This majestic beast has a few famous names: Amur, Ussuri, Russian far East and Siberian tiger.
Bright appearance, strength and power made him an object of veneration of the peoples of Priamurye and Primorye, but did not protect from the risk of extinction.
Appearance
The Amur tiger is the largest cat with bright thick hair. Graceful elongated body of the animal with powerful legs from nose to tip of tail is longer than 3 meters. The height of the animal at the withers more than 1 meter. Head massive, rounded, with short ears and deadly threat 8-inch fangs. The male weighs on average up to 250 pounds. Females are smaller, up to 167 pounds. Grow tigers all my life. There are some adults more than 300 pounds.
The coat color is orange, and the belly is white, with dark transverse bands. Descriptions and photographs of the beast confirm the pattern on the skin is unique.
The winter fur is lighter, longer and thicker than in summer. From the cold Siberian tiger protects a thick layer of fat. It allows, without harm to health to arrange prone on the snow and to survive in the harsh climate with extremes of temperatures.
In the natural habitat of the giant Siberian cat lives about 15 years, in captivity up to 20-25 years.
The territory of the
Where does the Amur tiger live? The territory of the Northern tiger – Primorsky and Khabarovsk Krai, overgrown with cedars and oaks of the valley on the far Eastern shores of the mighty river of the Amur river and its right tributary the Ussuri river.
The sixth part of the population lives in the foothills of the Sikhote-Alin. Because the animal listed in the Red book, the whole area of its distribution is under strict control.
Found the Amur tiger in northeast China in Manchuria. According to some estimates, there lives about ten percent of the population. For killing the beast in this country the death penalty.
Hunting and diet
To feed the Ussuri tiger needs a huge area. In males it reaches an area of 800 square meters, females 500 square meters. Cat have a lot of time on the hunt, constantly moving. On the day you need to eat 8-10 kg of meat. Without food the beast can hold up to 3 weeks.
What eats the Siberian tiger?
The basis of the diet are:
- deer;
- deer;
- boars;
- moose.
In the absence of major casualties it feeds on birds, mice, fish.
Hunt the beast at night. He has a well developed sense organs, acute color vision. Hunter gets on all fours to the victim through the pads on the feet almost silently, and at the right time makes a sharp jump up to 20 meters. The prey dragged to the water, while fiercely drives the competitors. Eats lying down, holding the carcass of powerful paws.
If the attack failed, big cat retreats and does not retry. After a short rest, goes in search of a new victim. Amur beast has quite a developed larynx. This allows him to mimic the mating cries of the deer, luring them into a trap.
The beast does not attack a victim if they have food. Eschews the localities only in exceptional cases, to attack humans. In case of shortage of food it can become a victim of domestic cattle, dogs.
Behaviors
Huge Siberian cat is easily moved through the snow and reaches a speed of 50 kilometers per hour. A day Siberian tiger is up to 40 kilometers. He can swim , and can cross the pond in a few kilometers. Ussuri cats prefer the same trails, change the routes only because of lack of production.
Animal carefully protects the territory of hunting and does not allow competitors. Meeting with other individuals of the male sex rarely leads to a fight. To clarify the relationship enough of a show of force and aggressive roar. The loser goes.
Their possession of the far Eastern wild cat marks with urine abundantly, and claws scratching the bark of trees. This stands on his hind legs. Band find at a height of over 2 metres.
Males are solitary, females may associate in small groups. Striped orange beauties are polygamous. The breeding period covers the end of winter. After 3-4 months the female gives birth to 4 blind kittens.
Already in 2 months, the mother brings them meat to sample. Gradually the tigress is teaching the cubs to hunt. They become independent after 2 years. Tiger parenting is not involved.
Population decline
In the animal world Siberian tiger has no enemies. This powerful animal is able to cope with any competitor, even a bear. To kill the big cat was able only people.
A brief excursion into history shows that in the XX century the number of tigers has dropped dramatically, to 40 years reached the level of 30-40 individuals.
Causes of extinction are:
- hunting and poaching;
- the shortage of fodder;
- the destruction of natural habitats.
Fortunately, people were able to stop in time. Was completely banned hunting of the Amur tiger, the reserve has been established, the species listed in the Red book.
The problem of the extinction of tigers has received wide publicity. Amur tiger often devote stories to the media, students learn a brief description of the animal on the lessons of natural history.
According to the latest census, in 2015 in Russia there were more than 500 individuals. About the same species living in zoos around the world. In the far East conducted a study of tiger. Animals wear collars with beacons that allow you to record every step in the vast territory. Through the implementation of the strategy for the protection of the Amur tiger was able to stop the extinction of the subspecies, but Amur tigers to exclude from the red book yet.
