Favourite tiger subspecies?

Favourite tiger subspecies

  • Total voters
    42
My vote is for the Sumatran tiger. They’re the subspecies managed in Australasia and therefore the one I’m most familiar with. I enjoy researching animal lineages and following their descendants and know all 41 of our tigers by name, birth year and parentage.

I like the impressive ruffs on the males (I’ve yet to see more impressive than Jae Jae) and even a couple of the females; as well as the black spots that dot their flanks and legs.

I’ve also seen Siberian tiger and Malayan tiger and am grateful for the opportunity to have done so, but nothing can compare to the Sumatran for me.
 
I’m going to say Bengal here. Not only were they the first distinct subspecies I knew of, but I find their habitat diversity to be pretty fascinating. I also feel they are not talked about much, compared to Sumatran or Malayan.
Their facial features such as the almost perfectly straight horseshoe shape from their nose to their eye makes them look really majestic but silly at the same time.
 
Sphenisciologist said:
Their facial features such as the almost perfectly straight horseshoe shape from their nose to their eye makes them look really majestic but silly at the same time.
Click to expand...

Can you explain what you mean by the 'perfectly straight horseshoe shape'? I've got no idea what you're talking about and the tautology (given the horseshoe shape is bent by definition) doesn't help. Genuine question, I'm not doing this to annoy you I promise :).
 
amur leopard said:
Can you explain what you mean by the 'perfectly straight horseshoe shape'? I've got no idea what you're talking about and the tautology (given the horseshoe shape is bent by definition) doesn't help. Genuine question, I'm not doing this to annoy you I promise :).
Click to expand...
bengal-tiger_thumb.JPG

Their eyes going down to their nose looks like a U curved at the top. Probably closer to a U rather than a horseshoe, though.
Significantly more narrow and less ‘smashed’ than other tiger species IMO. Gives them a look I enjoy.
 
I like Malayans because they have a little bit of everything. They have a rich orange coat like the Bengal Tiger and have a mini mane like the Sumatran. They're also in the middle size-wise at about 300 lbs. I think the shade of orange they are is my top reason for liking them.
 
Sphenisciologist said:
I also feel they are not talked about much, compared to Sumatran or Malayan.
Click to expand...
Not talked about much on this site because there are no pure Bengals in captivity outside of India (maybe there are a few in some other Asian country though?). However, I believe they are the most well known subspecies to the general public. It seems like a lot of people seem to think “Royal Bengal Tiger” when asked about tigers as a whole.
 
Hands down for me it’s Sumatran Tiger. They’re bearded like appearance and dark orange hues photograph so well. Most of my tiger shots are from Tiger Trail at the SDZ Safari Park, always seem to have luck there and it helps that they hold 6 Sumatran Tigers(although rotated out through their 3 pens).
 
Siberian for me (followed by Sumatran). I enjoy watching them move, the big muscle groups working away when they run or climb and their sizeable paws. I also enjoy watching their coats change across the seasons. Having followed a few Siberian tigers from cub to adult they remain my favourite.

I do enjoy having the chance to see the different sub species and see the differences between them. I think we are lucky to see such a variation in captivity in the U.K. given how endangered they are in the wild.

I’d go out of my way to see a tiger of any sub species though tbh, beautiful creatures to watch and to photograph.
 
I love how sumtrans look. Their markings just look so bold and their fur looks so shiny. Also their facial ruff makes them really photogenic. When I saw them in person at the Kansas City Zoo they felt so huge and it was hard to believe they are the smallest of the tiger subspecies with how powerful and impressive they look.
 
If I had to pick one I would say the Siberian, While I have seen many tigers over the years I have seen some truly massive and impressive animals that had surprised me, some were at the Marwell zoo and Port lympne zoo/Howletts
 
Bengal and Siberian because they're beautiful and majestic. Pity that I've only seen a siberian once and will probably never see a purebred Bengal :oops:
 
IndianRhino said:
Not talked about much on this site because there are no pure Bengals in captivity outside of India (maybe there are a few in some other Asian country though?).
Click to expand...
I think some facilities in China do have purebred Bengals. Not likely outside of those two areas, though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top