The Sumatra tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) is a placental mammal that belongs to the Felidae family. Relative to size, it is the smallest among living modern tigers. It can be around 2.5 meters long and weighs about 140 kilograms.
Its habitat is restricted to the island of Sumatra (Indonesia) and it is under threat of environmental degradation and poaching, which is why it is categorized by the IUCN as critically endangered..
Its fur is reddish-brown or orange, while the chest, inner leg area, belly, and throat are white. As for the black stripes, they are arranged very close to each other. Males have a white mane around the head and neck.
This subspecies has a very particular characteristic, between the toes of their legs they have membranes. These expand as the Sumatran tiger moves through the water, thus contributing to it being an excellent swimmer..
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Some research works, based on DNA analysis, confirm the hypothesis that Sumatran tigers are genetically isolated populations from other living continental tiger communities.
This separation between the communities was the result of the increase in sea level, which occurred between the Pleistocene and the Holocene, around 12,000-6,000 years ago..
The Panthera tigris sumatrae adult can measure between 2.2 and 2.5 meters in length and weigh from 100 to 140 kilograms. As for the female, it measures around 2.15 to 2.30 meters in length, with a weight that ranges from 75 to 110 kilograms.
The legs of this feline are muscular and the tail is long. The hind limbs are longer than the forelimbs. In relation to the legs, they have four toes on the back legs and five on the front ones. All have powerful retractable claws and pads.
Between the toes there is a membrane, which extends while swimming. This makes it easier to move around in the water and makes the Sumatran tiger a fast swimmer..
The color of the coat varies from orange to reddish brown, so the tone of its body is much darker than that of the rest of the tigers. In contrast, the chest, throat, belly, and inner limbs are white.
As for the stripes, they are black and are very close to each other. In this way, they provide excellent camouflage with the environment, where there are tall grasses. The male is distinguished from the female because the hair around the head and neck is longer, simulating a kind of mane.
The Sumatran tiger has a large head, with long vibrissae on the snout. These are specialized stiff hairs, which function as a tactile sensory element. In felines, vibrissae have nerve endings, which, when stimulated, can provide information about the environment around them.
In relation to the teeth, it is heterodont, with a total of 30 teeth. Among these, large canines stand out, measuring between 6 and 8 centimeters in length. These can cause a fatal bite, being able to pierce the skull or vertebrae of the prey.
On the back of the ears, it has white spots. Experts attribute a visual effect to it, which makes the feline look much larger. In addition, if the animal is observed from behind, they look like false eyes, which can create confusion in the predator that stalks it..
The Panthera tigris sumatrae has a highly developed sense of hearing. Your hearing system is capable of perceiving high-pitched sounds, with a frequency of up to 60 kHz. In addition, it has a maximum sensitivity of 300 to 500 Hz and can hear infrasound.
As for vision, it is binocular, because the eyes are located on each side of the head. Its night-time visibility is very good, since it has behind the retina a structure known as tapetum lucidum. This works like a mirror, expanding the light stimuli that the eye receives.
The sense of smell is not very developed, because it has a modest number of olfactory cells in the nasal cavity. However, it can pick up the scent signals of other tigers.
-Animal Kingdom.
-Subkingdom: Bilateria.
-Phylum: Chordate.
-Subfilum: Vertebrate.
-Infrafilum: Gnathostomata
-Superclass: Tetrapoda.
-Class: Mammal.
-Subclass: Theria.
-Infraclass: Eutheria.
-Order: Carnivora.
-Suborder: Feliformia.
-Family: Felidae.
-Subfamily: Pantherinae.
-Genus: Panthera.
-Species: Panthera tigris.
-Subspecies: Panthera tigris sumatrae.
The Sumatran tiger is distributed in small fragmented populations of Sumatra, located in Indonesia. On this island, the feline is located from the sea level of the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park to 3,200 meters, in the mountain forests of the Gunung Leuser National Park.
The area of Indonesia where this feline lives is characterized by swamps, lowlands, rivers, peat and montane forests. Uncultivated forests are among the preferred habitats, where they make very little use of oil palm or acacia plantations..
In natural forest areas, it tends to use the areas with the lowest annual rainfall, the highest elevation, and those that are further from the forest edge.
It also lives in those wooded areas that have a steep slope and dense understory cover. One of the environmental conditions that must be present in the Sumatran tiger habitats is the availability, at ground level, of adequate plant cover..
This allows it to hide from predators, especially man, who hunts it stealthily. This feline avoids areas occupied by humans. For this reason, its incidence in palm oil and rubber forests is very low..
Batang Gadis National Park, located in North Sumatra province, has an area of 1,080 km2.
According to studies carried out, in this protected area the Sumatran tiger is negatively correlated with altitude and positively with distance, from the edge of the forest to the interior. In addition, almost 18% of the habitat occupied by this feline is of high quality..
In this way, this national park is a natural corridor between two important ecosystems, the Barumun-Rokan and the Angkola..
This park covers 7,927 km2 and is located in the north of Sumatra, between the border of Aceh and North Sumatra. The Sumatran tiger lives in this nature reserve, together with other endangered mammals such as the Sumatran rhinoceros and the Sumatran elephant..
In addition, it has the Orangutan Sanctuary and the Ketambe Research Station, where studies on this primate are carried out..
