International Tiger Day

Happy International Tiger Day!

What is International Tiger Day? Well, this day was first celebrated in 2010 after it was discovered that there were less than 3,000 tigers left in the wild. This day is a day to raise awareness for the need for conservation of these majestic animals. In honor of this day, I want to show off some cool facts about these critters, courtesy of FactRetriever:

1. Tigers are the biggest cats on Earth.

Out of all the species of big cats on Earth, the tiger is the biggest. The Siberian tiger is the largest of all the tigers, and they can weigh up to nearly 700 pounds.

2. Tigers are expert leapers.

An adult male tiger can leap distances up to 9 yards and can also jump up to 5 yards vertically. 

3. Tigers like to sleep.

Tigers in the wild can sleep up to 18 hours a day. They take their naptimes very seriously.

4. Tigers are old.

The earliest tiger fossils are 2 million years old. Yup. The tiger has been with us for a long time.

5. Tigers love swimming.

Tigers are an oddity among cats. Most cats don't like water. But tigers? Love it. They're talented swimmers. The Sumerian tiger is especially talented at swimming, thanks to its webbed feet.

6. Tigers like sharing.

When tigers hunt, they'll share their kills with other tigers, and even take turns eating. 

7. Tiger spit kills germs.

A tiger's saliva has antiseptic properties. Which is handy as tigers treat wounds by licking them.

8. Tiger stripes are'nt just on the fur.

A tiger is known for its stripes. The stripes aren't just on the fur, they're also on the skin. And speaking of tiger stripes...

9. Every tiger's stripe pattern is unique.

You know how humans tend to all have unique fingerprints? Well, the same is true for tigers. No two tigers have the same stripe pattern. And different species of tigers have different amounts of stripes. The South China tiger has the least, and the Sumatran tiger has the most. 

10. Tigers are not African.

For some reason, pop culture likes to say that tigers come from Africa. But that's not true. No species of tiger hails from Africa. Tigers actually hail from Southeast Asia. In fact, India and Bangladesh consider them their national animal. Korean mythology portrays the tiger as a defender against evil spirits and a bringer of good luck. In Chinese mythology, the tiger is one of the animals in its zodiac, and in Imperial China, it was seen as a personification of war. 

And there's some ten interesting facts about the tiger. International Tiger Day is especially important as the tiger is in a lot of danger. All six known tiger species are endangered, mainly because of habitat destruction and poaching. Tigers are beautiful animals, and we should do what we can to help protect them.