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Subspecies

Index | The Basics | Where Do They Live? | Extinction | Links

There are 8 subspecies of tiger (3 of which are now extinct).
Bengal | Indochinese | Sumatran | Siberian | South China
Javan | Caspian | Bali

Click on pictures to see see them at their original size.



Bengal (AKA Indian or Royal Bengal) - Panthera tigris tigris
Length: 8'8" - 10'2" (male); 7'11" - 8'7" (female)
Weight: 419 - 569 lbs (male); 221 - 353 lbs (female)
Bengal tigers are the most common of the five remaining tiger subspecies. In fact, there are more Bengal tigers than there are Indochinese, Sumatran, Siberian, and South China tigers combined. All white tigers are Bengals. White tigers are not albino and their coloring is not for camouflage - it's caused by their genes. They have white fur with chocolate brown stripes and blue eyes (although there are several variations). ^
White Tiger
Picture from Eye on the Tiger
Indochinese - Panthera tigris corbetti
Length: 8'5" - 9'4" (male); 7'7" - 8'8" (female)
Weight: 330 - 430 lbs (male); 221 - 287 lbs (female)
Indochinese tigers are darker in color than Bengal tigers and their stripes are closer together. Very little is known about them. ^
Sumatran - Panthera tigris sumatrae
Length: 7'3" - 8'8" (male); 7'1" - 7'7" (female)
Weight: 221 - 309 lbs (male); 165 - 243 lbs (female)
Sumatran tigers are the smallest of the 5 living subspecies of tigers. They also have the darkest coats. They have broad, black stripes that are closely spaced and often doubled. Their forelegs are striped, unlike the Siberian tiger. ^
Siberian (AKA Amur, Ussuri, Manchurian, or Northeast China) - Panthera tigris altaica
Length: 8'8" - 10'9" (male); 7'11" - 9' (female)
Weight: 419 - 675 lbs (male); 221 - 368 lbs (female)
Siberian tigers are the largest of the tiger subspecies. Their coloring is paler than the coloring of other tigers and they have widely spaced brown stripes. ^
South China (AKA Amoy or Chinese) - Panthera tigris amoyensis
Length: 7'7" - 8'7" (male); 7'3" - 7'11" (female)
Weight: 287 - 386 lbs (male); 221 - 254 lbs (female)
South China Tiger
Picture from the Tiger Information Center
 South China tigers are the most endangered of the five remaining subspecies. They are considered to be the evolutionary antecedent of all tigers. They are one of the smallest subspecies and their short broad stripes are relatively far apart. ^
Javan - Panthera tigris sondaica
Length: 8'1" (male); female data not available
Weight: 221 - 311 lbs (male); 165 - 254 lbs (female)
The Javan tiger was last seen in the early 70's. Because it is extinct, very little is known about it. ^
Caspian - Panthera tigris virgata
Length: 8'8" - 9'8" (male); 7'11" - 8'6" (female)
Weight: 374 - 529 lbs (male); 187 - 298 lbs (female)
The Caspian tiger has been extinct since the early 70's (some say as early as the 50's). Its looks were similar to the Bengal's. ^
Bali - Panthera tigris balica
Length: 7'3" - 7'7" (male); 6'3" - 6'11" (female)
Weight: 198 - 221 lbs (male); 143 - 176 lbs (female)
The last Bali tiger was believed to have been killed in 1937. The Bali tiger was the smallest of all 8 subspecies of tiger. It was dark orange and had fewer stripes than the other subspecies. ^

Index | The Basics | Where Do They Live? | Extinction | Links

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