Javan tiger
- Javan tigers are among the smallest tigers. Males weigh up to 141 kg and have a body length of 245 cm.
- The last Javan tiger was seen in the wild in 1979. After that, it was not observed again, and today the existence of a population on Java is not confirmed.
- The last individuals lived in the most remote mountain areas.
- The stripes were more numerous than those of the Sumatran tiger.
- The tiger hunted banteng, deer and wild boar.
- The tiger could swim and cross rivers.
- No Javan tigers survive in captivity.
- It inhabited the dense forests of Java.
Age
The Javan tiger’s typical lifespan is from 10 to 15 years, although the theoretical lifespan can extend from 13 years and 2 months to 26 years and 4 months; the species reaches sexual maturity between 3 and 5 years of age. The young’s eyes open between 1 and 2 weeks of age, and it begins to walk between 2 weeks and 4 days and 4 weeks. During the “Embryo” stage, the fetus develops inside the mother; the “Young” stage is characterized by birth without sight or teeth, with the mother providing milk and protection. The adult tiger hunts and lives alone on its territory, a stage lasting from 3 to 15 years.
Phenotype
The Javan tiger has soft fur with stripes for camouflage, and the young's eyes open 7 to 10 days after birth. The adult sunda tiger possesses short, dense fur that is orange in color, featuring narrow black stripes which aid in concealment within forests; each individual’s stripe pattern is unique. The species has long, sharp canines for killing prey and sharp, retractable claws for capturing prey and climbing trees. The adult's fur includes narrow stripes on the body and legs.
Physiology
The Javan tiger’s body height ranges from 22.9 centimeters to 1.2 meters, and its body length varies from 1.9 to 2.5 meters; the species weighs 119.7 kilograms. During the embryonic stage, the developing individual has a body mass between 1 gram and 0.8 kilograms and a body length of 1 millimeter to 30 centimeters. The young have a body mass from 0.8 to 35 kilograms and a body length from 50 centimeters to 1.2 meters. Adult individuals weigh from 100 to 140 kilograms, and their body length ranges from 2.1 to 2.5 meters.
Habitat
The Javan tiger inhabits land, terrestrial forests, and forests within elevations up to 2.5 kilometers above sea level; the species’ biome is tropical moist forest, characterized by constant heat and humidity, with large trees and vines. The climate is always hot and wet, very hot and very humid year-round, with rain almost every day; it is also consistently hot throughout the year with frequent rain, although sometimes dry periods occur, and perpetually very wet with nearly constant rainfall and high humidity.
Shelter
The Javan tiger inhabits forests among trees and bushes, without having a permanent or long-term shelter. The female Javan tiger does not use a permanent shelter, and the cubs do not have a permanent shelter. Shelter is necessary for the species for reproduction, rest, and protection from the sun.
Geography
Javan tigers are found within the Indomalaya, Afrotropics, and Palearctic biogeographical realms. The species inhabits subtropical evergreen forests of the Yunnan Plateau ecosystem.
Feeding
The Javan tiger consumed only meat, hunting from ambush and eating large animals over several days; its diet included deer, wild pigs, small mammals, and large mammals, with hunting strategies involving active pursuit, ambushes, and group hunting. The species’ daily food requirement ranged from 3 kilograms to 7 kilograms, and its prey included caimans, pheasants, iguanas, galagos, and antelopes. Hunting was conducted through ambush tactics. In some cultures, the animal is eaten, but it is not considered halal or kosher.
Reproduction
The Javan tiger, also known as the sunda tiger, reproduces through sexual reproduction involving oocyte fertilization without generation changes; gestation lasts 3 months and 2 weeks, resulting in 2 to 4 young born live on land, not hatching from eggs or larvae. The female gives birth to 2 to 4 cubs after a 100-day pregnancy, and she raises them alone, teaching them how to hunt. A litter has 2 to 4 individuals, and the young reach maturity from 3 to 5 years of age. The species inhabits and develops on land, outside of bodies of water, with nests located directly on the surface of the ground, where eggs or young develop. The nest is situated directly on the surface of the ground on land, and only the mother exhibits parental care. The interval between reproduction is from 2 to 3 years.