Anatomy and Physiology

Weight: Tigers are sexual dimorphic, females are on average 275-400 pounds and males are 400 to 600 pounds. However male tigers can get as big as 800 pounds.
The differences in anatomy between tiger subspecies is not genetic, rather it is due to the environment selecting for various characteristics. This is why tiger measurements across sub-species are approximations.

Length: Depending on the gender, the head-body length of a tiger is about 1.4-2.8 m. The length of the tail is 90-120 cm.Shoulder Height: 36-42 inches

Claws: Tiger claws are retractable usually are between 3.5 - 4 inches though.There are five claws (including the dew-claw) on the forefeet, and four claws (no dew claw) on the hind feet.Tigers sharpen their claws by scraping them on tree bark. The scratch marks left on trees also serve as territorial markers against other tigers.

Eyes:Tigers have round pupils and yellow irises (white Bengal tigers have blue irises) (source: 5tigers.org).An adaptive trait that tigers have is called a tapedum (humans don't have this trait but several other species have this; especially nocturnal animals). It reflects light back to the retina and causes a tiger's eyes to 'glow' in the dark and is responsible for their strong night vision which is approx. six times better than humans. Tigers do not have good color vision. They lack a type of cell(cones)that allows them to see color, but in turn have more of another type of cell(rods) which allows them to see better at low light levels.

Fur:The tell-tale orange coat with black stripes covers most of the body. However, the stomach is white. Additionally, white tigers do not have stripes on their stomachs as well.A tiger's black stripes act as camouflage which aides in hunting. The pattern of stripes gives each tiger his/her own distinctive appearance.Tigers fur length is ~7 to 20 mm on the back and ~15 to 35 mm on the stomach.

Tail:Averages around 36 inches in length Like in all other tailed animals, a tiger's tail is utilized in maintaining balance while running, turning, and navigating in high areas. A tiger's tale, along with is face, can help display a tiger's mood.

Teeth:An adult tiger has 30 teethLike other animal, tigers have incisors, canines, premolars, and molars.Depending on the type of tooth, the size can vary from > 1 inch to 3 inches (canine teeth being the longest)

Whiskers: A tiger's whiskers are sensitive and are used as sensory preceptors. A tiger's whiskers average around 15 cm, and are around 3.0 mm thick at the base. Male whiskers are typically longer than female's.

Lifespan: Around 15 years in the wild (up to 25 years in captivity).Sexual maturity: 3-4 years

Number of young: 1 to 5 (usually has 2-3 cubs per pregnancy).Social Life Tigers are solitary animals who usually live on their own. A group of tigers is called a “streak”, which is usually a small group consisting of a mother and her cubs.

Gestation: 95-112 daysBirth: Tiger cubs are initially blind when they are born (like humans and most other animals) and weigh approximately two-three pounds (one kilogram.

Development: For the first six-eight weeks, cubs are dependent on their mother's milk. Eight weeks after birth, cubs will start joining their mother in hunting. At six months, their mother will usually break the legs or injure their prey so the cubs can learn how to kill it.

Adolescence: Tigers have fully developed canines by 16 months of age, but they do not begin making their own kills until about 18 months of age.

Maturation: Cubs are raised by their mother and stay with her for approximately 2 years. During this time, they will learn how to hunt as well as acquire other behavioral traits such as grooming and sharpening their claws.

Adulthood: After 1.5 years, tigers have the ability to sustain themselves.