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Powerhouse
"A tiger is so strong that it can move prey weighing 700 kilograms on its own."
Discover in real lifeHabitat:
forests in eastern Russia and China
Food:
meat
Lifespan:
8 to 10 years
Weight:
♀ 110 to 170 kg ♂ 190 to 300 kg
Number of youngsters:
1 to 7
Carrying time:
3.5 months
IUCN status:
Endangered
EEP:
Yes
About the Amur tiger
The Amur tiger is the largest feline in the world. Like most felines, tigers live solitary lives. Males often have a larger habitat than females. They mark their territory with their scent, by urinating everywhere. Tigers are the only felines with stripes. These stripes allow them to hide well in the forests they live in. This allows them to stalk and catch their prey well.
Habitat and threats
Amur tigers live in vast, dense forests in eastern Russia and China. They are well adapted to the cold thanks to their thick fur. They used to live in much of China and Korea. Due to tiger hunting, the species was almost extinct by the 1940s and only an estimated 20 Amur tigers were still alive in the wild. Thanks to protection in Russia of both the tiger and its prey animals, around 400 to 500 Amur tigers now live in the wild again.
Thanks to illegal hunting, the tiger is listed as endangered on the IUCN list. Not only for their fur, but also because in many Asian countries it is believed that tigers' body parts can be used as medicine. For instance, tiger bones are believed to help against rheumatism, headaches and back pain, the tail fixes skin problems, the teeth reduce fever and the claws reduce sleeplessness.
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Species conservation in ZooParc Overloon
Did you know that more than 4,000 animal species in the world are in danger of extinction? ZooParc works with about 325 European zoos to conserve these species. Through management programs (EEPs) we ensure healthy reserve populations. Together, we form the European Association of Zoos (EAZA).
The Amur tigers at ZooParc are also part of an EEP. A coordinator maintains a pedigree of the species and manages the population in zoos. Together with a committee, the coordinator gives advice on which animals are allowed to have cubs together. Sometimes that means moving an Amur tiger to another zoo. This way we increase the chance of healthy cubs and the survival of the species. You can recognize animal species with an EEP by the logo of a rhino with a calf.
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Species conservation in the wild
Through Stichting Wildlife, ZooParc supports nearly 30 conservation projects around the world. It also helps the Amur tiger in the wild. Every year, Stichting Wildlife donates to the Wildlife Conservation Society to help Amur tigers in Russia. WCS is committed to researching Amur tigers in eastern Russia, preventing or resolving human-tiger conflicts and protecting Amur tigers from illegal poaching.
More info on WCSMore info on Stichting Wildlife