Fill in the Blanks TigersOnline version Fill in the Blanks Game about tigers by Maria Toma 1 Asia flags largest populations cat territorial national endangered tiger Himalayas The ( Panthera tigris ) is the largest extant species and a member of the genus Panthera . It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange - brown fur with a lighter underside . It is an apex predator , primarily preying on ungulates such as deer and wild boar . It is and generally a solitary but social predator , requiring large contiguous areas of habitat , which support its requirements for prey and rearing of its offspring . Tiger cubs stay with their mother for about two years , before they become independent and leave their mother's home range to establish their own . The tiger once ranged widely from the Eastern Anatolia Region in the west to the Amur River basin , and in the south from the foothills of the to Bali in the Sunda islands . Since the early 20th century , tiger have lost at least 93% of their historic range and have been extirpated in Western and Central Asia , from the islands of Java and Bali , and in large areas of Southeast and South and China . Today's tiger range is fragmented , stretching from Siberian temperate forests to subtropical and tropical forests on the Indian subcontinent and Sumatra . The tiger is listed as on the IUCN Red List . As of 2015 , the global wild tiger population was estimated to number between 3 , 062 and 3 , 948 mature individuals , with most of the populations living in small pockets isolated from each other . India currently hosts the tiger population . Major reasons for population decline are habitat destruction , habitat fragmentation and poaching . Tigers are also victims of human ? wildlife conflict , in particular in range countries with a high human population density . The tiger is among the most recognisable and popular of the world's charismatic megafauna . It featured prominently in ancient mythology and folklore and continues to be depicted in modern films and literature , appearing on many , coats of arms and as mascots for sporting teams . The tiger is the animal of India , Bangladesh , Malaysia and South Korea .