Subspecies Differences
There are several ways to distinguish one tiger subspecies from another. However, in some cases the differences are very subtle. Even tiger biologists cannot always say for certain to which subspecies a particular tiger belongs simply by looking at its appearance.
The main differences are in
size, color, and coat.
Size
Tigers found in the cool climates of northern regions are larger than tigers which live in equatorial climates. For example, a male Siberian tiger can weigh as much as 300 kilograms, compared to a male Sumatran tiger, which may weigh only 100 kilograms.
Why do you think this might be? (Pick the correct answer to find more information about average sizes of tiger subspecies and tiger pugmarks.)
- Tropical tigers have to be smaller to move through the dense jungle vegetation
- More people hunt tigers in the tropics, so they don't live long enough to become as big as northern tigers
- Northern tigers live in a colder climate and need a larger body to stay warm
- Tropical tigers eat less because of the heat, so they don't get as big
Color
Tigers differ by subspecies in both the intensity of their colored stripes, and the stripes themselves. Scientists believe that tiger coloration and stripes evolved as a form of camouflage. Tigers which live in dense tropical forests have darker and denser stripe patterns than tigers living in grasslands. In the same way, tigers which live in grasslands have darker and denser stripe patterns than tigers living in northern forests.
Which tiger below is a Sumatran, which lives in tropical forests and marshes of Indonesia? (Pick the correct answer to find more information about differences in tiger coloration and stripe patterns.)
Coat
All tigers have fur coats, but the length of the fur varies by subspecies. The males of some tiger subspecies also have thick white ruff of hair around their necks.
Look at the two tigers below. Which is likely to be a tropical Sumatran tiger, and which a northern Siberian tiger? (Pick the correct answer to find more information about tiger coats, including fur lengths.)
A)
Sumatran, B) Siberian
or
A) Siberian, B) Sumatran
 Tiger A |  Tiger B |
