Drawing on the theme of the Amur tiger. Amur tiger, or Ussuri tiger, or Siberian tiger (lat Panthera tigris altaica)

Amur tiger(Far Eastern or Siberian tiger) surpasses all living cats in its size, only Bengal relatives compete with it. The beast stands at the peak of the ecological pyramid, the main structural element of which is the vast expanses of the Ussuri taiga.

Perhaps that is why this predator has another name that reflects its place of residence - the Ussuri tiger. The animal belongs to the genus Panthera, species Tigris. The full Latin name of the individual is Panthera tigris altaica.

The indigenous inhabitants of the Far East, the Evenki, called the beast "Amba", which in translation into Russian means "huge" or "great". Books and fairy tales have been written about the Amur tiger, some of them have been filmed (the film "Dersu Uzala", the cartoon "Tiger Cub on a Sunflower").

Distribution area

Once Far Eastern tiger was widely distributed throughout the Far East, but now the range of the predator is limited southern part Khabarovsk Territory, Primorsky Krai, northern and eastern regions China. Distribution is patchy total area occupies a little more than 180 thousand km 2.

The Ussuri region, where the Amur tiger lives, is characterized by extreme climatic conditions with very cold winter and hot, rainy summers, has a mountainous relief, rich in various forms of vegetation. The Amur tiger mainly lives in cedar forests and oak thickets, sometimes it chooses forests near the floodplains of lowland rivers or broad-leaved forest lands as habitat.

Preference for some territories and ignoring others is due to the abundance and availability of the main prey. For their movements, predators use mountain gorges and river valleys, where the highest concentration of ungulates is observed.

Appearance

In life and in the photo, the Amur tiger looks like a real giant, inspiring a sense of fear, admiration and respect at the same time. Massive and heavy addition gives the impression of the sluggishness of a predator. But that's not the case at all. Its body is elongated, has an aerodynamic profile and is quite flexible.

Average weight Amur tiger 180 - 200 kg, females weigh about 160 kg. Adult males sometimes grow up to huge size and gain weight from 220 to 320 kg.
In males, the length of the body along the bends reaches 280 cm, in females this figure is in the range of 180 - 200 cm. The height of the animals at the withers is 115 cm.
The predator has a large and massive head, well developed jaws, sharp fangs up to 8 cm in length. On the sides of the muzzle are elongated tanks, on the neck - a small mane.
The eyes are set deep, yellow-green in color, with round pupils, very small.
The whiskers are long, elastic, helping the predator to navigate in the dark, determine the direction of the wind, the nature and temperature of the surface.
The ears are relatively small, inside they have a white edge, painted black at the back.
The tail is wide at the base, narrow at the very end. The length of the tail is 75 - 100 cm. By its position, one can judge the mood of the beast. When it is in a calm state, the tail is lowered, its end is smoothly bent upwards. Rhythmic movements made by the tail in different directions indicate a bad mood of the owner and do not bode well.
The forelimbs of the predator are wider and heavier than the hind limbs. The claws on the paws are retractable.
Long and thick hair, a thick layer of fat on the abdomen (up to 5 cm thick) protect the animal from low temperatures let you sleep in the snow.

The description of the Amur tiger in summer differs from its description in winter:

Summer fur has a brighter and more saturated main color, it is dominated by reddish-red shades. The length of the pile on the back does not exceed 2 cm, on the belly 3 cm, on the top of the neck 3.5-5 cm.
The way the Amur tiger looks in winter gives it a particularly chic and noble look. The winter skin is more fluffy and dense, has a light palette, consists of ocher-yellow shades. On the muzzle of tigers, elongated sideburns are clearly visible, males can boast of a luxurious mane. The pile on the abdomen and chest reaches a length of 6 to 10 cm, on the back and tail up to 5 cm, along the top of the neck it lengthens to 7-11 cm. The belly, the area near the eyes, inner surface paws are painted white. The pattern on the coat consists of stripes of different widths and lengths, individual for each individual. The stripes are not often located, they are fewer in number than in other subspecies. Usually they are narrow and long, often double or bifurcate at the very ends. Often there are strips of lentil shape with a sharp end. The stripes on the back are black, at the base of the tail, on the sides, paws have a brown tint. The tail is decorated with double dark rings, ending with a black spot. The pattern on the wool is better seen on the summer fur.

