Why do Tigers Have Stripes?

Tigers are a strong and graceful animal. Every other animal that lives in its natural habitat fears the largest cat on the planet. But along with the strength and ferocity that sets this animal apart, there is another factor that makes the tiger unlike most others. This massive cat is known for the unique color and stripes on its coat.

Zoologists have long wondered why tigers have their unusual striped coat. Through the years people have come up with numerous theories and myths to explain the pattern. But the bottom line is that tiger stripes have probably developed because the pattern helps hide them and protect them in their natural environment. They have developed an effective camouflage. The pattern is actually part of the animal’s skin so it appears below the fur as well.

Tigers don’t need protection from other animals, though they do need protection from human beings. The striped-coat camouflage serves to hide them from prey. Since they live in areas where grasses grow very tall or in dense jungles with masses of undergrowth, the alternating stripes and solid colors help them blend in.

Research indicates that animals in the wild don’t see in color or if they do the colors are not vivid, as they are to human beings. If wild animals see in various levels of black, gray and white, the stripes on a tiger’s body probably appear as bars of shadow. The pattern seems to help hide the tiger’s body shape and size from the animals it is stalking.

Tigers are considered one of the best hunters in the animal world and the unique pattern of its coat may have a lot to do with this. Of course, the main factors are the tiger’s size, strength, claws, teeth and massive jaws. Add to this the speed, grace and remarkable intelligence of the cat and you have a near-perfect, deadly combination.

At one time there were thousands upon thousands of tigers in India and a few others of the Asian continent. But today biologists have been able to locate only about 2,000 of the large cats. One reason for the startling decrease is that amazing orange/gold coat with the dark stripes. Tigers are a protected species now but for years men with guns and other weapons hunted tigers for their fur.

Science recognizes a few different types of tiger. Two have become extinct. Though all tigers have striped coats, the different types may have distinct patterns. In fact, individual tigers have distinct stripe patterns. The distinct types include: Bengal tiger, the most common; the Siberian tiger, which has paler colors than others; Indochinese tiger smaller and generally darker in color; Malayan tiger, only on that peninsula; Sumatran tiger, only on that island; South China tiger, more seriously endangered than other subspecies. Tigers have the size, strength and cunning to be at the top of the food chain. But don’t forget the stripes, also key factor.