Amur tigers are the largest cat species in the world. Built for a cold climate, they have thick coats with a ruff of fur around their necks, as well as extra fur on their paws that act like built-in “snow boots”. The stripe pattern is unique to each individual tiger. No two tigers have the same stripes, just like how no two humans have the same fingerprints. They also have the largest canine teeth of any carnivorous land mammal.
Amur tigers like their space. They are generally solitary in the wild, only coming together for mating purposes. Males and females mark territory by spraying a strong-smelling mixture of glandular secretion and urine. Tigers have individual territories that can be as large as 1,600 square miles. Adults are not necessarily hostile towards each other, with the exception of a mother with cubs towards a male tiger.
It is estimated that only 350 to 450 Amur tigers survive in the wild. Besides being reduced in number, their range has also been reduced. Once, they lived throughout much of Siberia and surrounding areas, and for this reason they were often called Siberian tigers. Today, they are no longer found in Siberia or called by that name. They are only found in the Amur River Valley, hence the name Amur tiger.
The Blank Park Zoo supports the Tiger Conservation Campaign through financial means as well as helping with education efforts so that tigers will be around for many years to come. The Tiger Conservation Campaign is a conservation program that is working on gathering resources, research, and information about the diseases that affect tigers and are trying to find ways to prevent disease outbreak. They are also working on anti-poaching efforts, tiger-themed education and outreach while trying to combat wildlife crime and human conflict.
CONNECT to the WILD
Learn more about our conservation efforts through our HOPE for the WILD conservation series. You will have the opportunity to learn from zoo staff, field researchers, and other conservation partners on the importance of working together to save animals in the wild from extinction.