Tigers once ruled the jungles of Asia. There were about nine subspecies of tigers living all over the Asiatic forests at the beginning of the 20th century. Thousands of tigers roamed the jungles of Bali, Sumatra, China, Russia, India, Bangladesh, and so on.
They lived in tropical rain forests, evergreen dry forests, mangrove forests, etc. However, those days are now long gone. Only about 5000 or fewer tigers are now roaming in the wild.
Do Tigers Live in The Jungle?
Tigers are found throughout the whole of Asia. Their habitats are incredibly diverse. Tigers are found throughout Bangladesh, India, Bali, Nepal, China, Sumatra, Russia, and Thailand.
They are found in rainforests, savannas, mangrove swamps, and grasslands.
Tigers are not picky about their home. Their choice of habitat doesn’t mainly depend on the availability of prey. Sometimes they would choose places to live where prey is scarce.
Tigers mainly choose their habitat based on the amount of vegetation and bushes and the availability of fresh water. Tigers need a lot of fresh water to drink and soak in. They need to cool down their thick fur coat by submerging themselves in the water.
Moreover, bushes, long grass, and vegetation provide ample shade and allow them to hide from the enemy.
Currently, only six subspecies of tigers are living in the wild. Among them, the Bengal tiger is the most in number. Their population makes up ⅔ rd of the total wild tigers. Still, wild tigers are terribly less numbered. Their numbers are so narrow that the captive tigers all around the world would outnumber them easily.
What Jungles Have Tigers?
There are many kinds of jungles worldwide, but not all of them carry tigers. Tigers are found only in the selective jungles of Asia. Even the Amazon has no wild tigers, although the environment there is quite similar to that of the Sundarbans.
Tropical rainforests
The Bengal tigers live in the tropical rainforests of Southern Asia. They are also found in the northern parts of India and Nepal.
The Sumatran tiger also lives in the rainforests of Sumatra.
Tigers living in the rainforests are pretty familiar with living in wet jungles. They are adapted with slightly webbed paws that allow them to swim more efficiently.
Mangrove forests
The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world. It is the home to the most tigers on the planet. The great Bengal tiger, which includes the majority of the wild tigers, has made the Sundarbans their home.
40% of the Sundarbans is in India, and the rest of the 60% is in Bangladesh.
The whole of the Sundarbans is a mangrove forest and is covered with saltwater lakes and canals. The soil there is full of salt and very muddy. The roots of the trees come out of the soil perpendicularly due to a lack of oxygen underground.
Coniferous deciduous forests
The endangered Siberian tigers live in the Coniferous deciduous forests of Russia. The Siberian tigers are the biggest species. They are found in the Coniferous forests of Russia and northern Eurasia.
These forests have long winters and high annual precipitation. The coniferous forests contain mosses, lakes, bogs, rivers, and lichens.
Evergreen forests
The Indo-Chinese tigers, the Malayan tigers, and the Sumatran tigers live in the tropical evergreen forests. Moreover, the evergreen forests of Northeast India are the hot spot for the conservation of tigers.
Riparian forests
The Malayan tigers once made the Riparian forests their home. Now they are extinct. However, the Riparian forests of India, Thailand, Pahang, and Johar are home to tigers. The riparian forests are mainly located along the banks of rivers, channels, or lakes.
Coastal lowland forests
The lowland forests of Indonesia and Thailand are home to the Sumatran tigers. These lowland forests are full of rainforest trees. It is a combination of dry forests and rainforests.
Dry tropical forests
Dry forests are found in places with warm climates. Usually, these forests have lower rainfall than most other jungles. Most Bengal tigers of India have made the dry jungles their habitat.
Why Should Tigers Live in the Jungle?
There are several reasons why tigers should live in the jungle. The tigers need ample water, vegetation, prey, and camouflage to survive. These things are abundant in the wild.
Moreover, the habitat of the tigers varies greatly from snowy mountains to lowland forests.
From dry forests to tropical rainforests. From Coniferous forests to dense Mangrove forests.
This amazing variety of jungles and environments is only available in the wild.
Tigers need dense vegetation and plants in order to gain camouflage. The long grass and overgrown bushes allow them to hide from humans and other carnivores.
Conclusion
Tigers have enormously diverse habitats. They are not very picky when it comes to habitats. In addition, they are one of the most adaptable creatures in the world. They mostly need big prey, eater, and dense bushes. The jungles with such supplies are the hot spot for the tigers.
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