Tigers (Big Cats)

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title: author: publisher: isbn10 | asin: print isbn13: ebook isbn13: language: subject publication date: lcc: ddc: subject:

TigersBig Cats Middleton, Don. 0823952134 9780823952137 9780585259284

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Page 1 Big Cats

Tigers Don Middleton

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This book is dedicated to my wife Sue and my daughters Jody and Kim. Without their support, my writing and other wildlife adventures would not have been possible. Also, a special thanks to author and friend Diana Star Helmer for believing in me. Published in 1999 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010 Copyright © 1999 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer. First Edition Book design: Danielle Primiceri Photo credits: Cover © Mark Newman/International Stock; pp. 5, 12,19,22 © Mark Newman/International Stock; p.6 © Gail Shumway/FPG International; p.9 © Bob Jackobson/International Stock; p. 10 © Jeffrey Sylvester/FPG International; p. 15 © Maratea/International Stock; p. 16 © Telegraph Colour Library/FPG International; p.20 © Stan Osolinski/FPG International. Middleton, Don. Tigers / by Don Middleton. p. cm.(Big cats) Includes index. Summary: An introduction to the physical characteristics, habitats, and behavior of the largest and strongest of all the wild cats. ISBN 0-8239-5213-4 1. TigersJuvenile literature. [1. Tigers.] I. Title. II. Series. QL737.C23M545 1998 599.756dc21 97-38706 CIP AC Manufactured in the United States of America

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Contents 1

Wild Cats

4

2

The Five Tigers

6

3

Stripes

8

4

Fangs and Claws

11

5

Secret Lives

12

6

Baby Tigers

14

7

Growing Up

17

8

Tigers and People

18

9

A Future for Tigers

21

10

Tigers in Zoos

22

Glossary

23

Web Site

23

Index

24

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Wild Cats Tigers are the largest and strongest of all the wild cats. There are 37 species (SPEE-sheez) of wild cats in the world. Tigers are one of the four ''great cats" along with lions, leopards (LEP-erdz), and jaguars (JAG-warz). Only the great cats are able to roar. Tigers live in India and many other Asian (AY-zhun) countries. Once, more than 100,000 tigers lived in the world's forests. Today, fewer than 5,000 still exist in the wild. Let's learn more about what makes these great cats so great!

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The pattern of stripes on this tiger's forehead is called a wang mark. Wang means "king" in Chinese.

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The Five Tigers

Of all the tigers, Siberian tigers have the fewest stripes and Sumatran tigers, such as this one, have the most stripes.

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Page 7 Today, there are five subspecies (SUB-spee-sheez) of tigers. They are the Siberian, Bengal, Indochinese, South China, and Sumatran tigers. Tigers stand over three feet tall and n 300 to 600 pounds. Some tigers have grown to be 800 pounds. This is five times heavier than most people weigh. Meeting a tiger alone in a forest would be very scary. His body would be seven feet long plus his big tail. Imagine a hungry house cat of that size! Of all the tigers, Siberian tigers have the fewest stripes and Sumatran tigers, such as this one, have the most stripes

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Stripes Tigers usually have orange fur with brown or black stripes. Scientists (SY-en-tists) believe that the stripes help tigers hide when they hunt. Their prey (PRAY) might think that the stripes are trees, bushes, and grass, not a predator (PRED-uh-ter) who wants to eat them! Just like human fingerprints, every tiger's pattern of stripes is differentno two are the same. You may have seen pictures of white tigers with blue eyes and brown stripes. White and yellow tigers can be part of the same family.

White and yellow tigers can be part of the same family

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Page 9 They are white Bengal tigers and they are very rare. People hardly ever see them in the wild. White tigers are found mostly in zoos.

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A tiger's long, sharp teeth are called canines. They grow in when a tiger is about sixteen months old.

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Fangs and Claws Tigers are one of the deadliest predators on Earth. While hunting at night, tigers are able to see six times better than humans. Tigers have big paws with very sharp claws. Their large front teeth can easily kill their prey. A tiger sneaks up on other animals. Once the tiger is close, it pounces (POWN-sez), or jumps on its prey, killing the animal by biting its throat. The animal, such as a wild pig, is then dragged away to a secret hiding place to be eaten.

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Secret Lives Some tigers live in the hot steamy forests of India. Others live in the icy cold forests of Siberia. Except mothers with cubs, tigers live alone. Living it easier to hunt. One tiger can sneak up and its prey better than a whole group of tigers, make too much noise. Tigers like to hunt at night. During the day, tigers spend most of their time resting or sleeping deep in the forest. When it is very hot, they will even lie in a stream or go for a swim. Even though the cats that we at home don't like to get wet, tigers love the water and are very strong swimmers.