This national reserve is the largest in Indonesia. It has an area of 13,750 km2 and is located between the provinces of Bengkulu, West Sumatra, Jambi and South Sumatra.
In this park there is the highest occupancy rate of Sumatran tigers, in terms of protected areas. Despite this, the feline is seriously threatened.
In this sense, since 2000, the Fauna & Flora International (FFI) organization has worked together with national authorities and local communities to strengthen protection actions in favor of the feline..
Sumatran tiger populations are declining at an alarming rate. Many are the factors that influence this situation, but the main cause is the loss of their habitat. Because of this, the IUCN has classified this subspecies within the group of critically endangered animals..
The Panthera tigris sumatrae it is disappearing rapidly due to high rates of habitat degradation, which reach between 3.2 and 5.9% per year. In addition, within the areas where it is protected, ecosystems are also fragmented.
The loss of the ecosystem is largely due to the expansion of oil palm plantations and Acacia plantations. In addition to this, the paper industry carries out indiscriminate felling on the land where the feline lives.
Another problem that triggers agricultural expansion is the increase in gas emissions, which are an aggravating factor in anthropogenic climate change. This increases the environmental pressures on this endangered species..
One of the essential environmental conditions for the full development of this species is the existence of large forest blocks, which are contiguous. In this sense, in the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park the annual loss of the forest averages 2%.
Thus, the lowland forest disappeared faster than the mountain forest. As for the wooded areas of soft slopes, they were destroyed more quickly than the forests of steep slopes.
In relation to the Kerinci Seblat National Park, it is threatened by the fragmentation that occurs in the external regions. This land degradation is driven by the growing demand for tree crops, accompanied by logging and the consequent forest fires..
As a consequence of habitat fragmentation, the Sumatran tiger has invaded local populations. This occurs mainly with the intention of feeding on the livestock found in the settlements. To defend his breeding animals, the man kills the feline.
In turn, it is hunted to sell its skin, legs and claws. Although this activity is illegal, it is carried out openly and the products are sold to China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan..
According to some statistical data, between 1998 and 2004, approximately 76% of Sumatran tigers died due to commercial purposes and 15% from conflict with humans..
Panthera tigris sumatrae It is a subspecies that is protected by Indonesian law, where heavy penalties are contemplated for those who violate it. In addition, it is classified within Category I of CITES.
In 1995, the Sumatran Tiger Project was put into practice in the Way Kambas National Park. The objective is to implement studies that provide information for the proper management of wild communities. In addition, this organization works hard to guarantee the viability of the species in the area..
The Indonesian government has created numerous sanctuaries and national reserves, where the Sumatran tiger and other endangered species remain protected. Recently, the Batu Nanggar Shrine in North Sumatra was created.
In this species, the female is sexually mature between 3 and 4 years of age, while the male is able to reproduce when he is 4 to 5 years old..
The female has estrus (mating season) every 3-9 weeks, being receptive for 3 to 6 days. Likewise, it presents an induced ovulation. Thus, the eggs are released when mating occurs..
The reproductive process could occur at any time of the year, however, it happens most frequently in the months of November to April. At this stage, the male and female bond only for a short time, only to copulate..
Gestation lasts about 3.5 months. Before delivery, the female seeks a secluded den, where two or three cubs will be born. The young have their eyes closed, opening them around 10 days. Regarding the weight, it is approximately 1.2 kilograms.
When the cub is two weeks old, it comes out of the den to explore its surroundings. For the first eight weeks, he only feeds on breast milk. After that time, although he can continue to breastfeed, he begins to consume solid foods.
The Sumatran tiger is a carnivorous animal, whose diet depends on the habitat where it is found and the abundance of prey. Thus, they usually consume Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus), porcupine (Suborder Hystricomorpha), royal argos (Argusianus argus) and the large mouse deer (Tragulus napu).
Also, it feeds on wild boar (Sus scrofa), southern pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina), little mouse deer (Tragulus kanchil), Indian muntiac (Muntiacus muntjak) and sambar (Russian unicolor).
Orangutans could be prey for this feline, but they rarely come down from trees and the tiger is not a good climber, so it is difficult for him to climb where the monkey is. In addition, the feline hunts birds, wild pigs, reptiles, rhinos and even young elephants..
To hunt, it does so by patiently stalking its prey, hiding in the vegetation cover. When it is close enough, it suddenly attacks it. It usually grabs it first from the back, then reaches the throat and bites it until it suffocates.
One of the tactics that works best for you is to chase the prey until it is forced into the water. Then the Sumatran tiger darts and swims until it reaches her. Due to his abilities as an expert swimmer, such eating behavior is very effective.
Experts indicate that the loud and pronounced vocalizations that Sumatran tigers emit, known as roars, are not used very often by Sumatran tigers. They only use them in the contexts of fear, pain or aggression.
On the other hand, the loud moan is possibly the call most used by the feline, which is frequently associated with situations of contact between interspecific species..
The Panthera tigris sumatrae it is a solitary animal, except during the mating period and when the females are with their young. Relative to the home range of a male, it may overlap the range of several females, but not that of other males..
This subspecies is territorial and marks its territory or the trees in it with scent. The male does not allow another to remain in his area, but he does allow another to pass through it to go to another area.
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