There are about 1.3 million species of animals on Earth.

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Animals from A to Z

Birds from A to Z

Tigers

Let's learn about Tigers

The Tiger is the largest member of the cat family. Humans are the tiger's only predator, killing them for fur. These cats hunt alone and eat mainly deer, or other herbivores. They are among the number of animals at the top of the food chain.

However, the tigers are on the endangered species list. Their habitats have been destroyed, their species hunted. Many tiger species have become extinct even recently... the Javan Tiger in the 1980's, the Caspian in 1968, and the Balinese in the late 30's.

Tigers can live up to 20 years in a zoo and up to 15 in the wild... however, most tigers don't live that long in the wild. The young die in floods and fires, or are killed by other tigers or predators. 50 percent of all tiger cubs survive to the age where they live on their own, independant of mom, and out of these, less than half will live on to produce young. Many diseases kill tigers as well. Humans are not all to blame.

Tiger Facts

Tigers have 30 teeth, 15 on each side.

Tigers live alone in large areas which they defend from other tigers (in other words, they are territorial).

Tigers are known to kill prey while swimming.

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Did you know?

There are about 8,600 species of birds.

The smallest amphibian yet to be discovered is called Eleutherodactylus, a species of frog which is barely half the diameter of a nickle. It was discovered in 1996 by American and Cuban scientists on Cuba's Mount Iberia.

The tallest animal in the world is the giraffe.

The largest living bird is the African Ostrich which is 8 feet tall.

Meat eating animals are called Carnivores.

Ectotherms are animals whose body temperature changes depending upon the temperature of its environment.

Homeotherms are animals that maintain a constant body temperature.