kingdom: animalia
phylum:chordata
class:mammalia
order: carnivora
family:felidae
genus: panthera
Species: tigris
sub-species: altaica

Siberian tigers (Panthera tigris altaica), also known as Amur tigers, are much lighter in colour with less vivid stripes and less contrast between the white and the orange areas, with very long and thick fur that covers its body for warmth from the cold climates it inhabits. It is by far the largest sub-species of tiger, therefore making it the largest of all the cats. Siberians can measure a length of about 243cm to 274cm for females and 264cm to 327cm for males, and weigh around 100kg to 167kg for females with males a much larger 180kg to 306kg!! They have large feet that act as snowshoes when travelling through snow, and their size is an accomodation for the colder regions.

Siberian tigers inhabit the harsh cold regions of Siberia, Russia's far east, Manchuria, nothern borders of China and possibly North Korea, in the mountainous forest areas uninhabited by man. It's alternaitive name, Amur tiger, comes from the Amur basin where the sub-species is also said to live. They can be found as high as 1,200 metres throughout most of the year, although they descend to lower regions during winter.
The predominant food for this species appears to be wild boar and wapiti, although they have been known to feed on lynxes, badgers, hares and bears. An average need of 9kg of food a day, siberians may consume as much as 50kg of meat in one sitting , enabling sustanance until the next kill, which are made usually between every three to seven days. As with the other sub-species of tiger, they are nocturnal and hunt primarily at night.
The behaviour of a Siberian tiger is no different from the other sub-species, being generally solitary, and the only social activity between adult tigers is during courtship. Families of young tigers have been observed and these are usually because they have not yet separated after leaving their mother.

Population Status
Once numbering as many as 2,000, the Siberian tiger now has an estimated population between 300 to 400 in the wild, although a recent report states that this has increased to around 500 which is encouraging. In the 1930's the population had fallen to as low as 20 to 30, but soon recovered under the protection from hunting. It is still considered to be one of the more stable sub-species in its status, despite its low numbers. Russia has very strict laws regarding Siberian tigers, and guards patrol the many reserves set aside for tiger conservation to ensure that hunting and poaching doesn't occur. Unfortunately, poaching is still common, but these efforts have helped increaIn Russia, the Siberian tiger has survived wars, revolutions and now faces deforestation. It is considered an endangered species, with Russian populations rising from a low 20 to an estimated 200 in 1994. Numbers are now believed to be 415 to 480. Sikhote-Alin (3,470 sq.km), Lazovsky (1,165 sq.km) and Kedrovaya Pad (178 sq.km) are Russia's three protected tiger reserves.

This sub-species is had reported to be increasing in China, numbering about 100, though unofficial therefore it is more likely that around 20 is more accurate. Siberians also facing poaching for the Medicine trade. See Tiger Parts in the Asian Medicine Trade.
Tigers are also thought to range into the northern parts of North Korea, in reserves bordering China's Changbai Mts, with small populations of a little over 10.
Overall, it is Russia's numbers that will define the future for this sub-species, with the help of man. Bans on hunting and the capture of live tigers have been in force since 1959, and the sub-species is protected throughout it's range in Russia with all forms of hunting prohibited.