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Even though the cats that we have at home don't like to get wet, tigers love the water and are very strong swimmers

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Baby Tigers When she is ready to mate (MAYT), a female tiger will roar loudly to attract a male tiger. After mating, the male leaves. Three or four months later, the female has three or four cubs. The cubs each weigh about three pounds, which is half the weight of a human baby. Newborn tigers are blind. They spend their time sleeping or drinking their mother's milk. After one or two weeks, their eyes open. Tigers are very good mothers and take care of their babies. They will attack any animal that comes near their cubs.

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This Siberian tiger cub is old enough to explore the area around its home.

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The cubs start to hunt by themselves when they are about one and a half years old.

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Growing Up Tiger cubs grow up quickly. Six weeks after they are born, they are much bigger and stronger. The mother tiger starts to feed them some meat from the animals she catches. Soon the cubs start to follow her when she goes on hunting trips. The cubs watch their mother hunt. They play stalking and pouncing games with their brothers and sisters. This helps them learn how to be good hunters. When they are about two years old, the cubs are big enough to leave their mother. Then they go off to live alone in the forest and start their own lives.

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Tigers and People Tigers don't attack (uh-TAK) people very often. However, in the forests of a country called Bangladesh, tigers sometimes hunt humans. The people who live there now wear masks on the back of their heads when they enter the forest. Because of the mask, a tiger will think the person is watching her and will not attack. Humans kill many tigers each year. Sometimes this is to protect people. But sometimes people called poachers kill tigers illegally (il-LEE-guh-lee) for their skins, claws, teeth, and other parts. These parts can be worth a lot of money.

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People are more dangerous to tigers than tigers are to people

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If we don't start taking care of the world's tigers, such as this Sumatran tiger, they will soon disappear.

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A Future for Tigers Tigers are an endangered (en-DAYN-jerd) species. tigers are killed each year than are being born. This is because of poachers who kill tigers. It is also because the forests where tigers live are being cut '' by humans for wood and food. When people destroy the forests, then the tigers have no place to this puts them in danger. Because tigers are in danger, there are special to help protect them. One program called TIGER is helping to protect large forests so can hunt the tigers who live there or cut trees. This program is helping to save the world's tigers.

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Tigers in Zoos Zoos are very important places for tigers. A zoo is the only place where people can go to see tigers and learn how special they are. Scientists study tigers in zoos so they can better understand how they live. Today, many zoos trade tigers with one another. This allows tigers that are from different families to mate and have strong, healthy cubs. One day, some of these tigers may be released back into the forests. Tigers are beautiful and special animals. We must learn that they need wild places where they and their families can live freely and safe

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Glossary Asian (AY-zhun) Something that is from the land called Asia. attack (uh-TAK) To hurt or bite. endangered (en-DAYN-jerd) Something that is in danger of no longer existing. illegal (il-LEE-gul) Something that is against the law. jaguar (AG-war) One of the four species of great cats. They live in Central and South America. leopard (LEP-erd) One of the four species of great cats. They live in Africa and Asia. mate (MAYT) A special joining of a male and female body. After mating, the female may have a baby grow inside her body. pounce (POWNTS) To jump on top of something. predator (PRED-uh-ter) An animal that kills other animals for food. prey (PRAY) An animal that is eaten by other animals. scientist (SY-en-tist) A person who studies the way things are and how they act in the world and the universe. species (SPEE-sheez) A group of animals that are very much alike. subspecies (SUB-spee-sheez) A group of animals that is similar but has small differences.

Web Sites: You can learn more about tigers on the Internet! Check out these Web sites: http://www.5tigers.org http://www. nationalgeographic.com/features/97/tigers/maina.html

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Index A Asian, 4 B Bengal tigers, 7, 9 C claws, 11, 18 cubs, 14, 17 E endangered species, 21 programs to help, 21 H height and weight, 7 hunting, 11, 12, 17, 18 J jaguars, 4 K killing tigers illegally, 18, 21 L leopards, 4 M mating, 14, 22 P poachers, 18, 21 pouncing, 11, 17 predator, 8, 11 prey, 8, 11, 12 S

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scientists, 8 species, 4, 21 stalking, 17 subspecies, 7 T tigers and people, 18, 21, 22 Z zoos, 9, 22

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