What tiger subspecies are there? What is the function of their tails?
The tiger is known as the king of the mountains and the king of beasts, which is enough to show its important place among animals. Tigers have no fixed den and usually live alone, with a typical lifespan of twenty to twenty-five years. The tiger is also a first-class protected animal in China, and the number of wild tigers worldwide is only a little over three thousand, making it an endangered species that we must protect. Let us take a look below at what tiger subspecies there are and what function their tails serve.
1. What tiger subspecies are there?
There are many tiger subspecies, commonly including the Siberian tiger, South China tiger, Bali tiger, Indochinese tiger, Malayan tiger, Javan tiger, Sumatran tiger, Bengal tiger, Caspian tiger, white tiger, snow tiger, pure white tiger and others. A few of the better-known subspecies are introduced below.
1. South China tiger
The South China tiger is a subspecies unique to China. Because it was once regarded as a harmful species, it was severely hunted, and the wild population is now very small, no more than twenty-five. The South China tiger is relatively small in size, with short, smooth fur, a relatively small tail, slightly vivid coat color and clear stripes.
2. Siberian tiger
The Siberian tiger is the Northeast tiger we are familiar with. It is mainly found in the mountain forests of Heilongjiang, Jilin and other areas of China, and is also distributed in Russia. The Siberian tiger has the palest coat color, appearing creamy yellow in winter, and its tail is relatively full, with especially long hair on the tail, adapting it to the severe cold climate of the Northeast.
3. Bali tiger
The Bali tiger is the smallest tiger subspecies, weighing only ninety kilograms, and mainly lived in Bali and the Indonesia region. The stripes on the Bali tiger's body were very dense, reaching over a hundred, but it is already extinct.
4. Bengal tiger
The Bengal tiger is second only to the Siberian tiger in size, with short, bright body hair, a slender tail tip and relatively long limbs that make it appear very tall. The Bengal tiger has the largest population and the widest distribution among tiger subspecies.
5. White tiger
The white tiger is a descendant of the wild Bengal white tiger, with a golden base and black stripes, which should be the result of environmental adaptation, so other colors are rarely seen.
2. What function does a tiger's tail serve?
1. Maintaining body balance
The tiger is an animal skilled at running. When it runs at high speed, its tail serves to maintain body balance, and the effect is most obvious when it turns, jumps or suddenly stops. Among felines, the thickness of the tail is directly related to running speed.
2. Helping in combat
A tiger's tail is relatively thick and strong, very powerful, like a whip, and can be used to lash enemies.
3. Driving away mosquitoes and insects
A tiger's tail can drive away mosquitoes and insects biting around its rear, and swinging it back and forth can effectively reduce them.
The above is an introduction to the tiger subspecies and the function of the tail. We hope it is of some help to you.