Smilodon

Ice Age: Continental Drift is the fourth installment of the Ice Age Franchise, set to be released this July. For fans of the Ice Age gang, the film gives us another chance to laugh at the antics of Manny the mammoth, Sid the ground sloth and Diego the Smilodon. The movie centers on the cataclysmic splitting of the land into different continents. For Diego the Smilodon, the movie touches on him finally finding a love interest.

Diego is a smilodon, more commonly known to people as a saber-toothed tiger. It’s a nod to the extinct creature’s most distinctive characteristics: their unusually long maxillary canines. The felines were common during the Ice Age, and were thought to be apex predators that live together in small groups called packs, led by a lone alpha male much in the same way male lions preside over their prides.

Smilodons were among the largest of the large cats to ever roam the earth, with sub subscpecies exceeding 500 kilograms in weight. They had short tails, but very powerful legs and a thick, muscular neck, theorized to help in biting down prey. Compared to today’s generation of felids, a Smilodon was more robustly built, more similar to the stocky body of a bear. Moreover, the smilodon had a shorter lumbar region in proportion to its upper limbs, which suggests the big cat was not built for speed, but power.

As for what exactly caused the extinction of smilodon is still largely a mystery today. It’s though that prehistoric men hunted the cats to extinction, while another theory suggests that the felid died along with many other animals during the end of the Ice Age. 

 

Tigers

Tigers are among the most recognized among large cats, even ascribed to be the veritable symbol of conservation and eco-awareness, given the fact that a number of organizations have used the image of tigers in countless campaigns and programs geared for environmental conservation.

The 1964 feature titled A Tiger Walks looked into the tale of a circus tiger, who, after escaping from its enclosure, became the subject of a mass hunt, with people intent on having the creature killed, save one little girl.

An inspiring tale, the story delves into the challenges often faced by eco-conservation advocates, where the priorities of human beings are always put over the safety and conservation needs of Mother Earth’s other residents.

Tigers, as large cats, are ascribed to be the largest and are famous for their black strips and orange coats. Like how fingerprints are unique to human beings, the stripes of a tiger are unique as well, with the strips above the tiger’s eyes similarly shaped with others, with differences in the rest of the body and the tiger’s face being a prominent form feature.

Apart from the orange and black stripes, white tigers are known to exist, oftentimes the result of inbreeding among species. As such, white tigers are not always found in the wild given the fact that most inbreeding instances with tigers occur when they are kept in captivity.

As tigers, white tigers are similar in form with orange and black striped tigers, differing only with their deep brown stripes and blue eyes, with some white tigers having no stripes at all.

A “black tiger” variant is known to exist, but only one specimen, a pelt taken from illegal traders, stands to be the only proof of their existence. Based on the specimen, black tigers have all black faces and backs, with stripes falling down on the sides of its body.

Being one of the world’s endangered species, tigers have long captured the fascination of people, given their allure in being mysterious, as predators who can be loving and gentle at the same time.

Tigers Video

Too Close for Comfort

We all have that dream, where we get to casually hang out with Tigers, treating them as though they large scale versions of their domestic feline cousins.

But as we dream, we are all quite aware of how different Tigers are from domestic cats in the real world, with one swipe from them resulting to more than just a skin-deep scratch.

An undercover Human Society employee was also quite aware of this fact, upon discovering that workers of an Oklahoma-based wild animal park allowed children to come in close contact with some of its tigers.

Based on reports from USA Today, the said undercover representative of the Human Society saw the unsafe handling of wild animals in the GW Exotic Animal Park, Wynnewood, Oklahoma.

The organization has filed a number of complaints against the wild animal park, citing instances of animal abuse, and the unsafe security/safety practices implemented by the park, defined by how children were allowed to come close to its tiger cubs. The organization has also noted the death of five tiger cubs in the past, which if proven to be true, will leave the park with a lot to answer for.

GW Exotic Animal Park owner Joe Schreibvogel is convinced that the Humane Society is intent in creating noise, in an effort to generate more donations. Given that the park stands to be one of the largest of its kind (exotic-animal parks) in the United States, Schreibvogel claims that the park’s status makes it a target for organizations like the Human Society.

As investigations and inquiries are still ongoing, it is too soon to note if the park or the Humane Society are exactly in the wrong, but we’ll be featuring pertinent updates over here, once they come out.

 

Ukraine’s Newborn White Tigers

As protected endangered species, tigers are among the most endangered and rare, with six tiger species listed in the endangered species list.