Behavioral features

An adult Amur tiger lives in a separate area, within the boundaries of which he marks his presence with marks - spraying urine, notches on fallen tree trunks, loosening the soil or snow. Males lead a solitary existence, females need to take care of their offspring.

Amur tigers have the most impressive size of hunting grounds, which is explained by a very small amount of the main prey. The average area of an adult tiger is 1,000 km2, with females occupying areas up to 400 km2.

The animal runs fast, swims well, young age climbs trees perfectly, distinguishes colors, sees five times at night better than a man. It easily overcomes up to 20 km per day, jumps 10 meters in length, 4-5 meters in height, develops top speed up to 18 - 20 meters per second. The predator is predictable, almost always roaming the already trodden paths.

Despite a well-developed sense of smell, hearing and vision and immeasurable strength, hunting takes a lot of energy and time from the Amur tiger. Of the ten attempts to strike the victim, only one ends in success. The animal crawls to the intended target, resting its hind limbs on the ground and arching its back, overtaking it with a lightning-fast jump. Big game knocks down and breaks the neck.

He eats lying down, holding the trophy with his paws. He hides the remnants of the feast in a secluded place, returns to them for several days in a row. To maintain a normal shape, a tiger needs to eat at least 10 kg of meat feed per day. The annual diet consists of 50 - 70 large animals.

Food

The animal is able to quickly reorient itself from one type of food to another. The main place in the diet is occupied by ungulate mammals. The size of the prey often exceeds the size of the predator. Red and sika deer, wild boar, roe deer, bear can become a potential victim. The list of what the Amur tiger eats also includes fruits of plants, reptiles, rodents, birds, and fish. In late spring and summer, the predator preys on Ussuri raccoons and common badgers.

Relationships with people

The Far Eastern subspecies avoids direct contact with humans, showing aggression only in special situations. More than half of the individuals seen in the attacks were previously injured by a person or were persecuted, a fifth of the animals were exhausted or weakened. Between 2000 and 2010 in the territory Russian Federation 19 episodes of tiger attacks on humans were recorded, two of them ended in death. Every year, isolated cases of the attack of the beast on livestock and dogs are recorded.

Reproduction and care of offspring

The female can have offspring at any time of the year, but most often this occurs in the summer. When favorable conditions for mating come, she often has to go herself in search of a male. The animal deliberately leaves notches on trees and urinary marks. If the search is successful, the predators stay together for several days and mate many times. With the onset of pregnancy, the period of romantic relationships ends, and the father goes in search of new adventures.

Pregnancy lasts three and a half to four months. The tigress chooses a place for a brood shelter. Usually it rises to the upper third of the slopes and settles in stony placers. The classic litter consists of three cubs. Babies are born blind, open their eyes in the second week of life. The mother feeds the cubs with milk for up to six months.

Preparing for adulthood takes a long time. Young tigers live with their mother for the first years. The family group breaks up when the cubs reach two years of age.

In the wild, animals live up to 15 years, in zoos - up to 20 years.

Population status

The number of Amur tigers living in vivo, one of the lowest in the population. If in the second half of the 19th century the animal was quite often found in nature and even had commercial value, then already at the beginning of the 20th century, reports of the Amur tiger became quite rare.

By the mid-forties of the last century, the subspecies was under threat complete disappearance, its number was no more than 40 individuals.

