Perhaps the most famous types of tigers are the Siberian, Bengal, and White tigers. Whilst they all share many characteristics, their looks are quite different and they are found in varying locations.
Take a look at the difference between these subspecies of Big Cat.
The Siberian Tiger
Also referred to as the Amur, Altaic, Korean, Manchurian, or North China tiger, the Siberian is so named due to its preferred habitat in the far eastern regions of Siberia.
The Amur tiger is the largest of all tiger subspecies with a body of 190 to 230 cm in length and an average weight of 227 kg. As the giants of the tiger species, a Siberian tiger is often as big as a mature leopard at birth.
The cold environment of its home necessitates a thick fur coat. The fur is pale gold intersected by darker, vertical stripes.
Siberian tigers inhabit a fairly continuous range of area in Siberia, the largest undivided population globally. The last count of their numbers put them at a population of 450 to 500 in the wild.
The Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is sometimes called the Royal Bengal tiger. It is the most common of all subspecies, living in India and Bangladesh, for the most part. The Bengal tiger thrives in a variety of habitats, from dry deciduous forests to tropical rainforests.
Bengal tigers are slightly smaller than Bengals, averaging just over 200 kg, although the population in Nepal and northern India tend to be heavier.
The number of Bengal tigers in the wild is rapidly dwindling. The latest estimates place their population at about 1,400 which is a 60% decrease in the last ten years alone. Poaching is the greatest threat to the Bengal tiger’s survival.
White Tigers
White tigers are not a subspecies of tiger; rather this rare colouration comes from a genetic mutation that occurs naturally in approximately one of every 10,000 births. Only Bengal tigers present this recessive gene; in fact, all white tigers are at least partly Bengal.
White tigers are popular zoo attractions and they have been specifically bred in captivity in order to capitalise on their appearance with the lack of pigmentation in the coat, a pink nose, and blue eyes.
It is never healthy to encourage inbreeding, however, and steps are currently being taken to encourage the mating of white tigers with the more common orange-furred tigers. The danger of inbreeding is epitomised by such health problems as cleft palates, scoliosis, and crossed eyes. Even if they are born healthy, their lifespan is shorter than that of normal-hued tigers.
Truly, there is no difference between a White and a Bengal tiger; only the Siberian and Bengal tigers are true subspecies.
Find out more about tigers, including the different tiger species and WWF’s Conservation Efforts.