Just once looking at it, it is impossible not to admire this powerful, beautiful and graceful animal. Amur tiger- this is the most big representative felines. It is also often called Far Eastern or Ussuri. This is explained by the fact that its habitat in our area is the Primorsky Territory, southeast Russia, the basins of the Amur and Ussuri rivers. To find out more interesting things about this animal, you need to find out everything that concerns its external characteristics and lifestyle.
Description of the tiger
The Amur tiger belongs to the class of mammals of the cat family, one of four representatives of the panther genus.
This predator is even larger than a lion. It is impossible to describe the Amur tiger without mentioning its weight and height. The weight of an adult animal reaches 200 kg, and in some cases it can vary within 250 kg. With such a mass, it has an equally impressive body length. The size of the Amur tiger ranges from 2.5 to 4 m, depending on gender and age. Its height at the withers varies from 100 to 110 cm.
Characteristics of external data
Despite its impressive appearance, the tiger's movements are silent and graceful. His quiet gait is ensured by soft and wide pads on his paws. Even making its way through thick grass, the animal will remain unnoticed. Also, thanks to them, the animal does not fall into the deep snowdrifts of the Ussuri taiga during the winter period.
The thick and fluffy fur of the Amur tiger is explained by the predator's habitat in a harsh climate. Mostly it is red in color, but the exception is the belly, chest and neck - they are white. His entire body is decorated with black stripes. The most interesting part of the characteristics of the Amur tiger is that no two animals are identical in color. Each individual has its own unique pattern of stripes. It is the black stripes that allow the animal to camouflage itself in conditions wildlife.
Habitat
Most of Amur tigers lives within the far eastern south of Russia, northeast China, as well as in the southern and central parts of Sikhote-Alin. The usual habitat of these animals is extremely unusual. Animals do not like to live too high, so they settle in areas low mountains. They prefer to be between ridges, near sweeping river valleys, as well as in forest areas, where you can find oak and cedar. Luxurious, thick and warm wool allows you to adapt even to the conditions of severe winter. But if it is too long and harsh, tigers have to settle near populated areas in order to be able to feast on livestock.
Features of predators
Amur tigers do not live in packs, but alone. Each adult has its own habitat. One female can own a territory from 250 to 450 square meters. In males it expands to 2000 square meters. Each animal must mark its perimeter. He does this by scratching trees and also by releasing urine. Tigers avoid contact with people. Therefore, when hunting, they rarely go beyond their territory. Only in the event of an acute shortage of food and severe hunger does the animal begin to lose fear of humans and goes in search of food in nearby settlements. In such cases, an animal suffering from hunger will eat everything that comes its way: fruits of plants, livestock, dogs and fish.
Amur tigers in Russia
Just 100 years ago, these animals completely populated the entire Far East. But over the years, cases of their shooting have become more frequent in this region of Russia. When the number of killed exceeded 150 individuals, the Amur tiger population began to decline. By the 30s of the last century, predators began to rapidly disappear from Russian territory. This contributed to the imposition of a ban on their hunting. The law on this was adopted in 1947. Ten years later, the capture of Amur tiger cubs was banned. Graceful beauties found themselves on the verge of extinction. It was decided to include Amur tigers in the Red Book. These measures contributed to the preservation of the population, and by the 80s their number increased by 200 individuals.
Tiger conservation
The Amur tiger was considered an endangered species until 2007. In the Red Book of Russia, it was listed as an animal that is on the verge of extinction. However, in 2007, the leaders of the World Wildlife Fund said that the number of these predators has increased significantly over the past 100 years. How many Amur tigers are left in Russia? According to official data, about 500 individuals.
Members of the famous expedition called the “Amur Tiger”, who were engaged in observing predators in wild conditions, reported that about 6 tigers live in the Ussuri Nature Reserve in the Primorsky Territory. Moreover, the territory of the reserve does not exceed 400 square meters. For 6 adults it is very small. Therefore, they called on the authorities to increase it, and also demanded to more thoroughly regulate the activities of people who live near the borders of the reserve.
What do tigers eat?