After the introduction of a universal ban on the shooting of animals (decree of 1947), the situation improved somewhat. By 1996, the number of animals increased to 450 individuals; in 2005, there were already 502 individuals. In the population structure of the subspecies, 28% were occupied by tiger cubs and young predators up to three years, a quarter of the population was represented by adult males, 39% of all individuals were females, 7% of predators could not be attributed to any of these groups.

The 2015 census brings a certain amount of optimism to the further fate of the subspecies, because the population of Amur tigers is slowly but surely increasing. The number of predators, according to scientists, is approaching 540 individuals. Of these, from 5 to 10% live in China, the remaining 90 - 95% are concentrated along the banks of the Amur and Ussuri rivers, not far from the Sikhote-Alin mountain ranges. There are over 450 Amur tigers in captivity.

Security measures

According to sad statistics, only in 17 - 28% of cases the predator dies from natural causes. The remaining cases of death of a tiger occur as a result of poaching. The organs of the animal are used in oriental medicine, the wealthy population seeks to acquire an exotic animal for keeping in a private zoo. The price of the Amur tiger in illegal markets often reaches exorbitant figures. The exact number of predators that fell victim to human greed, cruelty and stupidity is not known.

Population decline is facilitated by uncontrolled deforestation, expansion road network, industrial development of territories, displacement of a predator from its habitual habitat. A significant role is played by a decrease in the food supply and an increase in the number of food competitors.

The Amur tiger is listed in the Red Book and is under state protection. Russian scientists have developed a long-term program for the conservation of the subspecies. The main action plan includes the protection of Amur tigers from poachers, increased liability for illegal hunting, and the use of animal skins and organs for commercial purposes. A special set of measures is aimed at preserving the habitats and food base of the predator, introducing the latest technologies to the population monitoring system.

Rare and endangered animals - the Amur tiger and live on the territory of the Ussuriysky Reserve and national park"Land of the Leopard" Employees of protected areas maintain the food base of animals, protect taiga lands from forest fires and poachers, with the help special equipment conduct constant monitoring of animals, record interesting facts and events from their lives, monitor their health.

Ussuri, Far Eastern, Amur - all these definitions refer to a subspecies of one tiger that lives on the territory of Primorsky Krai.

This large representative of the cat family has overtaken the lion in size, and sometimes weighs more than 200 kg. Such a mass and size do not prevent the tiger from moving silently in the taiga, sometimes reaching speeds of up to 50 km / h, since it has soft and wide fur pads on its paws that do not allow it to fall into a snowdrift.

A thick layer of fat placed on the stomach also helps to survive in the winter in the taiga, which saves from the cold and piercing wind.

The Amur tiger loves loneliness, which is different from most cats; the tiger closely monitors its territory and is ready to defend it at any moment. I note that sometimes the property area exceeds 500 km2. sq., the tiger marks the boundaries of possessions, scratching tree trunks. Ussuri not only controls its territory, but also closely monitors the marks of other animals.

Two individuals of different sexes converge 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 the mouth and nose at the same time. Another way to show friendliness may be to touch the head, muzzle 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 the hunters of Russia. Perhaps we need to follow the example of China and introduce the death penalty for killing these animals so that people finally begin to think about nature.

Video: Ussuri tiger: dangers and realities. Yuri Darman, director of the Amur branch of WWF Russia, tells.

You can draw a tiger only from a picture or photo. You will not be able to see the Ussuri tiger live even in a zoo, since this is an endangered species of animals (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 you can easily detect its presence nearby. In the taiga, the tiger usually quietly "accompanies" people until they leave its territory. And only large cat footprints (the size of two palms) betray his constant presence. Pictures of a tiger, even drawn with a simple pencil, are very attractive, because the tiger has an unusually bright and unique color.
The tiger drawing will be more accurate if you can draw the cat correctly. Almost the same proportions, only increased in size. Even outwardly, the tiger is very similar to a domestic cat, though not so harmless.
There are several types of tigers, but we will choose for our drawing the Ussuri tiger living in the Far Eastern taiga.