So when news when the Yalta Zoo based in Yalta, Ukraine celebrated the birth of four tiger cubs – four white tiger cubs – broke out, a lot of attention was directed towards the zoo, particularly on its tiger breeding program.

Born last Sunday on May 6, the four white tiger cubs – with one albino – are now the proud new residents of the Yalta Zoo, whose birth is an inspiring occasion, one which can be tallied as a success for the zoo’s tiger population rehabilitation efforts.

In most cases, two or three in one-time litters of white tiger cubs are known to occur. The four white tiger cub number in one litter is a rarity in itself, with white tigers themselves already being rare in the first place.

Known as a recessive mutant of the Bengal Tiger specie, white tigers are physically identified through their white and black stripes. As creatures, they have become part of various ancient and current traditional and modern pop culture trends, from being embodied forms of deities to representations of positive virtues and beliefs.

Rare in the wild, most instances of white tigers happen in captive ecosystems and environments, where monitoring and breeding population is regularly recorded. However, wild white tigers are known to be present in the wild.

In terms of estimates, one in every 15,000 Bengal Tigers are born as white tigers.

Having said that, the four white tigers born in the Yalta Zoo are truly rare births.

Face Fierce Lion

Lion one of the big cats known as king of the jungle. Her body is muscular, his face is fierce and he as a lion carnivores deserve the nickname as the king of the jungle. Just imagine you are walking in our woods, you see a snake, monkey or a wolf maybe you still have a fatherly kebernaian fight, but if you meet the lion or tiger I am sure the actions you take only two kinds of direct scamper or climb a tree as soon as possible, but you should know lion is also known as a good climber.

Lion Wallpaper

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White Tiger

True Wild Life | White Tiger | The white tigers originated in the pure Bengal strain in India. Later in captivity Siberian was crossed in to make a bigger more impressive white tiger. They do have some pigment, so they are not albinos. The white tiger has a shorter life expectancy than the orange tiger, thought to be due to the white tigers mutated genes and to the inbreeding depression necessary to perpetuate the bloodline. The white tiger was always rare to come across in the wild in India, and none have been seen in the wild for over 50 years. The gene that causes the background to be white is a simple recessive. For that reason to produce whites they must be mated either to other whites or to normal orange tigers that are carriers of the white gene. The white tiger has been known to give birth to an orange tiger when mated to an orange male. Cubs of both colors occur in the same litter.

White tigers have also sadly appealed to those who are rich who either display the white tiger in captivity or killed the white tigers for their fur. For that reason white tigers are no longer seen in the wild. All were captured for captive breeding programs or killed as trophies for rich hunters. It has been speculated that some white tiger individuals are born with a blue tinge to their black stripes. Although this has not been recorded, it is possible for a genetic mutation to occur diluting the black stripes of the white tiger a blue/gray color. This dilution of black to blue is common in horses, cats, and dogs.

As white tigers are simply a different coloured version of the normal orange tiger, there are very few differences (if any at all) in the white tiger's behaviour. The white tiger lived in a jungle habitat where there was plenty of cover for the white tiger to remain hidden and to keep on the look out for potential prey. However, they did tend to stand out against their backgrounds and did not camofluage as effectively as normal orange tigers

The tiger is a carnivorous mammal and a fearless predator hunting large mammals including deer, wild boar and cattle. Tigers are extremely stealthy animals and are able to sneak up on their prey and catch it off guard. This makes the tiger a ruthless and dominant predator within its environment. The tiger is a solitary animal and it requires a large territory in order to ensure that there is an adequate food supply. Tiger cubs remain with their mother until they are strong enough and experienced enough to hunt for themselves.

Tiger

True Wild Life | Tiger | The tiger is the largest feline in the world, with the tiger growing to around 2.5 metres in length. The tiger is the most powerful of all the big cats, and is native to east and southern Asia. The tiger is feared by most human beings who inhabit settlements within the tiger's territory. There are six different subspecies of tiger which are the Bengal tiger, the Indochinese tiger, the Malayan tiger, the Sumatran tiger, the Siberian tiger and the South China Tiger. The white tiger is actually a Bengal tiger and is therefore not a subspecies itself.

The average tiger weighs around 300kg and a tiger can stretch its body (and tail) to roughly 4 metres. Tigers hunt snakes, boar, buffalo, crocodiles, deer, leopards and camels and are extremely effective at catching their prey due to their silent, stalking approach and their powerful bodies. The tiger can reach speeds of up to 90km an hour, making the tiger extremely fast. Tigers have even been known to conflict with rhinos and elephants with the tiger generally winning.

