Did you know all of these amazing things about tigers? Some of them totally surprised me!
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The longest canine teeth
A tiger's canine teeth can be up to 10 cm long — that's about the length of your hand! They use them to grip and kill prey. They are so strong they can crush bone.
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Night vision superpower
Tigers can see six times better than humans in the dark! They have a special layer at the back of their eyes called the tapetum lucidum, which bounces light back through the eye. That is why their eyes glow at night.
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Tigers LOVE swimming
Unlike most cats, tigers absolutely love water! They are excellent swimmers and in hot weather they spend hours in rivers and lakes to keep cool. Sundarbans tigers even swim through saltwater between islands.
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Incredibly powerful legs
A tiger can leap up to 10 metres forward in a single bound and can run at up to 65 km/h in short bursts. They can kill prey much larger than themselves — including young elephants and water buffalo.
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Unique stripe fingerprints
Every single tiger in the world has a completely unique stripe pattern — just like human fingerprints. Scientists use camera traps to photograph stripe patterns and identify each individual tiger. No two are ever the same!
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A roar heard 3km away
A tiger's roar can be heard up to 3 kilometres away! They use it to communicate with other tigers and to mark their territory. A tiger can also make lots of other sounds — chuffing (to say hello!), prusten, and growling.
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Solitary but connected
Tigers live alone — unlike lions who live in prides. But they are not completely isolated. Male territories overlap with several female territories, and mothers stay with their cubs for about 2.5 years. They communicate by scent marking and roaring.
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Built for the hunt
Tigers hunt by stealth rather than speed — stalking to within 10–20 metres of their prey before pouncing. They need to eat about 50–70 kg of meat per week. A large deer or sambar can feed a tiger for several days.
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India has 70% of the world's tigers
India is home to approximately 3,682 tigers — about 70% of all wild tigers on Earth. The next largest populations are in Russia, Bangladesh and Nepal. India's conservation efforts have made it the most successful tiger country in the world.