1. The general contour of the body and head of the tiger

The first thing we need to do is draw two circles, one for the head and one 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 even, rather it is an oval-like outline. On the left side, it should be a little wider. Now in the middle of the contour of the head you need to outline short lines for the eyes and mark a little lower where the tiger's mouth will be.

2. Draw the head of a tiger

Now let's draw a little "details" of the head. 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 "face" of the tiger, and at the bottom of the head we draw a chin. If you are drawing a roaring tiger, the easiest way to make an open mouth is to draw a large "U" and a wide "W" at the top of the mouth. In the lower part of the figure, we outline the contours of the front and hind legs.

3. Head drawing in detail

Now let's focus on the "face" of the tiger and draw the contours of his eyes for now in the form of small circles. Refine contour lines for nose and mouth. After the upper part of the tiger drawing is finished, let's move on to the next step of the lesson "How to draw a tiger". At this stage, you need to draw the front paws. 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 the hind legs and after that you can remove the extra contour lines from the drawing.

5. Tiger drawing is almost finished

The main task at this step is to carefully remove the extra contours. It is advisable not to sweep away the crumbs from the eraser with your hand, but to blow it away so as not to smear the pencil strokes. After that, you may have to restore the "erased" lines, draw them more "boldly", at the same time make some lines in a small "zigzag" to depict tiger fur. Notice the eyes, the top of the tiger's head, and the right ear. Try to reflect all these details in your drawing. Now it remains only to draw the tail and we can say that tiger drawing completely finished.

6. Tiger skin color

Here we are done draw a tiger. As it seemed at first that it would be very difficult, but I hope you drew a tiger very similar to this. Now it remains only 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 a tiger on a tablet

I made this drawing of a tiger on a graphics tablet. I advise you to color the picture of a tiger with colored pencils or paints. Draw the surrounding landscape as you wish. The tiger lives in the taiga, where there are a lot of unusual and unique plants and animals.

8. Drawing of a running tiger with oil paints

I painted this picture of a tiger in oil for a children's competition " native nature". I was 11 years old, and, by the way, I received a diploma. The picture shows the Ussuri tiger living in the taiga of Primorsky Krai.

Leo is one of largest predators in the cat family. It is not easy to draw him, 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.

The wolf has a similar body to the dog because they have the same ancestors. But the wolf has longer hair. Also, the wolf has more pronounced predatory signs. Its fangs are longer than those of a dog, the tail is more fluffy and the claws are large on thick paws. In the drawings of the wolf, as well as in the drawings of the tiger, a grin is most often depicted in order to convey its aggressive character.

If a cat looks like a tiger, then a dog looks 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 that lives next to you.

A cat in boots from a favorite fairy tale or a beloved 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, a bear require some preparation, practice in drawing animals. The fact is that it is imperative to reflect the character of a sometimes ferocious and very dangerous beast in the drawing.

The Amur tiger is the most major representative cat families. This mighty predator lives on the territory of Russia in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, as well as in the northeastern regions of China. Total population This subspecies in the wild has a little more than 500 individuals. About the same number of cats live in zoos around the world.

Once the living space of the beast was more extensive. It inhabited the lands south of the Caspian Sea and even met on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. Lived in Central Asia, and in the east it spread to Alaska. That is, this large striped cat reigned supreme in the eastern regions of Eurasia. In the western regions of the vast continent, the Asiatic lion held the palm. Man intervened in the established order of things and mercilessly destroyed both subspecies. Today, the Asian (Indian) lion drags out its existence in the Gir forest in northwestern India, and the Amur tiger lives only in Primorye.

