. Available:
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/amur-tiger. [Accessed October 2014].
[3] Wildlife Conservation Society, "WCS Russia-Amur Tiger," Wildlife Conservation Society, 2014. [Online]. Available:
http://www.wcsrussia.org/en-us/wildlife/amurtiger.aspx. [Accessed October 2014].
[4] Wikipedia, "Siberian Tiger," Wikipedia, 2014. [Online]. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_tiger. [Accessed October
2014].
[5] Brookfield Zoo, "Amur Tiger," Brookfield Zoo, 2014. [Online]. Available: http://brookfieldzoo.org/CZS/Brookfield/Exhibit-andAnimal-Guide/Fragile-Hunters/Amur-Tiger. [Accessed October 2014].
[6] National Geographic, "Siberian Tiger," National Geographic, 2014. [Online]. Available:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/siberian-tiger/. [Accessed October 2014].