Notes

The Siberian Tiger, the biggest cat in the world, is endangered. Its scientific name is Panthers Tigris Altaica. Ears are very important. A Siberian tiger can hear from miles around. That is how they can tell if danger is coming. If they go deaf, they won't be able to survive! Did you know that the Siberian tiger is so endangered that it might be extinct by the year 2000? The Siberian tiger is the biggest cat in the world. It uses its red, orange, black and whit fur to camouflage itself. In the winter, the Siberian tiger turns white. The male, from the head to the tail, is about 9 feet long. The height is about 3 1/2 feet at the shoulder. The female, from head to the tail, is about 8 feet long. Their height is the same as the male. They usually spend a lot of time in their den. A Siberian tiger's job in the community is to keep the prey population down. The cold Siberian winters keep them down. The only way to survive is to grow an extra layer of fat and thicker fur. One way they clean themselves is by going swimming. Another way is by using their tongue. Their tongues are rough, so sometimes their fur gets stuck on their tongue and the get hairballs. Not counting humans, the Siberian tiger is on the top of the food chain. This tiger is a carnivore. It eats bear, lynx, boar, deer, elk, rabbits, hare, and fish. Siberian tigers only hunt in their territory, which goes on for miles. Once it catches its prey, the Siberian tiger eats it near the water. The Siberian tiger's average life span is about 25 years. A female is pregnant for about 3 months. Then she gives birth to a live cub. A female gives birth to a cub one at a time. At birth, the cubs are blind and helpless. The mother takes good care of her cubs for about 3 years. Once the mother teaches her cubs how to hunt and defend themselves, they leave her. The cubs usually stay together for a couple of years, then go on their own. Now that the cubs are on their own, they begin to mate. They give signs by leaving scratch marks on a tree. Siberian tigers have no natural enemies except for humans. If a tiger sees a human, it will attack. That's how it protects itself. Sometimes we kill it before it attacks us. We also destroy their homes and habitats. If we do kill them, we make coats out of their fur. No one really knows how long the Siberian tiger has been endangered. We only know that they are being killed for their fur. Buying fur coats can't save them. Lots of Siberian tigers are in zoos, but there isn't enough room for them to roam. The world understands that they need to be saved, so there are now laws making it illegal to kill them. People have also tried to breed them, but it is not working.