Tiger

Why in news?

• A picture of a siberian tigress hugging a tree has won the top prize at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020 awards

About Tigers:

• The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest extant cat species and a member of the genus Panthera.
• Around 9 subspecies are reported most important of which are Sumatran Tiger, Amur (or Siberian) tiger, Indian (or Bengal) tiger etc.
• Some sub species like Bali tiger are believed to be extinct.
• India is home to the world's largest population of wild tigers with estimated 2967 tigers in 2019, followed by Russia.
• The tiger is the national animal of India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and South Korea.

Habitat and character:

• It is an apex predator who is territorial and generally a solitary but social predator.
• Tigers require large contiguous areas of habitat, which support its requirements for prey and rearing of its offspring.
• There is a notable sexual dimorphism between male and female tigers, with the females being consistently smaller.
• When not subject to human disturbance, the tiger is mainly diurnal ie active in the day. But nocturnal hunting is also observed regularly.
• Tiger is a strong swimmer and often bathes in ponds, lakes and rivers, thus keeping cool in the heat of the day.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding Tigers:
1.They are the largest extent cat species.
2.India has the largest population of wild tigers in the world.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question