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Amur or Siberian Tiger Panthera tigris altaica
Sibirische Tiger / Sibirisk tiger
Facts: Food: Wild sheep, oxen and wild boars
Habitat: Deciduous and coniferous forests of Siberia
Sexual maturity: 3½–5 years
Gestation period: 3½ months
Size of litter: 3–4 offspring
Life expectancy: 10–15 years in the wild; up to 26 years in captivity.
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The Amur tiger is the largest member of the cat family. Males weigh up to 300 kg and measure 4 metres from the nose to the tip of the tail.
Wild Amur tigers are dying out and the tigers are actually more numerous in captivity than in the wild. This is primarily because poachers kill the tigers and sell them in China where they are used for making various drugs that are believed to cure a variety of illnesses. The tiger’s powers are thought to be transferred to whomever consumes parts of the tiger.
Odense Zoo is participating in a breeding programme to ensure a healthy stock of the Amur tiger and other species. This means that offspring from the Zoo are sent on to other zoological gardens that have made sure the tigers are not too closely related.
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