How much stripes do tigers have

The stripes and the orange fur serve as a camouflage jacket for the tigers. This specifically helps them to perfectly blend within the plantation, whereas; the prey usually has no idea whether a predator is ambushing or not.

The prey believes it is the movement of the branches and keeps on grazing. The prey also fails to recognize the size of the tigers and the tigers' stripes play a big role in this regard. This way the tiger keeps getting closer and closer to the prey and upon reaching the suitable distance it lunges forward to make a successful kill. Therefore; the stripes of the tigers also make them a stealth hunter and when the stealth mode is on, the prey has very little chance to survive.

Similarly; in order to attack a trespassing tiger or a leopard, the tiger again utilizes its camouflaging ability to deliver a sneak attack. Apart from hunting, the stripes also serve a great hiding tool for the tigers within the forest. Even though tigers are at the top of the food chain in the forest, they do face threats from the poachers and the rival big cats. The stripes help the animal to stay hidden while it becomes very hard for the poachers and hunters to track them within the dense plantation.

Tigers have the fearful reputation of killing more numbers of hunters and poachers than any other big cats in the wild. Similarly; the young juvenile tigers stay hidden within the forest from the threats of the male tigers and other predators. Another very important fact about the tigers' stripes is their uniqueness. Each and every tiger has its own specific pattern of stripes on the fur. No two tigers have the same pattern of stripes and there is always a difference of pattern of stripes within them.

This is the key reason that the animal researchers relate the stripes of the tigers to the human finger prints because they are not only unique but different from one another. The difference of the stripes within the tigers also means that one can easily differentiate one tiger from another on the basis of their stripes.

An interesting fact about tigers' stripes is about their color variations on the basis of fur color. Usually; the tigers have black colored stripes, however; some other color variants within the tigers' stripes have also been found.

At least three colors of the tiger stripes have so far been identified which include the black stripes, the brown stripes and the white stripes of the off-white stripes. For example the tigers which have orange fur have black stripes and the tigers with white fur also have black stripes. Similarly; the pure white tigers also have stripes but their stripes are white or off-white in color. Finally; the golden tabby tigers have brown colored stripes on their fur.

When tigers stalk their prey, usually in the murky light of dusk or dawn, they are nearly invisible. Whether they live in grasslands, forests or jungles, wild tigers have deep orange coats with dark stripes. So how does such a brightly colored animal stay concealed well enough to hunt successfully?

They are carnivores — they eat meat — and they rely on stealth to hunt successfully. It helps them see better in dim light, but it also makes them vulnerable. Their vertical stripes, which range from brown to black, are an example of what biologists call disruptive coloration.

Tigers are solitary cats that rely on stealth and camouflage to survive. Stripes even vary among the six tiger subspecies. The Sumatran tiger subspecies has much narrower stripes than the others and has more of them. This helps it stay hidden in its dense jungle home. No two are the same. Their reasoning is that all white tigers in this country today are descendants of Mohini, a white tiger who was a direct descendant of Mohan, the first known captive white tiger.

Mohini was brought to this country in , and was the result of extensive inbreeding. The inbreeding continued here, and as a result, many of the white tiger cubs today are born with debilitating deformities, and must be destroyed.

Those who grow into adulthood often suffer from hip and back problems, weakened immune systems and crossed eyes. See the White Tigers of Rewa. But many believe there is another bloodline of white tigers in this country, myself included.

And if this can be proven, we should not allow white tigers to become extinct until we know more about the first tigers, and their true colors. There must be a reason they are white. At Tiger Haven, we have learned from the different colors of tigers here, and from other experts, that the cats of different colors have different characteristics and disposition traits associated with each color.

What is this an indication of? We do know that the larger of many species are the gentler, i. Is it possible that the larger has fewer enemies and therefore less reason for ferocity?

And if this is true, what is the significance of the different traits of different colored tigers? Even though white tigers are born from pure Bengal tigers, they are always larger and have more fur. So the gene group that produces white tigers also make them more adaptable for cold weather. White tigers always have blue eyes.

Lighter colors reflect light better. Could this help the white tiger to see their prey better when the sunlight is reflecting off the snow? The scientific communities are constantly replacing what was thought to be fact with new fact. It was taught as true yesterday, but something else is true today. It is my position that no color of tiger be allowed or forced to become extinct until we know more about why there are different colors in the first place.

It is possible that in the white tiger we are seeing a tiger that is much older than those swiftly becoming extinct in the wild. What about the Siberian tigers? They still live in the cold country," you exclaim. But what do we know about the Siberian tigers? They are larger and very distinct from the other subspecies.

They have more fur and are usually darker in color. They are thinner when seen from the front or rear. They have a knot on the back of their head that looks like someone placed an egg under their scalp. They usually have more white around their eyes and a gentle, teddy-bear look to their face.

But, of course, we don't know what we don't know. Russia has only recently allowed any significant study on the tigers there. When did the Siberian tiger arrive in Siberia?

Was it before, or after the species' coats became predominately orange? Extremely rare, and strikingly beautiful, the golden tiger, or golden tabby as it is often called, in a unique and individual color in its own right.

They range in color from light gold to reddish gold. Their stripes are cinnamon colored rather than black. The first appearance of the golden tiger in captivity was in , when an unusual cub was born to Croatian born Dr. Josip Marcan. Marcan had over thirty years experience in tiger husbandry at that time, and is considered an international authority on tiger behavior and husbandry today.

The cub was born from standard colored Bengal tigers. There were two cubs in the litter, one standard and the golden cub.