Tiger facts: size, stripes, range and conservation status

Are every tiger's stripes different?

Yes. Tigers are the only cats with stripes, and each tiger's pattern is unique, varying in the number, width and shape of stripes. Researchers use this to identify individual tigers in camera trap photos, which is the basis of many population surveys. Stripes break up the tiger's outline among grass, reeds and forest shadows. Our post why do tigers have stripes covers the science, including why an orange coat still works as camouflage.

White tigers are not a separate species or subspecies. They are a rare colour variant; according to the IUCN Cat Specialist Group, the last documented white tiger in the wild was shot in Bihar, India, in 1958.

How many tiger subspecies are there?

Traditionally six living subspecies were recognised: Amur (Russian Far East and northeastern China), South China (likely extinct in the wild), Northern Indochinese, Malayan, Sumatran and Bengal tigers. Three more, the Bali, Javan and Caspian tigers, are extinct.

Recent genetic studies propose just two subspecies: a mainland Asian form and a Sunda Islands form (Sumatra, and formerly Java and Bali). The IUCN Cat Specialist Group notes that tiger taxonomy is still under review, so you will see both systems used.

Do tigers live alone?

Adult tigers are solitary. Females hold territories where they raise cubs; males range more widely, and a male's territory often overlaps those of one to three females. Home range size depends on prey: in Nepal's Chitwan National Park female ranges average about 10 to 39 km², while in the Russian Far East female ranges can reach 100 to 400 km² and one male's range was measured at 1,379 km².

Cubs become independent at about 18 to 28 months. Tigers are strong swimmers and are at home in wet habitats such as the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans.

What do tigers eat?

Tigers mainly hunt large hoofed mammals such as chital, sambar, gaur and wild pig, usually by stalking close and ambushing. After a kill a tiger often drags the carcass into cover and returns to feed over several days. The IUCN Cat Specialist Group estimates that a tiger needs around 50 to 60 large prey animals a year, which is why prey depletion is as dangerous to tigers as direct poaching.

Where do tigers live?

Wild tigers survive with confirmed breeding in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia and Thailand. They use tropical and temperate forests, mangroves and grasslands, from steamy lowlands to snowy forests in the Russian Far East, as long as there is cover, water and enough prey. Less than 7 percent of the tiger's original range remains, and tigers have vanished from countries including Singapore, Iran, Vietnam, Lao PDR and Cambodia. There are no wild tigers in Africa.

How many tigers are left in the wild?

The latest IUCN assessment estimated 3,726 to 5,578 tigers (excluding cubs), with about 3,140 mature individuals. That compares with an estimated 100,000 at the start of the twentieth century. India holds a large share of the world's wild tigers.

In 2025 the first IUCN Green Status assessment for the tiger rated it Critically Depleted, while also finding that conservation work such as India's Project Tiger (launched in 1973) has prevented even greater losses. Poaching for skins and body parts, loss and fragmentation of forests, prey depletion and conflict with people remain the main threats. See big cat conservation for how these threats are being tackled.

Frequently asked questions

Is the tiger the biggest cat?

Yes. The tiger is the largest living cat species, at 75 to 325 kg, though size varies by population and big male lions can outweigh smaller tigers.

Are there tigers in Africa?

No. Wild tigers live only in Asia. Lions, leopards and cheetahs are Africa's big cats.

How many wild tigers are there?

The latest IUCN assessment estimated 3,726 to 5,578 wild tigers excluding cubs, with about 3,140 mature individuals.