What is an Amur Tiger?
Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica), sometimes called Siberian tigers, are one of the nine currently recognized tiger subspecies, three of which went extinct in the 20th century. Recent genetic analyses revealed that the Amur tiger’s closest relative is the now-extinct Caspian tiger (P. t. virgata) of Central Asia. In fact, the two forms are so similar genetically that some scientists propose lumping them into a single subspecies! This means that tigers of the appropriate subspecies could be reintroduced into Central Asia should that become feasible. Apart from genetic differences, Amur tigers differ from other tigers primarily in adaptations to a cold habitat that may be blanketed with snow for half of the year. They are large with thick, fluffy light-colored fur that is dramatically longer in winter than in summer. Amur tigers also require vastly larger territories than their South and South Asian counterparts. Females are forced to range widely to find enough prey—primarily wild b
