Tiger stripes:

Did you know that a tiger’s stripes are similar to a fingerprint, in that each tiger’s stripes are unique to the individual? Most tigers have somewhere in the vicinity of 100 stripes.

In a recent poll hosted by Animal Planet, tigers were named the world’s favorite animal when over 30% of the 50,000 poll participants from 73 countries voted for the striped felines out of ten choices.

Did you know these ten amazing facts about tigers?

1) A tigers canines (sharp teeth) can reach up to 4 inches long

2) Three of the nine subspecies of the modern tiger are now extinct and the remaining six are all classified as endangered species

3) The name 'tiger' is taken from the Greek word tigris, a derivative of the Persian word for arrow, referring to the animals great speed

4)Though tigers rarely form groups, when they do the proper name is a 'streak' of tigers

5) Of all the big cats, only the tiger and jaguar are strong swimmers; they can swim up to 4 miles, and have been observed dragging their prey across lakes

6) The oldest fossils of true tigers are dated at about 1.6-1.8 million years old

7) The striped pattern is also found on the skin of a tiger, thus if one were to be shaved it's unique camouflage pattern would remain

8) Like other big cats, tigers have a white spot on the back of their ears called an ocelli

9) A tiger's nightvision is 6 times stronger than those of a human

10) The South China Tiger is one of the top ten most endangered creatures in the world with not a single one being sighted between 1983 and 2007. With only 56 known South China Tigers in captivity (all derived from only a group of six original tigers) the genetic diversity required to maintain the subspecies may no longer exist, making it doomed to extinction. The three extinct subspecies of tigers were all wiped out in the 20th century

Did you know that the golden tabby or strawberry tiger is the only other verified color variation amongst tigers? (also only found in tigers which are at least part Bengal) these tigers have a much thicker fur and very faint orange stripes. Golden tabby tigers can carry the recessive gene for white tigers and when two such tigers are mated can produce a white stripeless cub.

Bits of knowledge ...

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• A tiger can usually expect a one in twenty success rate when       bringing down prey.

•  On average a tiger can eat up to 60 pounds of meat at one time.

•  After a feed, a tiger will usually bury the remaining animal    carcass in an attempt to hide it from scavengers, and then exhume it for its next meal.

•  All tigers have a similar marking on their forehead, which resembles the Chinese symbol Wang, (King)

•  A tiger can go two to three days without eating.

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•  A tiger can spend up to eighteen hours sleeping.

•  Tigers reach maturity and are ready for mating at the age of  three.

•  Tiger cubs are blind at birth.

•  A tiger cub can gain 100 grams in weight per day.

•  Tiger cubs play fight with their siblings, which enables them to   gain strength and speed.

•  The tail gives the tiger extra balance when running and is also used to communicate to other tigers.

•  The tendons in a tiger's leg are so strong that it has been known to remain standing after it has been shot dead.

•  The tiger is revered in Chinese mythology and is said to have      magical powers.

•  It is believed in Chinese mythology that the tiger can take human  form.

•  We could lose the wild tiger in as little as five years time.

•  The tiger has only one predator...MAN!

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More about tigers ....

Hunting

     The tiger hunts alone, usually between dusk and dawn, travelling 6 to 20 miles in a night in search of prey. A typical predatory sequence includes a slow, silent stalk until the tiger is 30 to 35 feet from its prey, followed by a lightening fast rush to close the gap. The tiger grabs the animal in its forepaws, brings it to the ground, and finally kills the animal with a bite to the neck or throat. After dragging the carcass to a empty spot, the tiger eats.

    A tiger eats 33 to 40 pounds of meat in an average night, and must kill about once per week.

Tigers are considered to be one of the most fascinating creatures out there in the world. There is a great deal of information to learn about them so get ready to explore some wonderful tiger facts. They will help you to gain more insight about the lives and even the future for these animals.

1. Every single tiger in the world has their own distinct pattern of stripes. This is one of the easiest ways to tell them apart from each other. These stripes are used to help the tiger to hide in their natural environment though so they can sneak up on their prey.

2. They largest of the tiger subspecies is the Siberian Tiger.

3. There are 6 subspecies of tigers left in the world and 3 more are known to be extinct.

The remaining 6 subspecies of tigers are all classified as endangered species.

4. All subspecies of tigers are extremely territorial.

5. Tigers are loners. They are most of the time loners with exception of when they are courting, mating, or raising their offspring in case of females.

6. Tiger means "arrow". The word tiger came from the greek work "tigris", which is derived from a Persian word that means arrow, probably the name came to be due to the comparison between the speed of the animal and an arrow, or because of the Tigris river.

7. Tigers are 2 million years old. The oldest fossil remains of tigers are believed to be about 2 million years old. They were found in various areas of China.

8. Bengal Tigers are seriously endangered. There are believed to be less than 2,000 Bengal tigers left in the world. However they are not the most endangered of the subspecies, being the South China Tiger the subspecies with less individuals left.

9. Tiger mix. There are some types of hybrid tigers out there. Most of them have been breed in captivity rather than engaging in this on their own in the wild. What is known as the liger is a cross between a lion and a tiger. A tigon is a cross of a female lion and a male tiger. Most of the time the males of these two hybrids are sterile but the females can breed successfully. The creation of such hybrids is still very common in zoos throughout China.

10. White tigers are result of a genetic mutation. White tigers are extremely rare in the wild. Both parents must have a mutated gene in order for this coloring to occur. They are often bred for this coloring in zoos but the result is a great deal of inbreeding. This is why white tigers are more likely to develop severe health problems as well as physical deformities than other types of tigers.

11. The Maltese Tiger. The Maltese tiger or Blue tiger features a black and blue coloring. Most of the Maltese Tiger are known to be South Chinese Subspecies, which is the most critically endangered subspecies.

12. Tigers have not an easy life. It may surprise you that these calculated hunters only make the kill in 1 out of every 20 attempts.

13. Tigers are great swimmers. Tigers are excellent swimmers and are often found during the day relaxing in ponds, streams, and rivers. They seek out water to cool off during hot days and they are even capable to carry prey through water.

14. Some Tigers are human killers. Tigers have killed more humans than any other cat in the world. This has probably obey to the fact that humans have invaded their habitat.

15. Some Tigers are famous. Tigger from the Winnie the Pooh series is one of the most well recognized tigers in the world. Millions of dollars are made annually from the sales of toys, games, and shows featuring this character.

16. Tigers are very popular. The tiger was recently named the favorite animal of people through a poll conducted by Animal Planet. The dog was the animal closest to this top ranking.

17. Tigers size depend on their habitat. Tigers in the North are larger than those in the South based on their range of habitat and the size of the prey they have available to them. By the same token tigers in the North have lighter coloring than those living in the South.

18. A tiger can leap forward up to 33 feet at a time.

19. Tigresses are smaller than the males in each subspecies.

20. It is estimated that there are 12,000 Tigers in captivity only in the US. This is more than the tigers registered in the wild. 

!!!!WOW THAT WAS REALLY GOOD INFO THANKS PAGANASDOG, AND HEAR ME ROAR THAT WAS A GOOD READ!!!!

:D