The predator prefers to eat ungulates. It often catches wapiti, deer, wild boar, elk or roe deer in its paws. If a tiger starves for a long time, he will not disdain anything. The fruits of trees, fish, frogs, birds and even mice are suitable as food. When placed in a favorable habitat, where a large number of ungulates live, a tiger can quickly gain excess weight. An adult male usually builds up subcutaneous fat, the layer thickness of which reaches 6 cm. Having gained a sufficient amount of fat, the animal can go without food for about a week. However, it is better for no one to know what the Amur tiger is like during fasting. On such days, he can eat everything that comes his way.
How tigers hunt
Despite the fact that this predator has enormous strength and good developed sense of smell, only 1 out of 10 attacks on the victim ends in success for him. The remaining animals quickly run away to heal their wounds. At the same time, tigers extremely rarely go in pursuit of prey, preferring to go in search of less nimble prey. This is what makes a predator spend most of its time not only finding food, but also skillfully catching it.
Amur tigers are very careful. They sneak towards the victim very quietly, almost silently. The animal moves slowly on the ground, transferring the bulk of its weight to the forelimbs. At the same time, his back is arched, and his body is lowered as much as possible. When a tiger encounters small prey, it gnaws its throat first. It will not be possible to deal with a large animal in this way. Therefore, the predator first overwhelms it and only then bites its neck. Eating Ussurian tiger just like all felines - lying down. At the same time, he always holds the animal carcass with his front paws.
Tiger breeding
Females become ready to mate quite late, at about 3 years of age. After reaching this age, she can bear offspring and is quite ready to reproduce. These predators live alone. Therefore, they do not have one partner for a long period. The mating period takes about a week, then the male leaves his girlfriend. He does not take part in raising the brood. Females have to take care of the cubs for several years.
Caring for offspring
Pregnancy in tigress lasts from 95 to 115 days. Most often, no more than 4 tiger cubs are born. Babies are born completely blind and helpless. Only after 2 weeks their eyes open and their first teeth begin to grow. Tiger cubs feed on mother's milk for up to 6 months. In addition, from about 2 months they begin to taste meat. During the feeding period breast milk The tigress very carefully protects her offspring. She hides tiger cubs in hard-to-reach places, trying in every possible way to provide them with maximum protection from possible dangers, of which there are so many in the taiga and forests.
Tiger cubs grow quite slowly. An adult tigress teaches them to hunt and independently catch animals for food. Little tiger cubs have a very kind and obedient disposition. That is why people have been training them since the very beginning. early age. After a few years, the babies reach puberty, being constantly with their mother. Only at the age of 3-5 years does the family break up and the cubs begin a new independent life.
Amur predator and man
Everyone, without exception, is afraid of these wild animals. When looking at photos of Amur tigers, a feeling of fear and admiration appears at the same time. And not in vain, because these animals are considered one of the most dangerous predators planets. Ancient people decided to hunt them only in the most exceptional cases, since they rarely defeated such a powerful beast. In those days, wearing the skin of a tiger was an honor. Unfortunately, some people continue to hunt these beautiful animals. In Russia, only a monetary fine is imposed for killing an Amur tiger. In China, such a crime is punishable by death.
Lifestyle of Ussuri tigers
Some believe that this animal poses a danger to humans. However, such an opinion can be interpreted in different ways. The Amur tiger by nature prefers to hunt ungulates: deer, roe deer, wild boar or gazelle. A person is not included in the list of possible prey. Although a tiger may well attack a person, after all, he is a predator. But he will do this only in a hopeless situation.
For good nutrition The Ussuri predator needs to eat about 70 large ungulates per year. If the tiger is hungry, it will use its hunting skills. Amur beauties easily find traces of woodcutters, who often set traps for small game. They also skillfully scour hunters' hideouts.
Tigers rarely visit populated areas. Although some call these animals cannibals, predators very rarely attack people. This can only happen if the tiger is sick, injured or trapped. Penetrating into the nearest village, he can eat some of the livestock, but the person will be attacked only in the rarest and most desperate cases.
Information about this amazing predator cannot be limited to just dry data. The Amur tiger is a very unique, majestic and beautiful animal. Therefore, it is worth listing a few of the most interesting facts about him:
- Even 100 years ago, hunters who lived in the valleys of the Ussuri rivers were afraid to even pronounce the name of this beast. The Amur tiger was worshiped as a deity endowed with incredible power.