Tigers are generally orange with black stripes although it's common to get tigers with white and sandy coloured markings. The white tiger is a rare type of tiger, with bright white fur and black stripes, these tigers occur from a genetic mutation when in the mother tiger's womb. It is not certain that these white tigers will produce white offspring, many white tigers have been known to produce orange cubs. Today the tiger is a near endangered species with only a handful still roaming the Asian jungles. The tiger is still a completely dominant predator in it's environment particularly due to their extreme power, and ability to run, swim, jump and climb trees very effectively.

The tiger is a highly adaptable animal with the tiger's territory ranging from Siberia, to open grasslands and tropical mangrove swamps in central and south-east Asia. The tiger is also an extremely territorial animal and the tiger is generally a solitary animal. Due to the tiger's size and the tiger's want to be solitary, the tiger often requires large areas of habitat that can support the tiger's prey demands. Because of the tiger's need for a large territory mixed with the fact that the tiger is native to some of the more densely populated places on earth, has meant that there have been significant conflicts between tigers and humans.

Tigers usually mate from November to April and after a gestation period of just over 3 months, the female tiger gives birth to 2 or 3 tiger cubs. When the tiger cubs are first born they are blind and extremely vulnerable. By the time the tiger cubs is around 18 months old, it is able to hunt for itself. Tiger cubs are known to grow rapidly and can put on 100 g of weight every day. The tiger cubs usually stay with their mother until they are between 2 and 3 years old and the tiger cubs are then big enough and strong enough to venture out into the jungle to live a life of solitude.

Sumatran Tiger

True Wild Life | Sumatran Tiger | The Sumatran tiger is the smallest subspecies of tiger in the world, with male Sumatran tigers rarely growing to 2.5 meters in length. The Sumatran tiger is today a critically endangered species of tiger with only around 500 thought to be in the wild. The Sumatran tiger is natively found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra where the Sumatran tiger can be found inhabiting a variety of habitats from low and highland areas, to mountainous jungle and peat swamp forests.

The is Sumatran tiger the smallest species of tiger meaning that the Sumatran tiger is able to move through dense jungle with greater ease than it's larger cousins. The Sumatran tiger is quite different in appearance to other tiger species as the stripes of the Sumatran tiger are narrower than those of other tiger species and they also have larger manes. Sumatran tigers have slightly webbed paws which allows them to swim more efficiently after their prey.

The Sumatran tiger is a dominant and carnivorous predator, hunting it's prey by stalking it until the Sumatran tiger has the opportunity to catch it off guard. Sumatran tigers primarily hunt larger mammals including deer, wild boar, cattle and goats. Due to the size and power of the Sumatran tiger, it has no natural predators in its native environment. Humans that hunt the Sumatran tiger and habitat loss are the only threats to the Sumatran tiger.

After a gestation period of 3 to 4 months, the female Sumatran tiger gives birth to up to 5 cubs. Newborn Sumatran tiger cubs weigh about 1 kg (2 lb) and are blind and helpless. The mother feeds them milk for about 2 months and then the Sumatran tiger cubs are introduced to meat. Sumatran tiger cubs depend on their mother for the first 18 months and then they start hunting on their own. Today, due to habitat loss caused by deforestation, and hunting by human poachers, the Sumatran tiger is considered to be a critically endangered species. Modern estimates suggest that the current wild Sumatran tiger population is as low as 400 to 500 individuals.

South China Tiger

True Wild Life | South China Tiger | The South China tiger (also known as the Amoy, Chinese or Xiamen tiger) is a smaller-sized subspecies of tiger native to the forests of southern China. The South China tiger is the most critically endangered tiger species with only a handful left in the wild. The South China tiger is natively found in the temperate upland forests of southern China, where its once wide range has now been reduced to a few isolated populations, which are said to be found inhabiting the mountainous borders between provinces.

The South China tiger is one of the smallest species of tiger behind the Sumatran tiger and the Malayan tiger. As with the other smaller sized tiger species, the small size of the South China tiger allows it to move through the dense jungle more easily. Like other tiger species, the South China tiger is known to be a strong and capable swimmer, often able to catch its prey when its in the water. This hunting strategy only works however if the South China tiger is faster than the animal it is hunting.

The South China tiger is a dominant and carnivorous predator, hunting it's prey by stalking it until the South China tiger has the opportunity to catch it off guard. South China tigers primarily hunt larger mammals including deer, wild boar, cattle and goats. Due to the size and power of the South China tiger, it has no natural predators in its native environment. Humans that hunt the South China tiger and habitat loss are the only threats to the South China tiger.

