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Tigers may look cute adn playful, but they are the most admired and most feared animals in the world. Most people think of strong jaws, big teeth, massive feet, and long, sharp claws. they also might think of beauty. they might picture a tiger going after its prey in the jungle or plowing through snow. |
| Tigers may live to be 20 years old or more, if humans do not kill them. Females live longer then males do, because males live more dangerously. They often fight with other males. Normally, one of them kills the other one or hurts it badly so they cannot hunt. |
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Tigers are natural hunters. They hunt alone. Tigers are better than any other mammal at capturing large prey by themselves. Hunting is hard work and most attacks fail. |
| Every tiger has a private hunting territory. They have several ways to warn others to stay out. they might mark the borders of its territory by scratching trees (right) or by leaving a scent. When one tiger recognizes the smell of another it always makes a funny face. (below) |
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| This cub is only a few weeks old. Cubs are usually born in caves and other protected places. The mother tiger keeps them there and brings them food but only for 2 to 3 months. After that the babies are aloud come along for the hunt. |
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At birth, a cub weighs no more than3 pounds. At two years old the cub will weigh about 400 pounds. |
| Tigers live in rugged country. For example, hills, valleys, and forests. Winters in tigers homelands, are as mighty as the big cats themselves. Snow lies several feet deep. Temperatures drop to -30° Fahrenheit. |
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Tigers also need water in their territory, so it can drink or cool off during the hottest season of the year. |
| White tigers have
snow-white fur with, dark stripes (not as dark as a regular tiger), and
bright blue eyes. white tigers are not a separate species of tiger. They
are a distinct color form of the Indian tiger. If a normal colored tiger
mated with a white tiger, they might have both colored babies but if it
was white and white normally they will have white babies.
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