Appearance

This subspecies is superior in height bengal tiger by 5-7 cm and reaches 112-120 cm at the withers. The body length of males ranges from 2.4 to 3.3 meters. Weight is 180-306 kg. Females reach a length of 2.4-2.7 meters, and weigh 120-170 kg. The tail of the Amur tiger grows up to a meter in length. The average weight of a male usually ranges from 200 kg, and the height at the withers is 110 cm. The beast is able to run at a speed of 50 km / h, and it can drag large prey over a distance of 500 meters.

The coat of the beast is thick and coarse in summer period. On the back, it reaches a length of 15-17 mm, 25-35 mm on the stomach and 14-16 mm on the tail. In winter, the fur becomes longer, softer and silkier. On the back, its length is 40-50 mm, on the chest 60-100 mm, and on the stomach 65-105 mm. The mustache of a predator reaches a length of 90-115 mm. In the lower part of the body there is a thick layer of subcutaneous fat. All this protects the big tabby cat from severe cold weather. The color of the coat in winter is less bright and red than in summer. The general red background is crossed by black stripes. The belly and chest are white.

Reproduction and lifespan

The Amur tiger lives, as a rule, alone. Only for a while mating season males form pairs with females. The latter are 3.5 times more than the representatives of the stronger sex. Therefore, the male, having fertilized one female, goes in search of another. Pregnancy lasts 3.5 months. From 2 to 4 cubs are born. They are born blind and completely helpless. Eyes open on day 10, teeth erupt on day 15. Upon reaching 2 months, the cubs begin to leave the den.

Milk feeding lasts six months. Then the babies begin to accompany the mother during the hunt. The female teaches them this difficult task for many months. In a year, a young Amur tiger is already able to hunt on its own. At two years old, the beast turns into a seasoned predator, which is able to overcome any prey. However, a striped cat leaves its parent only upon reaching puberty. It comes at the age of 4-5 years. Males go as far as possible and occupy vast territories. Females do not move far from their mother. They also form their own land plots and often visit their parent. Often you can see several females at once, who rest peacefully, lying next to each other. The Amur tiger lives in the wild for about 15-17 years. In general, the life expectancy of this beast is 35-40 years.

Behavior and nutrition

The mighty striped predator hunts deer and wild boars. They make up to 70% of his diet. The menu also includes dappled deer, elk, red deer, musk deer and Amur goral. The cat does not disdain hares, rabbits, pikas, and from fish it loves salmon very much. When ordinary food is scarce, the beast attacks bears. In times of famine, it approaches people's dwellings. Here, livestock and dogs become its prey. The Amur tiger is active at night. His eyes distinguish colors, and he sees in pitch darkness 5 times better than a human.

A striped cat is not a polar bear, which owns the entire Arctic. The mighty striped predator is the landowner. Each animal has its own huge territory. Its area can reach up to 500 square meters. km. Borders are marked with urine and scratches on trees. The domains of females often overlap with those of males. The male does not experience aggression towards the weaker sex. In a completely different way, he behaves in relation to the representatives of the stronger sex. Here, when borders are violated, conflicts cannot be avoided. The owner of the land by all appearance makes it clear that the newcomer is removed from his territory. Bloody skirmishes in such cases, as a rule, do not reach.

Enemies

In the wild, the Amur tiger has no enemies. Rather, the predator itself is a deadly threat to its counterparts. In this case, we mean wolves. Where there are many tigers, the gray wolf is almost never found. The striped cat ruthlessly destroys these canine representatives. Such antagonism is apparently explained by similar appetites. Wolves eat the same things as tigers and create competition for the latter. Therefore, the formidable striped beast expels gray colleagues from its possessions, while acting in the most ruthless ways.

But the Amur tiger cannot cope with a person. People drove the beast out of the vast valleys into the mountainous regions. He currently lives in dense spruce forests, alternating with rocky areas teeming with wild boar, deer and elk. The animal avoids areas with deep snow and heavy snowfalls, trying to live in more suitable places for hunting. There are several programs to increase the size of this population. Specialists want to transfer part of the animals to the north-east of Yakutia. It is also believed that this subspecies perfectly adapts to northern regions American continent. So far, these are only projects, and their implementation is a matter of the future.

