Endangered Animals of the Taiga (Coniferous Forest)

(Some animals have more than one biome in which they make their homes.)

Siberian Tiger

Phylum/ Sub-phylum/ Class / Order/ Family Chordate/ Vertebrate/ Mammal/ Carnivore/ Feline
Range India, Manchuria, China and Indonesia
Biomes/Habitats The tiger's habitat has moderately dense cover to aid it in its hunting throughout the range of biomes below.
taiga ; savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest
Description Big cat; large paws; retractable claws; long tail; black stripes; with yellow-brown coat; white belly. White coat is an albino form of species.
Diet Prey includes deer species, wild pigs, guar, young elephants and rhinos, monkeys, birds, reptiles, fish; also eats carrion.
Number in the wild Tiger is one species; The Siberian Tiger is a subspecies. Fewer that 2,500 tigers survive in the wild.
Reason for status  ENDANGERED Habitat destruction, poaching, hunting for trophy skins and fashion products.
Protection Stripes and color are camouflage in thickets, long grasses or shrubs. White coat helps camouflage in snow. White tigers are rare in the wild.

Photo credits

Except where otherwise noted, all photos and illustrations are from Microsoft Clip Art, 2006.

Resources

Grizmek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, 2nd edition. Volume 12-16, Mammals I-V, edited by Michael Hutchins, Devra G. Kleiman, Valerius Geist, and Melissa C. McDade. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2003.

Jenkins, Steve. Almost Gone: The World's Rarest Animals. New York: Harper Collins, 2006.

Maynard, Thane. Saving Endangered Mammals: A Field Guide to Some of the Earth's Rarest Animals. New York:
Scholastic, 1992.

McLomans, David. Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet. New York: Walker, 2006.

Sinor, S.  "Panthera tigris" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed March 11, 2007 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Panthera_tigris.html. 2001.

cjf 3/10/07


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