Unique Features ||
Stripes! Sumatran tigers are the smallest of the five remaining sub-species of tiger. Their stripes are also narrower than other tiger species. They have short powerful legs, huge paws and a large powerful jaw.
Social Behaviour ||
Tigers are solitary animals with male and female only coming together for mating. Babies stay with their mother and have no contact with their father.
Diet ||
Tigers are large carnivores, and will prey on almost anything that moves, but they prefer larger prey such as wild deer or pigs.
Reproduction ||
Tigers reach sexual maturity at around three-four years of age. Gestation lasts about three months, after which one-six blind and helpless cubs are born. Mortality is quite high in the wild, although tiger mothers are very protective. The mother teaches the babies to hunt and take care of themselves, but they will stay with her for about three years.
Life Cycle ||
Tigers can live for up to 15 years.
Relatives ||
Sumatran tigers are closely related to the other tiger species. They were most closely related to the other Indonesian tiger subspecies the Javan and Balinese, but these are both now extinct.
The world's Tiger Sub-species
Balinese: Extinct. Last reported sighting 1937
Caspian: Probably extinct. Last seen 1970's
Javan: Probably extinct. Last seen 1970's
South-Chinese: Near extinction 30-35 remain
Siberian: 500 remain in Amur river area
Sumatran: 300-500 remain in Sumatra
Indo-Chinese: 1000-1500 remain in Burma to Malaysia
Bengal: 3000-4000 remain in India and surrounding areas
Interesting Facts :
- There are only a few hundred Sumatran tigers left in the wild, and without help they may become extinct within 10 years.
- Webbing between their toes enables the Sumatran tiger to be very efficient and fast swimmer. If given the chance the tiger will run hoofed prey into the water where the animal is at a much greater disadvantage because they cannot swim well with their long thin legs.
- Like a human fingerprint, no two tigers have the same pattern of stripes on their coats!
- Tigers are excellent swimmers and can easily cross rivers and lakes 3.7-5 miles (6-8 km) wide!
- Tigers fail at least 90% of the time in catching prey during hunts!
- Length: Males: 2.4 meters, Females: 2.2 meters
Weight: Males: 120 kilograms, Females: 90 kilograms
- As an example of size difference, the Siberian Tigers weigh around 300kg.
Breeding Programme ||
At Wellington Zoo our Sumatran tigers are part of an international breeding programme aimed at preventing their extinction.
Environmental Conditions ||
Sumatran tigers are critically endangered due to destruction of their natural habitat. They are also illegally hunted for their skins and body parts.
Tiger body parts are worth a great deal on the black market for oriental medicines. There is also a market for skins and stuffed animals. Poachers only receive a fraction of the eventual profit but it is often more than they could make by other methods. Between 1975 and 1992 over six tonnes of tiger bones were imported into South Korea, which represents between 500-1,000 Tigers.
At Wellington Zoo ||
We currently have one female and one male Sumatran tiger at Wellington Zoo. We cannot breed from these animals as they are mother and son.
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