Tigers, like lions, are one of the large terrestrial predators, to the point that, with the exception of elephants and rhinos physically fit adults can hunt and feed on virtually any other animal. These felids are solitary in behavior, as they usually only come together to mate. In fact, the males are quite territorial with each other, although they will eventually allow a female to enter their range.
Surely you have noticed in photographs or videos that tigers have large bodies, but do you know how much a tiger weighs? In this article on our site we will give you the answer to this and other questions.
Current tiger species
Tigers belong to the species Panthera tigris and, until recently, six living subspecies were established, namely:
- Panthera tigris altaica
- Panthera tigris corbetti
- Panthera tigris jacksoni
- Panthera tigris sumatrae
- Panthera tigris tigris
- Panthera tigris amoyensis
However, recently, in 2017, researchers from the International Union for Conservation of Nature made a regrouping, recognizing only two subspecies: Panthera tigris tigris and Panthera tigris sondaica.
Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)
It is commonly known as Bengal tiger and it includes the subspecies P. t. altaica, P.t. corbetti, P.t. jacksoni, P.t. amoyensis and other extinct. It is located mainly in India, but there are also populations in Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma and Tibet. It is a subspecies that grows to great sizes, in fact the largest, and this corresponds to its ferocity and hunting prowess. The males are solitary and territorial among themselves, they only join the females for reproduction, although they can share their space with them and their offspring.
The coloration of the Bengal tiger is typical of these felids, intense orange with black stripes, although they can present mutations that originate white or golden tigers.
Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica)
This subspecies includes two extinct ones and the Sumatran one. This group is usually known as the tigers of the probe and also in some reports as the Java tiger. It has some features that are different from the previous subspecies, such as its smaller size and the presence of a greater number of black stripes between the orange color, in addition to the fact that these are usually more thin.
They also have a beard or mane somewhat developed, compared to the other group, and they are agile swimmers, which even allows them to hunt in water.
For more information, we encourage you to read this other article on our site about Types of tigers.
How much does a baby tiger weigh?
Tigers usually mate several times in the few days that the female remains receptive, eventually becoming pregnant and having a gestation period of just over 100 days. After this time, she will have between 1 and 6 pups, which generally have an average weight of 1 kg or a little less However, the weight will vary from one subspecies to another. Thus, the weight of each pup subspecies would be:
- Bengal tiger cubs: between 800 and 1,500 g.
- Sumatran tiger cubs: about 1,200 grams.
The offspring are blind at birth and totally dependent on the mother. In fact, when there are several individuals, not all of them always survive, because they do not manage to feed themselves adequately.
Until 8 or 10 weeks, the cubs will not leave the burrow in which they were born, and they suckle until approximately 24 weeks. From this moment on, the mother will begin to bring them dead prey so that they begin to consume their carnivorous diet. The young will stay close to the mother until they are 2 or 3 years old and then the females will establish their territories near the mother's, while the males will look for theirs, for which they will often have to compete with another male to move it.
How much does an adult tiger weigh?
Tigers, along with lions, are the largest felids that currently exist, being the largest carnivorous predators within the ecosystems they inhabit.
On average, the weight of tigers ranges from 50 to 260 kg in the case of males, while females females are usually smaller, ranging from 25 to 170 kg In terms of length, the former measure from head to tail between 190 and more 300 cm, and females from 180 to 270 cm.
But just like newborns, adult tigers vary in weight and size depending on the subspecies.
Weight of an adult Bengal tiger
The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) has turned out to be the largest and, therefore, the heaviest of the current subspecies. Thus, depending on the sex, this is what an adult Bengal tiger weighs and measures:
- Machos: They weigh about 100-230 kg and have a length between 270 and more than 300 cm.
- Females: they weigh about 130 kg and are between 240 and 260 cm long.
In addition, the height of this subspecies can reach 110 cm.
Weight of a Javan or Sumatran tiger
As for the Panthera tigris sondaica, it is a smaller subspecies than the Bengal tiger. In this case, the weight and length of this subspecies would be:
- Machos: weigh between 100 and 140 kg and measure between 230 and 250 cm in length.
- Females: They weigh between 70 and 115 kg and are about 220 cm long.
Animal taxonomy is not usually considered definitive, and it is common for new evidence to emerge with the advancement of science that establishes new criteria, which implies that changes are made to the names of the species, as well as in its divisions. In the case of tigers, we have been able to notice this fact in a particular way, of six recognized subspecies, there was a regrouping to two.
In any case, tigers are still apex predators that are endowed with various body strategies, among which their large bodies stand out, which allows them to be almost infallible when it comes to hunting.
