Tigers are solitary, territorial predators whose range extends across Eastern Eurasia. Their habitat has been greatly diminished by human activity, by as much as 93 percent, and tigers are now an endangered species, with many subspecies having already gone extinct, such as the Balinese tiger, the Javan tiger, and the Caspian tiger, all largely eradicated through humans hunting them and destroying their habitat throughout the last century and a half. The Javan tiger was one of the smallest subspecies of tiger and was found on the island of Java in Indonesia (southeast Asia) up until it was hunted to extinction in the 1970s. The Balinese tiger was the smallest subspecies of tiger and was found on the island of Bali in Indonesia until the first half of the twentieth century, when it too was hunted to extinction. Lastly, the Caspian tiger was found in Turkey, Mesopotamia, and the Caucasus around the Caspian Sea until they also met their fate at the hands of humans.
Today, there are only 3,000-4,000 tigers left in the wild today, a small fraction of the number that used to roam the forests and jungles of the world. While conservation has been underway for the remaining tiger populations and subspecies, deforestation and human contact still threaten the small numbers of these beautiful animals left in the wild.
In addition to their unique coat, tigers stand out as being the largest feline on the planet, with teeth four inches long and tails three feet in length. Siberian tigers, found in parts of Russia and China, are the largest tiger subspecies, with males weighing as much as 675 pounds. Tigers weigh on average 450 pounds and are diurnal animals, meaning that they are mainly active during the day and sleep at night. They are excellent swimmers but seldom climb trees and have been found to travel up to 400 miles to reach other tigers. Due to their large individual territories, tigers are seldom seen together unless they are mother and cub, as cubs stay with their mother for about two years, or if it is mating season.
These majestic animals have been a part of myths and folklore across Eurasia, playing the role of both villain and hero, though mainly villain. Their presence in these stories reflects their beauty and grace as well as their cunning and independence. The dangers that humans have faced while living in close proximity to these big cats is also reflected in these tales. We now know, however, that humans are a much bigger threat to tigers than these gorgeous animals are to us. It is my hope that the following stories show the complexities of tigers in myths and folktales, redeeming them from their common role as villain but also showing their intelligence and pride and the dangers these can pose to humans and animals alike.
Photo Source: Source: Max Pixel
Information Sources: National Geographic and Wikipedia articles for Tiger, Balinese Tiger, Javan Tiger, Siberian Tiger, and Caspian Tiger