The
tiger (
Panthera tigris) is the largest
cat species, reaching a total body length of up to over curves and exceptionally weighing up to in the wild. Its most recognisable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside. The species is classified in the genus
Panthera with the
lion,
leopard,
jaguar and
snow leopard. Tigers are
apex predators, primarily preying on
ungulates such as
deer and
bovids. They are territorial and generally
solitary but social animals, often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support their prey requirements. This, coupled with the fact that they are indigenous to some of the more densely populated places on Earth, has caused significant
conflicts with humans.