Only once looking at him, it is impossible not to admire this powerful, beautiful and graceful animal. The Amur tiger is the most big representative feline. It is also often called Far Eastern or Ussuri. This is explained by the fact that its habitat in our area is Primorsky Krai, southeast Russia, the Amur and Ussuri river basins. To find out more interesting things about this beast, you need to find out everything related to its external data and lifestyle.

Description of the tiger

The Amur tiger belongs to the class of mammals of the cat family, one of the four representatives of the panther genus.

With its size, this predator surpasses even a lion. A description of the Amur tiger is impossible 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 is from 2.5 to 4 m, depending on sex and age. Its height at the withers varies from 100 to 110 cm.

Characteristics of external data

Despite the impressive external data, the movements of the tiger are silent and graceful. Quiet gait is ensured by soft and wide pads on the paws. Even making his way through the thick grass, the beast will go 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 presence of a predator in a harsh climate. It is mostly red in color, with the exception of 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 the same in color. Each individual has its own unique stripe pattern. It is the black stripes that allow the beast to disguise itself in conditions wildlife.

Habitat

Most of the Amur tigers live within the far eastern south of Russia, northeast China, as well as in the southern and central parts of the Sikhote-Alin. The habitual habitat of these animals is extremely unusual. Animals do not like to live too high, so they settle in areas of 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 a severe winter. But if it is too long and severe, 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 singly. Each adult has its own habitat. One female can own a territory from 250 to 450 square meters. In males, it expands to a mark of 2000 square meters. Each animal must mark its perimeter. He does this by scratching trees, as well as releasing urine. Tigers avoid contact with humans. Therefore, during the hunt, they rarely go beyond their territory. Only in the event of an acute shortage of food and severe hunger, the beast begins to lose fear of humans and goes in search of food to nearby settlements. In such cases, the starving animal will eat everything that gets in its way: the fruits of plants, livestock, dogs and fish.

Amur tigers in Russia

Even 100 years ago, these animals completely inhabited 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 dead exceeded 150 individuals, the Amur tiger population began to decline. By the 30s of the last century, predators began to rapidly disappear from the territory of Russia. This contributed to the imposition of a ban on their hunting. This law was passed in 1947. Ten years later, the capture of Amur tiger cubs was banned. Graceful handsome men were on the verge of extinction. It was decided to list the 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, he was listed as an animal that is on the verge of extinction. However, in 2007 the leaders World Fund wildlife officials said that the number of these predators has increased decently over the past 100 years. How many Amur tigers are left in Russia? According to official figures, about 500 individuals.

Members of the famous expedition called "Amur Tiger", who were engaged in observing predators in the wild, reported that about 6 tigers live in the Ussuri Reserve of Primorsky Krai. At the same time, 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 boundaries of the reserve.

What do tigers eat

The predator prefers to eat ungulates. Red deer, deer, wild boar, elk or roe deer often fall into its paws. If a tiger is starving for a long time, he will not disdain anything. Tree fruits, fish, frogs, birds and even mice will do as food. When it enters a successful habitat where it lives a large number of ungulates, the tiger can quickly gain excess weight. An adult male usually builds up subcutaneous fat, the layer thickness of which reaches 6 cm. Having gained enough fat, the animal can go without food for about a week. However, what the Amur tiger is like during starvation, it is better not to know anyone. On such days, he can eat everything that gets in his way.

How tigers hunt

Despite the fact that this predator has great strength and a well-developed sense of smell, only 1 out of 10 attacks on the victim ends in success for him. The rest of the animals quickly run off to heal their wounds. Tigers at the same time extremely rarely set off in pursuit of the victim, preferring to go in search of less nimble prey. This is what makes the predator spend most of the time not only on finding food, but also on skillfully catching it.