After a gestation period of 3 to 4 months, the female South China tiger gives birth to up to 5 cubs. Newborn South China tiger cubs weigh about 1 kg (2 lb) and are blind and helpless. The mother feeds them milk for about 2 months and then the South China tiger cubs are introduced to meat. South China tiger cubs depend on their mother for the first 18 months and then they start hunting on their own.

Today, due to habitat loss caused by deforestation, and hunting by human poachers, the South China tiger is considered to be a critically endangered species. The South China tiger is the most critically endangered species of tiger and one of the 10 most endangered animals in the world, as there are thought to be less than 20 South China tigers left in the wild.

Siberian Tiger

True Wild Life | Siberian Tiger | The Siberian tiger (also known as the Amur and the Ussuri tiger) is a large subspecies of tiger, found throughout western and central Asia. The Siberian tiger is the largest species of tiger in the world closely followed by the Bengal tiger, found on the Indian subcontinent. The Siberian tiger was once found across central and western Asia and throughout Russia, but conflict and deforestation has made the Siberian tiger extinct in much of its native habitat. Today the Siberian tiger's range is restricted to parts of eastern Siberia where it is now a protected species.

The Siberian tiger is considered to be the largest subspecies of tiger, although recent reports suggest that the Bengal tiger is on average, larger than the Siberian tiger. The Siberian tiger has thick fur to keep it warm during the bitter Siberian winter, that can grow to 4 inches long on its neck and tummy. In parts of Siberia where the range of the Siberian tiger's habitat overlaps that of other large predators such as bears and wolves, the Siberian tiger is known to be a more dominant predator either chasing off or killing its competitors.

The Siberian tiger is a dominant and carnivorous predator, hunting its prey by stalking it until the Siberian tiger has the opportunity to catch it off guard. Siberian tigers primarily hunt larger mammals including deer, wild boar, cattle and goats. Due to the size and power of the Siberian tiger, it has no natural predators in its native environment. Humans that hunt the Siberian tiger and habitat loss are the only threats to the Siberian tiger.

After a gestation period of 3 to 4 months, the female Siberian tiger gives birth to up to 5 cubs. Newborn Siberian tiger cubs weigh about 1 kg (2 lb) and are blind and helpless. The mother feeds them milk for about 2 months and then the Siberian tiger cubs are introduced to meat. Siberian tiger cubs depend on their mother for the first 18 months and then they start hunting on their own. Today, due to habitat loss caused by deforestation, and hunting by human poachers, the Siberian tiger is considered to be an endangered species. Despite being the largest of all the tiger species, there are thought to be less than 500 Siberian tigers left in the wild.

Malayan Tiger

True Wild Life | Malayan Tiger | The Malayan tiger is a smaller-sized subspecies of tiger, found throughout Malaysia and parts of Thailand. The Malayan tiger is today an endangered species but one of the more numerous wild tiger species. The Malayan tiger is found throughout the southern and central parts of the Malay Peninsula with its range also extending into parts of southern Thailand. The Malayan tiger is found inhabiting the less-dense forests and jungles where there is a higher supply of food.

The Malayan tiger is the smallest species of tiger along with the Sumatran tiger, with average female Malayan tigers growing to around 2 meters in length. The smaller size of the Malayan tiger helps it to remain unseen in the clearer parts of the Malaysian jungle. The Malayan tiger was once thought to be the same as the Indochinese tiger, a larger tiger species found in the more northern parts of south-east Asia, and it was only recently that the two were classified as separate subspecies.

The Malayan tiger is a dominant and carnivorous predator, hunting it's prey by stalking it until the Malayan tiger has the opportunity to catch it off guard. Malayan tigers primarily hunt larger mammals including deer, wild boar, cattle and goats. Due to the size and power of the Malayan tiger, it has no natural predators in its native environment. Humans that hunt the Malayan tiger and habitat loss are the only threats to the Malayan tiger.

After a gestation period of 3 to 4 months, the female Malayan tiger gives birth to up to 5 cubs. Newborn Malayan tiger cubs weigh about 1 kg (2 lb) and are blind and helpless. The mother feeds them milk for about 2 months and then the Malayan tiger cubs are introduced to meat. Malayan tiger cubs depend on their mother for the first 18 months and then they start hunting on their own. Today, due to habitat loss caused by deforestation, and hunting by human poachers, the Malayan tiger is considered to be an endangered species. Modern estimates suggest that the current wild Malayan tiger population is between 600 and 800 individuals, making it one of the more numerous tiger species.