Malayan Tiger - Panthera tigris jacksoni
Class: Mammalia (Mammals)
Order:
Carnivora
Family:
Felidae
Genus:
Panthera
Species:
Tigris
Subspecies:
- Tigris (Bengal or Indian)
- Corbetti (Indochinese)
- Jacksoni (Malaysian)
Small pockets of Asia.
Habitat:
Tropical rain forest, snow-covered coniferous and deciduous
forests, mangrove swamps and drier forest areas.
Diet:
Meat, carcasses. The Malayan tiger was given "totally protected" status in 1976 – it could be hunted as a game species prior to that. But 30 years later, it remains in a perilous state. Although the Department of Wildlife insists that tiger numbers, around 500, are not dwindling and still form a viable population, threats have not really eased. Across its range, this magnificent animal is being persecuted. Today, tigers are poisoned, shot, trapped and snared, and the majority of these animals are hunted to meet the demands of a continuing illegal wildlife trade. Hunters, traders, and poor local residents whose main means of subsistence comes from the forest, are wiping out the tiger and the natural prey upon which it depends. While poaching for trade continues to menace the tiger's survival, perhaps the greatest long-term threats are the loss of habitat and the depletion of the tiger's natural prey. Large commercial plantations have replaced a lot of tiger habitat in several tropical range countries.
Interesting Facts:
- Each tiger has its very own stripe pattern. Researchers who observe tigers can identify individuals by their unique stripes!
- Tigers use their claws to mark their territory by scratching on trees. Conveniently, this also sharpens the claws.