Amur tigers are very cautious. They sneak up on their prey very quietly, almost silently. The animal moves slowly on the ground, transferring the main part of its weight to the front limbs. At the same time, his back is arched, and the body is lowered as much as possible. When a tiger encounters small prey, he first of all gnaws her throat. Dealing with a large animal in this way will not work. Therefore, the predator first overwhelms him and only then bites his neck. The Ussuri tiger eats in the same way as all feline representatives - lying down. At the same time, he always holds the carcass of the animal with his front paws.

tiger breeding

Readiness for mating in females appears quite late, at about 3 years. After reaching this age, she can bear offspring and is quite ready for reproduction. 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 mate. He does not take part in the upbringing of the brood. The females have to take care of the cubs for several years.

Caring for offspring

Pregnancy in tigresses lasts from 95 to 115 days. Most often no more than 4 cubs are born. Babies are born completely blind and helpless. Only after 2 weeks do their eyes open and the first teeth begin to grow. Tiger cubs feed on mother's milk up to 6 months. In addition, from about 2 months they begin to taste meat. During the feeding period breast milk A tigress guards her offspring very carefully. She hides tiger cubs in hard-to-reach places, trying in every possible way to provide them with maximum protection from possible dangers, which are so numerous in the taiga and forests.

Tiger cubs grow rather slowly. An adult tigress teaches them to hunt and catch animals for food on their own. Little tiger cubs have a very kind and obedient disposition. That is why people have been training them from the very beginning. early age. After a few years, the babies reach sexual maturity, while being constantly with their mother. Only by reaching the age of 3-5 years the family breaks 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 strong 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 fine is imposed for killing an Amur tiger. In China, such a crime is punishable by death.

The lifestyle of the Ussuri tigers

Some believe that this beast is a danger to humans. However, this opinion can be interpreted in different ways. The Amur tiger, by its nature, prefers to hunt ungulates: deer, roe deer, wild boars or gazelles. Man is not included in the list of possible prey. Although the tiger may well attack a person, because he is still a predator. But he will do this only in a hopeless situation.

For proper nutrition, the Ussuri predator needs to eat about 70 large ungulates a year. If the tiger is starving, he will use his hunting skills. Amur beauties easily find traces of lumberjacks, who often set traps for small game. They also skillfully prowl in the hunters' lodges.

Tigers rarely visit settlements. Although some people 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 one of the livestock, but on man will attack only in the rarest and most desperate cases.

Information about it amazing predator cannot be limited to dry data. The Amur tiger is too 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, considering it a deity endowed with incredible power.
Chinese for a long time were convinced that the bones and meat of tigers have a healing effect.
These predators were listed in the Red Book, as 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 their throats, but sometimes they use strangulation. Having attacked the prey, 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, but suffocates.
The Amur tiger can jump over a distance of 6 meters, as well as make a jump up to 5 meters high.
The Ussuri predator is able to accelerate up to 60 km/h.
Tigers do not consider humans 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. Also, severe hunger, which tormented the animal for several days, can contribute to this.
The favorite method of hunting for tigers is ambush. Therefore, when you see a predator in the savannah, you don’t have to worry - the animal is most likely resting.
Aboriginal people living in India have interesting feature, which concerns the way of movement in the territory where the Amur tiger lives. They put a face mask on the back of their head. It is believed that by wearing a mask, one can avoid the attack of a tiger, since the animal loses the element of surprise necessary for it, because the victim “looks” at him all the time.
Amur tigers love to swim. Unlike other members of the cat family, tigers enjoy swimming and splashing in the water. Little tiger cubs can play and frolic in the pond for a long time.
The pattern on the forehead of the Amur tigers is very similar to the Chinese character for the king. That is why in China these predators are of particular value.
The black stripes of the tiger adorn not only their coat, but also their skin. If you shave the beast, it will not lose its unique striping.
Hunting for Amur tigers is prohibited worldwide.