- Chinese for a long time were confident that the bones and meat of tigers had healing effects.
- These predators were listed in the Red Book, since their population is considered the smallest among all other subspecies.
- In many photos of Amur tigers you can see their very dangerous weapon- teeth. In adults, their length reaches 10-15 cm.
- Most often, tigers kill their prey by biting the throat, but sometimes they use suffocation. Having attacked the victim, the tiger may not immediately reach the main artery in the neck with its teeth. Therefore, he can hang on large prey, waiting until it bleeds out and suffocates.
- The Amur tiger can jump over a distance of 6 meters and also make a jump up to 5 meters high.
- The Ussuri predator is able to accelerate to 60 km/h.
- Tigers do not consider people as their possible prey. There is no such instinct in their nature. They can attack a person only in defense if they are driven into a trap. This may also be due to severe hunger, which tormented the animal for several days.
- The most favorite hunting method among tigers is ambush. Therefore, when you see a predator in the savannah, you don’t have to worry - the animal is most likely resting.
- The natives living in India have interesting feature, which concerns the method of movement in the territory where the Amur tiger lives. They put a face-shaped mask on the back of their head. It is believed that by wearing a mask, you can avoid a tiger attack, since the animal is deprived of the element of surprise it needs, because the victim is “looking” at it all the time.
- Amur tigers love to swim. Unlike other felines, tigers enjoy swimming and splashing in the water. Little tiger cubs can play and frolic in a pond for a long time.
- The pattern on the forehead of Amur tigers is very reminiscent of the Chinese character that denotes a king. That is why in China these predators are of particular value.
- The tiger's black stripes decorate not only their fur, but also their skin. If you shave an animal, it will not lose its unique stripes.
- Hunting of Amur tigers is prohibited throughout the world.
You can only draw a tiger from a picture or photo. You won’t be able to see the Ussuri tiger live even in a zoo, since it is an endangered species of animal (no more than 500 individuals). The Ussuri tiger is a very dangerous, but very cautious predator. Even in the taiga, hunters will not be able to see a tiger, but they can easily detect its presence nearby. In the taiga, a tiger usually quietly “accompanies” people until they leave its territory. And only large cat tracks (the size of two palms) betray his constant presence. Pictures of a tiger, even those drawn with a simple pencil, are very attractive, since the tiger has an unusually bright and unique color.
Drawing a tiger will be more accurate if you can draw a cat correctly. Almost the same proportions, only increased in size. Even in appearance the tiger is very similar to domestic cat, however, not so harmless.
There are several types of tigers, but for our drawing we will choose the Ussuri tiger, which lives in the Far Eastern taiga.
1. General outline of the tiger’s body and head
The first thing we need to do is draw two circles, one for the head and the other for the neck. Then attach a long oval to the general outline of these circles - this will be the body of the tiger. The oval does not have to be perfectly smooth, but rather an outline similar to an oval. On the left side it should be a little wider. Now in the middle of the outline of the head you need to outline short lines for the eyes and just below mark where the tiger’s mouth will be.
2. Draw the tiger's head
Now let's draw the head in a little more detail. First draw two small triangles for the ears at the "corners" of the tiger's head. Then we move further down and outline the side lines of the tiger’s “face”, and at the bottom of the head we draw a chin. If you are drawing a roaring tiger, the easiest way to create an open mouth is to draw a large "U" and a wide "W" at the top of the mouth. At the bottom of the picture we outline the contours of the front and hind legs.
3. Drawing of the head in detail
Let's now focus on the "face" of the tiger and draw the contours of his eyes in the form of small circles for now. Refine the contour lines for the nose and mouth. After the top part of the tiger drawing is completed, let's move on to the next stage of the lesson "How to draw a tiger." At this stage you need to draw the front legs. We will draw the hind legs in the next step.
4. How to draw tiger paws
First draw the pupils, and then finish drawing the front paws, just don’t forget to draw the claws. Start drawing hind legs and after that you can remove unnecessary contour lines from the drawing.
5. The tiger drawing is almost finished
The main task at this step is to carefully remove excess contours. It is advisable not to sweep away the eraser crumbs with your hand, but to blow them away so as not to smear the pencil strokes. After this, you may have to restore the “erased” lines, draw them more “bold”, at the same time make some lines with a small “zigzag” to depict tiger fur. Pay attention to your eyes top part tiger head and right ear. Try to reflect all these details in your drawing. Now all that remains is to draw the tail and we can say that tiger drawing completely finished.
