The Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgata) is an extinct tiger species. The tiger lived adjacent to the Caspian Sea. Scientists estimated that the Caspian tiger was nearly the size of Asian tigers. Studies also suggest that the Caspian tiger was one of the biggest cats ever lived then.
Caspian Tiger Facts for Kids
Caspian tigers lived in the forests of Turkey, Central Asia, Takla Makan (China), and Iran.
The tiger had quite a few names such as Persian tiger, Hyrcanian tiger, Turanian tiger.
Unlike in Bengal tigers the stripes on the tiger’s coat were brown. They were also numerous and the coat color was bright orange. In winter the coat becomes lighter in color.
The average weight in male
s estimated at 170–240 kg (370–530 lb), whereas females weighed 85–135 kg (187–298 lb). Caspian tigers could reach 3 meters (10 ft) in body length. It had a 90 cm (3.0 ft) long tail.
Caspian cats liked to make habitats in lowland forests, hilly areas, and plains.
They used to prey on large animals such as wild pigs, ungulates, roe deer, Bactrian deer. Caspian tigers also ate jungle cats, wild horses, saiga, Eurasian golden jackals, mountain sheep, goitered gazelle, Persian onagers, Manchurian wapiti, and loccusts.
Many sportsmen and militarymen killed large number of Caspian tigers at the start of the 20th century. The last of the recognized population lived in Tajikistan in 1938. It was also legally protected by the Union of Soviet Social Republics in 1947.
