There are only a small quantity of white tigers in
existence and present numbers are put in the region of 500. With the
inevitable inbreeding problems a debate continually rages over the wisdom of
breeding this animal. White tigers, white lions, white peacocks, none are
representative of their wild populations.
Habits: Unlike some big cats like lions, adult tigers like to live
alone (except for mother tigers with cubs). This is partly because in the
forest, a single tiger can sneak up and surprise its prey better than a
group of tigers can.
Range and Habitat: The size of a tiger's territory depends on the
amount of food available, and usually ranges from about 10 to 30 square
miles (26-78 sq. km). Siberian tigers sometimes have really big territories
(as large as 120 square miles). Although tigers usually live alone, tiger
territories can overlap. A male tiger's territory usually overlaps those of
several female tigers. Today only about 5,000-7,000 wild tigers live across
Asia. The past and present ranges of the remaining five tiger subspecies are
illustrated. The northernmost living tiger, the Amur or Siberian tiger,
lives primarily in southeastern Russia. The South China tiger occurs only in
southern China. The range of the Indochinese tiger extends across most of
Southeast Asia. The Bengal tiger is found primarily in India, while the
Sumatran tiger is restricted to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The Bali,
Caspian, and Javan tigers have become extinct in the past 70 years.
White Tigers - Adaptations:
White tigers have some special adaptations, which help them survive in the
wild. For instance, the stripes on the tiger's body help them to become
invisible in the tall grass and trees. White tigers have extremely strong
jaws and teeth, which are very helpful in catching their prey.
White tigers have a very strong sense of smell, and their eyesight is
rather sharp. Bengal tigers are excellent swimmers. Their coat protects them
in cold and hot weather.
White Tigers - Social Structure:
Bengal tigers lead a solitary way of life. Both males and females mark
territories. However, the male's territory is several times as large as the
female's. White tigers occasionally travel in groups of 3 or 4. The group
usually consists of mother with sub-adult children.