6. Tiger skin color
Now we're done draw a tiger. As much as it seemed at first that it would be very difficult, I hope you drew the tiger very similar to this one. Now all that remains is to draw a striped pattern on the skin and add shadows to the drawing if you draw a tiger with a simple pencil.
7. Drawing of a tiger on a tablet
I made this drawing of a tiger on a graphics tablet. I advise you to color the picture of the tiger with colored pencils or paints. If desired, draw the surrounding landscape. The tiger lives in the taiga, in which there are a lot of unusual and unique plants and animals.
8. Drawing of a running tiger with oil paints
I painted this tiger painting in oil for children's competition "Native nature". I was 11 years old, and, by the way, I received a diploma. The painting depicts the Ussuri tiger living in the taiga of the Primorsky Territory.
The lion is one of the largest predators in the cat family. Drawing him is not easy, just like drawing a tiger, at least because we rarely see them; although a cat looks like a lion, it is still not a lion, but rather a tiger.
A wolf has a similar body to a dog because they have the same ancestors. But the wolf has more long wool. Also, the wolf has more pronounced predatory characteristics. Its fangs are longer than those of a dog, its tail is bushier and its thick paws have large claws. In drawings of a wolf, as in drawings of a tiger, a grin is most often depicted to convey its aggressive character.
If a cat is like a tiger, then a dog is like a wolf. I suggest that before drawing your favorite dog or cat, draw a St. Bernard with a simple pencil. And then, if your drawing of this dog turns out to be accurate, try to draw a dog living next to you.
Puss in Boots from a favorite fairy tale or a favorite cat often become characters in children's drawings. In addition, such pictures drawn with a pencil or paints can be a good decoration for a child’s room.
How to draw a tiger will not be a question for you if you have already drawn a cat.
Drawings of a tiger and a bear require some preparation and practice in drawing animals. The fact is that it is imperative that the drawing reflect the character of a sometimes ferocious and very dangerous animal.
I bring to your attention a photo gallery “Amur (Ussuri) tiger photo”.
Beautiful photographs from the life of tigers and not a lot of information about this beautiful animal.
Let's start with its name. Amur tiger, Ussuri tiger, Far Eastern tiger - these are all names of one animal. And in order not to confuse readers, I will (in this article) call the tiger both Amur and Ussuri.
The Tungus call the tiger "taskh" or "amba". Amba means great, huge, great. Amboy in Primorye is also called an evil spirit.
The Amur or Ussuri tiger lives in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories on the banks of the Amur and Ussuri. The main population of animals is in Russia. China is home to no more than 10% of total number tigers.
Since the Ussuri (Amur) tiger “lives” in such harsh conditions (for tigers living in the tropics), its fur is thicker and longer, and the colors are not so bright. And besides, this the only kind a tiger that does not have a layer of fat. And this layer can be up to 5 centimeters thick. Pay attention to the ears. They are not big at all. And this is also due to winter frosts.
The Amur (Ussuri) tiger is very large predator. Long body (up to 3.8 m including the tail), high withers (up to 115 centimeters) and solid weight (up to 300 kg). And it’s no wonder that such a predator is the real owner of the taiga. The female controls a territory of up to 500 square kilometers, and the male - up to 800. A tiger leaves its territory only in one case - there is not enough food in the controlled territory.
The tiger hunts mainly at night. And this is not surprising - the tiger, like all cats, sees perfectly at night. It must be said that even being such a formidable hunter, the tiger has to work very hard in order to “have lunch”. Adult requires about 7-10 kilograms of meat per day.
It is reliably known that the Amur (Ussuri) tiger never (almost never) attacks again. If dinner managed to escape, then the tiger goes in search of new victim, but does not pursue the “old” one.
A tiger very rarely attacks a person. Even in the taiga, he tries to avoid meeting and leaves.
This taiga beauty lives, on average, about fifteen years.
That's probably all I wanted to say. And now the photo.
Ussuri, Far Eastern, Amur - all these definitions refer to the subspecies of one tiger that lives in the Primorsky Territory.
