Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni)
Video of the tiger
Malayan tiger видео
Appearance and distribution
The Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) is a subspecies of tiger found only in some areas of the Malay Peninsula in Malaysia and Thailand. Until 2004, these populations were considered to belong to the Indochinese subspecies Panthera tigris corbetti, but a study by scientists at the US National Cancer Institute, led by researcher Stephen J. O'Brien, showed that despite the strong anatomical resemblance between the two animals, Panthera tigris jacksoni were sufficiently genetically distinct to be considered a subspecies in their own right.
The decisive factor was the genetic differences found between the two subspecies. Recent studies have shown between 500 and 600 individuals of this subspecies of tiger in the wild, making it the third most abundant of the other subspecies.
Panthera tigris jacksoni is the smallest of the tiger subspecies. Its colouring and stripes are similar to those of the Indochinese tiger, but its size is more similar to that of the Sumatran tiger: males weigh about 120 kg and females about 100 kg; male body length is up to 237 cm and female body length up to 200 cm.
Nutrition and social behaviour
Panthera tigris jacksoni prey on zebra deer, barking deer, wild boar and other ungulates, and even prey on Malayan bears, baby elephants and rhinos. The diet of this subspecies of tiger may include tapir, but this prey is probably very rare. Males usually occupy an area of up to 100 km², where up to 6 females often coexist simultaneously.
