While the lion is the king of the jungle, the tiger is the undisputed emperor of the big cats. The tiger is the largest living cat species, and it is clearly far superior to all other felines in existence. Their distinctive coloration and stripes make tigers appear majestic and intimidating. In the recent past, these top predators roamed most of South and Central Asia. Unfortunately, their numbers are steadily declining due to poaching and habitat loss. Over the past few decades, several subspecies have become extinct, completely disappearing from their natural range. While tiger conservation efforts continue to focus on preserving tiger populations, this is largely an uphill battle. Today, the few remaining tigers have to fight to survive in smaller and smaller areas. Nevertheless, tigers continue to amaze our imagination with their large size and bright facial features. However, which tigers are the largest in the world?
In this article, we’ll take a look at the largest living tiger species. We’ll also look at which extinct tiger species were head and shoulders above the rest. In addition, we will identify the largest tiger in captivity and in the wild. To top it off, we’ll end with some frequently asked questions about tigers. Get ready to learn all about the world’s largest tigers.
Extant subspecies of tigers
Until recently, scientists believed that there were eight subspecies of the tiger. However, a new study over the past few years has forced experts to revise that figure to nine. Existing subspecies include the Bengal (or Indian) tiger, the Siberian (or Amur) tiger, the South China tiger, the Sumatran tiger, the Indo-Chinese tiger, and the recently added Malay tiger. Of these living tigers, the smallest today is the Sumatran tiger. The Sumatran tiger is the only subspecies surviving on the Sunda Islands. Males can reach sizes ranging from 87 to 100 inches in length and weigh between 220 and 310 pounds.
Next in size is the recently named Malay tiger from the Malay Peninsula. These tigers grow only slightly larger than Sumatran tigers, with males ranging in length from 75 to 112 inches and weighing 220 to 308 pounds. Then comes the South China tiger. Native to southern China, these tigers may no longer exist in the wild, as virtually no verifiable sightings have been found since the late 1980s. Among those currently living in captivity, males are typically 91 to 104 inches long and weigh between 287 and 386 pounds. Then comes the Indo-Chinese tiger, which lives in isolated parts of Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. On average, males reach 100 to 112 inches in length and weigh between 331 and 430 pounds.
The Bengal tiger ranks second on our list of the largest tigers in the world. These iconic cats are found throughout India, Bangladesh and Nepal and are one of the most numerous subspecies of tigers. Males have an average length of 110 to 120 inches and range from 386 to 573 pounds. The Bengal tiger is undoubtedly large, but it loses to the indisputably largest existing subspecies of the tiger: the Amur tiger.
The largest living subspecies of the tiger
The Siberian tiger ranks first on our list of the largest tigers in the world. Natives of the Far East, northeastern China and North Korea, Amur tigers carry many names depending on the region in which they live. Other names include Amur tiger, Korean tiger, Manchurian tiger, and Ussuri tiger. A close relative of the extinct Caspian tiger, the Siberian tiger is nearly extinct, but its population is now considered stable due to intense conservation efforts. According to records, male Siberian tigers were usually up to 120 inches long and weighed between 397 and 675 pounds. Unfortunately, due to habitat loss and reduced food availability, modern tigers do not grow as large as their older counterparts. Today, most wild Amur tigers are smaller, probably due to increased time between feeds due to habitat loss.
The largest extinct tigers
The three extinct modern species of tigers include the Bali tiger, the Javanese tiger, and the Caspian tiger. Until its extinction in the 1950s, the Balinese tiger was considered the smallest species of tiger. Males were typically 87 to 91 inches long and weighed 200 to 220 pounds. Then there is the Javanese tiger, which probably became extinct in the wild in the mid-1970s, mainly due to habitat destruction and hunting. During life, males typically measured about 98 inches in length and weighed between 220 and 311 pounds.
The largest extinct subspecies of the modern tiger, the Caspian tiger became extinct only recently, and 2003 has been identified as the likely death year of the last Caspian tiger. Their range has historically included parts of Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, China and areas around the Caspian Sea, from where they got their name. Also known as the Balkhash tiger, Hyrcanian tiger, Turanian tiger and Mazandaran tiger, they had a lot in common with the Amur tigers. Only slightly smaller than Amur tigers, male Caspian tigers were often 106 to 116 inches long and 370 to 530 pounds long.
At the same time, the largest extinct tiger did not become extinct recently, but rather disappeared from the face of the Earth thousands of years ago. Panther tigris solensis, or the Ngandong tiger that lived in the Sundaland region of Indonesia as early as the Pleistocene. The remains of this massive tiger were found near the village of Ngandong, from where it got its name. Based on the size of the fossils found, the Ngandong tiger probably weighed up to 1,040 pounds and was about 138 inches long. Measured like this, it would weigh nearly twice as much as the largest living tigers and represent one of the largest land-based predators on the planet.
The largest tiger in captivity
As the largest tigers in the world, Siberian tigers also claim to be the largest tiger ever raised in captivity. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the record for the largest tiger ever held in captivity belongs to a male Siberian tiger named Jaipur. Jaipur, owned by American animal trainer Joan Byron Marasek, was much larger than any other tiger ever recorded. By the age of nine, he was 10 feet 11 inches long and weighed about 932 pounds. While it is likely that Jaipur was clinically overweight, it still deserves the title of largest captive cat.
The largest tiger ever found in the wild
Meanwhile, the largest tiger ever found in the wild was the oversized Bengal tiger. This gigantic specimen lived in Uttar Pradesh, India, before being shot by hunters in November 1967. At full height, he was nearly 10 feet 7 inches long and weighed about 857 pounds. However, an autopsy revealed that he had recently eaten a buffalo, which likely contributed to his above average weight. However, this specimen ranks among the largest tigers in the world found in the wild. Other reports of giant tigers have never been able to substantiate their claims and should therefore be viewed with suspicion.
Frequently asked questions about tigers
How many tigers are there?
According to the World Wildlife Fund, only 3,900 tigers remain in the wild around the world. Compared to roughly 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century, this represents a reduction in the world’s tiger population of more than 95%.
Are white tigers extinct?
White tigers are not a different subspecies, but rather arise from a genetic abnormality that causes their fur to turn white rather than orange. As such, they cannot disappear because they do not represent a separate species or subspecies.
What is the rarest tiger?
The rarest surviving tiger is the South China tiger, which is functionally extinct in the wild. Although a few lonely individuals may remain, the only significant population currently lives in zoos. Currently, only about 100 individuals live in captivity around the world.