This large representative of the cat family surpassed the lion in size, and its weight sometimes exceeds 200 kg. This mass and size do not prevent the tiger from moving silently in the taiga, sometimes reaching speeds of up to 50 km/h, since its paws have soft and wide fur pads that prevent them from falling into a snowdrift.
A thick layer of fat placed on the abdomen, which protects from the cold and piercing wind, also helps to survive in the taiga in winter.
The Amur tiger loves solitude, which makes it different from most cats; The tiger closely monitors its territory and is ready to defend it at any moment. Please note that sometimes the property area exceeds 500 km. sq., the tiger marks the boundaries of its property by scratching tree trunks. The Ussuri not only controls its territory, but also closely monitors the marks of other animals.
Individuals of different sexes come together only for the purpose of procreation. The “honeymoon” in these animals lasts from 5 to 7 days, after which the male leaves the female.
Tigers have special greeting sounds that are produced when the animal vigorously inhales air through its mouth and nose at the same time. Another way to show friendliness is to touch the head, face or sides of another animal.
Amur tiger cubs.
The Amur tiger is one of the animals that are listed in the Red Book of Russia, since today there are only 450 representatives of this species left. But this does not stop Russian hunters. Perhaps we need to follow China's example and introduce death penalty for killing these animals so that people will finally start thinking about nature.
Video: Ussuri Tiger: dangers and realities. Yuri Darman, director of the Amur branch of WWF Russia, tells the story.
Description of the Amur tiger
Babr (from the Yakut “baabyr”) is the name in Rus' for the Siberian tiger, now known as the Far Eastern, Ussuri or Amur tiger. Panthera tigris altaica (the Latin name of the subspecies) is recognized as one of the most impressive in the cat family, surpassing even in size. Nowadays, the Amur tiger is depicted on the flag/coat of arms of the Primorsky Territory and the coat of arms of Khabarovsk.
Babr adorned the coats of arms of Yakutsk (since 1642) and Irkutsk, until he turned into a “beaver” under Emperor Alexander II due to the fault of an overly zealous champion of spelling, who served in the heraldic department. The error was later corrected, but on the coats of arms of Irkutsk and the region there is still a strange black animal with a large tail and webbed paws, carrying a sable in its teeth.
Appearance
Amur tiger - the most beautiful wild cat with a characteristic striped coloring flexible body, crowned with a rounded head with proportional ears. Babr, like all cats, is armed with 30 sharp teeth and tenacious claws that help tear carcasses and climb trees.
The predominant color background (red) is replaced by white on the chest, belly and whiskers. Transverse black stripes cross the body and tail, turning into symmetrical black stripes on the head and muzzle.
To escape the harsh winter, the Amur tiger is forced to grow thick hair and accumulate a solid (5 cm) layer of subcutaneous fat, which protects the predator from frostbite.
A huge tiger can move without unnecessary noise, which is explained by the shock-absorbing ability of its wide paws with soft pads. That's why the babr silently walks and runs through the summer Ussuri taiga without falling into high snowdrifts in winter.
Tiger sizes
The Amur tiger, classified as one of the largest representatives the cat family, in Lately increasingly smaller in size than those living in national parks India. These related subspecies were once comparable in size, but the Ussuri tiger began to become smaller due to its proximity to humans, or more precisely, due to economic activity the last one.
Fact. The average Amur tiger stretches up to 2.7–3.8 m in length, weighs 200–250 kg and grows from 1 to 1.15 m at the withers.
Zoologists suggest that individual individuals can gain 300 kg or more, although a less impressive record is officially registered - 212 kg. It belongs to a male with a radio collar attached to his neck.
Lifestyle, behavior
Unlike the lion, the Amur tiger, like most felines, does not join prides, but prefers a solitary existence. An exception is made only for females, who, together with their brood, can live in the male’s territory, which usually reaches 600–800 km². The female's home range is always smaller, approximately 300–500 km².
The male vigilantly monitors the inviolability of the boundaries, marking them with secretory fluid and leaving deep scratches on the trunks. The Amur tiger, despite its size, easily climbs into the crowns of old oak trees and even onto the tops of tall spruce trees.
