The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest of all the wild cat species, yet the tiger is also the most endangered and some subspecies have already gone extinct.

Tiger (Panthera tigris) Unique Facts

~ Largest of the wild cat species ~

~ Unique coat pattern consisting only of stripes ~

~ All tiger subspecies are Endangered or Critically Endangered ~

Tiger (Panthera tigris) Classification

Tigers belong to the big cat genus Panthera and the full taxonomy, scientific classification or higher classification of the tiger species (Panthera tigris) is as follows:

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Phylum: Chordata (vertebrates)

Class: Mammalia (mammals)

Order: Carnivora (carnivores)

Suborder: Feliformia (cat-like)

Family: Felidae (cats)

Subfamily: Pantherinae (big cats)

Genus: Panthera (big cats)

Species: Panthera tigris (tiger)

Tiger (Panthera tigris) Lower Classifications (subspecies)

There are six extant (still in existence) subspecies of tiger and three subspecies that have already gone extinct:

Extinct (EX)

Bali Tiger Panthera tigris balica
Javan Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica
Caspian Tiger Panthera tigris virgata

Critically Endangered (CR)

South China Tiger Panthera tigris amoyensis
Malayan Tiger Panthera tigris jacksoni
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae

Endangered (EN)

Amur Tiger Panthera tigris altaica
Indochinese Tiger Panthera tigris corbetti
Bengal Tiger Panthera tigris tigris

Reference: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-3. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Panthera tigris. 7 Feb 2017.

Tiger (Panthera tigris) Conservation

The following global organizations are all fighting to conserve our iconic tigers amidst ever growing human populations and illicit poaching:

Panthera.org - Tigers Forever
World Wildlife Fund WWF - Tigers TX2
National Geographic - Big Cats Initiative

Wildlife Conservation Society WCS Russia - Siberian Tiger
Wildlife Conservation Society WCS Russia - Amur Tiger

Tiger (Panthera tigris) Facts and Information

The following links will take you to websites with well researched and authoritative information on tigers:

Tiger Fact Sheet - ARKive
Tiger Infographic - World Wildlife Fund
Tiger Wildlife Images and Video Clips - ARKive

Tiger Status - IUCN Red List
Tiger Distribution Map - IUCN Red List
Tiger Detailed Information per Subspecies and Reference List - IUCN Cat Specialist Group

Tiger (Panthera tigris)