The lion is the king of the jungle, and the tiger is the undisputed king of the big cats. Tigers are the largest living cat species, apparently dwarfing all other living cat species to a large extent. With their distinctive colors and stripes, tigers appear both majestic and intimidating. Recently, these top predators have roamed much of South and Central Asia. Unfortunately, their numbers have steadily declined due to poaching and habitat loss. Over the past few decades, several subspecies have become extinct, disappearing entirely from their natural ranges. While conservation efforts continue to try to protect tiger populations, it’s been an uphill battle for the most part. Today, the few remaining tigers must fight for survival in increasingly smaller territories. Still, tigers continue to capture our imaginations with their massive size and striking features. That is, what is the largest tiger in the world?
In this article, we’ll take a look at the largest tiger species today. We’ll also cover which extinct tiger species stand out from the rest. Additionally, we will identify the largest tigers in captivity and in the wild. Most importantly, we’ll end with some frequently asked questions about tigers. Get ready to learn about the world’s largest tiger.
living tiger subspecies
The Bengal tiger is the second largest tiger.
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Until recently, scientists thought there were eight subspecies of tigers. However, new research over the past few years has led experts to revise that total to nine. Existing subspecies include the Bengal (or Indian) tiger, the Siberian (or Amur) tiger, the South China tiger, the Sumatran tiger, the Indochinese tiger, and the newly added Malayan tiger. Of these living tigers, by far the smallest is the Sumatran tiger. The Sumatran tiger is the only remaining subspecies in the Sunda Islands. Males are 87 to 100 inches long and weigh 220 to 310 pounds.
Coming in second in size is the newly tagged Malayan tiger from the Malay Peninsula. These tigers are only slightly larger than Sumatran tigers, with males measuring between 75 and 112 inches in length and weighing between 220 and 308 pounds. Then came the South China Tiger. Originally native to southern China, these tigers may no longer exist in the wild, as there have been few verifiable sightings since the late 1980s. In humans currently in captivity, males typically measure between 91 and 104 inches in length and weigh between 287 and 386 pounds. Then there’s the Indochinese tiger, which can be found in remote areas of Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. On average, males are recorded at about 100 to 112 inches in length and weigh between 331 and 430 pounds.
The Bengal tiger comes second on our list of the largest tigers in the world. These iconic felines are found throughout India, Bangladesh and Nepal and are one of the most abundant subspecies of tiger. Males are recorded with an average length of 110 to 120 inches and a weight of 386 to 573 pounds. The Bengal tiger, while large, has one hair less than the Siberian tiger, the undisputed largest living tiger subspecies.
Largest surviving subspecies of tiger
Amur tigers are the largest tigers and cats on Earth.
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The Siberian tiger tops our list of the world’s largest tigers. Native to the Far East of Russia, Northeast China, and North Korea, Amur tigers have many names depending on where they live. Other names include Siberian tiger, Korean tiger, Manchurian tiger, and Ussuri tiger. A close relative of the extinct Caspian tiger, the Siberian tiger was nearly extinct, but thanks to intense conservation efforts, its numbers are now considered stable. Male Siberian tigers have been recorded typically reaching a length of 120 inches and weighing between 397 and 675 pounds. Unfortunately, due to habitat loss and dwindling food supplies, modern tigers are not growing as large as their older cousins. Today, most wild Siberian tigers are undersized, possibly due to increased intervals between feeding due to habitat loss.
largest extinct tiger
The three extinct modern tiger species include the Bali, Javan and Caspian tigers. The Bali tiger held the record for the smallest tiger species until it became extinct in the 1950s. Males are generally about 87 to 91 inches long and weigh about 200 to 220 pounds. Then there’s the Javan tiger, which likely became extinct in the wild by the mid-1970s, largely due to habitat destruction and hunting. When alive, males typically measure about 98 inches long and weigh between 220 and 311 pounds.
The largest extinct subspecies of modern tigers, the Caspian tiger has only recently become extinct, with 2003 considered the likely year the last Caspian tiger died. Historically, their range included Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, parts of China, and the area around the Caspian Sea, where they got their name. Also known as the Balkhash, Hyrcanian, Turan and Mazandaran tigers, they have a lot in common with the Siberian tiger. Male Caspian tigers are only slightly smaller than Siberian tigers, typically measuring between 106 and 116 inches in length and weighing between 370 and 530 pounds.
That is, the largest extinct tiger did not become extinct recently, but disappeared from the earth thousands of years ago. Panthere tigris solensis, or Ngandong tiger, lived in the Sunda region of Indonesia during the Pleistocene era. The remains of the gigantic tiger came from a site near the village of Ngandong, from which it was named. Based on the size of the recovered fossils, the Ngan tiger may have weighed 1,040 pounds and was nearly 138 inches long. At that measure, it weighed almost twice as much as the largest living tiger, making it one of the largest land predators on Earth.
largest captive tiger
As the largest tiger in the world, the Siberian tiger also holds the title of the largest captive tiger ever. According to Guinness World Records, the record for the largest captive tiger ever lived belongs to a male Siberian tiger named Jaipur. American trainer Joan Byron Marasek owns Jaipur, which is much larger in size than almost any other tiger record. At age nine, he stood 10 feet 11 inches tall and weighed nearly 932 pounds. While Jaipur may be clinically overweight, he still deserves the title of largest captive cat.
Largest tiger ever found in the wild
Meanwhile, the largest tiger ever found in the wild was an overgrown male Bengal tiger. This gigantic specimen lived in Uttar Pradesh, India, before being shot by hunters in November 1967. It is nearly 10 feet 7 inches long and weighs nearly 857 pounds. That said, the autopsy revealed that he had only recently eaten a buffalo, which may have contributed to his above-average weight. Still, this specimen ranks among the largest tigers ever encountered in the wild in the world. Other reports of giant tigers can never substantiate their claims, so one has to take it with a grain of salt.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tigers
The white tiger is not a subspecies, but the product of a genetic mutation.
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How many tigers are there?
According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are only 3,900 tigers left in the wild worldwide. This represents a reduction of more than 95 percent in the world’s tiger population, compared with about 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century.
Are white tigers extinct?
White tigers do not constitute distinct subspecies, but instead have a genetic abnormality that causes their fur to grow white instead of orange. Therefore, they are not extinct as they do not represent different species or subspecies.
What is the rarest tiger?
The rarest living tiger is the South China tiger, which is functionally extinct in the wild. While some solitary individuals may remain, the only significant populations currently living in zoos. Currently, only about 100 are kept in captivity worldwide.
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