The animal does not go beyond its territory if there are many ungulates grazing on it, but if necessary, it is able to travel from 10 to 41 km. The tigress covers a shorter distance per day, from 7 to 22 km. The Amur tiger can drag a horse carcass for more than half a kilometer without visible fatigue, and when light and in the snow it is capable of accelerating up to 80 km/h, second only in agility to the tiger.
Interesting. The predator distinguishes colors well, and in the dark its vision is 5 times sharper than that of a human, which is perhaps why it likes to hunt at dusk and at night.
The Ussuri tiger is extremely silent: at least this is what naturalists say, who have observed the animal in nature for years and have never heard its roar. The tiger's roar is heard only during the rut - females are especially zealous. A dissatisfied babr growls hoarsely and dully, switching to a characteristic “cough” when angry. A peaceful tiger purrs like a domestic cat.
When greeting a comrade, a tiger uses special sounds produced by sharp exhalation of air through the nose and mouth. Friction of sides and contact of muzzles tell about the peaceful attitude of predators.
The Amur tiger is far from a cannibal (unlike the Bengal), which is why it tries to avoid humans and bypass their housing in every possible way. If you accidentally encounter a tiger, it is better to stop without trying to run, and slowly give way without turning your back to it. You can talk to him, but only in a calm and confident voice: a scream that turns into a pig squeal is more likely to stir up the tiger’s interest in you.
From the middle of the last century to the present time within the borders settlements In the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, no more than 10 cases of Amur tiger attacks on humans have been recorded. Even in its native element, the Ussuri taiga, a tiger very rarely attacks hunters pursuing it.
How long does the Amur tiger live?
The lifespan of the babr in nature is 10, less often – 15 years. IN ideal conditions Amur tigers often celebrate their 20th anniversary in zoological parks.
Fact. Lyuty is considered one of the oldest Amur tigers, having lived for 21 years in the Khabarovsk Utes wild animal rehabilitation center.
Lyuty was caught in the taiga, carelessly injuring both jaws, after which the tiger developed osteomyelitis, which was surgically stopped in 1999. And the very next year Lyuty sported a new fang made of a silver-palladium alloy with gold plating, thanks to a unique operation performed by Russian and American doctors.
The injured mouth did not allow Lyuty to be returned to the taiga, and he became not only the most visited pet rehabilitation center, but also the hero of numerous enthusiastic reports.
Sexual dimorphism
The difference between the sexes is manifested, first of all, in weight: if female Amur tigers weigh 100–167 kg, then male ones are almost twice as much - from 180 to 306 kg. Research in 2005 conducted by zoologists from Russia, India and the USA showed that in terms of weight, modern Far Eastern tigers are inferior to their ancestors.
Fact. Historically, the average male Amur tiger weighed about 215.5 kg, and the average female weighed about 137.5 kg. Nowadays, the average weight of females is 117.9 kg, and that of males is 176.4 kg.
Sexual dimorphism is also visible in the lifespan of the Amur tiger: females live less than males. The latter withdraw from the upbringing and education of their offspring, entrusting all parental functions to the mother, which noticeably shortens her earthly lifespan.
Range, habitats
The Amur tiger is found in a relatively limited sector, most of which the protected zone represents is China and the southeast of Russia, namely the banks of the Amur/Ussuri in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories.
As of 2003, the most high concentration predators were observed in the foothills of Sikhote-Alin (Lazovsky district of Primorsky Krai), where every sixth Amur tiger lived. In general, when choosing habitats, tigers try to be closer to their main food (ungulates), and also take into account the height snow cover and the presence of shelters, such as creases or dense thickets bush.
The Amur tiger often settles in such biotopes as:
- mountains with deciduous trees;
- mountain river valleys;
- padi with forests of the Manchurian type, where oak and cedar predominate;
- clean cedar forests;
- secondary forests.
The Amur tiger has been displaced by humans from low-lying landscapes suitable for agriculture. In retaliation, babrians often inspect the outskirts of neighboring settlements in winter, when their usual food supply becomes scarce.
Diet of the Ussuri tiger
It is very difficult to obtain such a number of ungulates, considering that only one out of 6-7 attacks ends in success. That is why the predator hunts a lot, eating everything that is smaller than it: from the Manchurian (glove-sized) hare to the Himalayan bear, which is often equal in mass to the tiger itself.
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