• In captivity tigers have lived more than 20 years; in the wild they rarely exceed 15.

The species inhabits tropical dry forests characterized by heat and a dry season with deciduous trees, tropical moist forests that are consistently hot and humid with large trees and vines, tropical savannas with heat, uneven rainfall, abundant grasses, and trees, taiga forests featuring cold winters and coniferous trees such as spruce and pine, and temperate mixed forests with warm summers and many oak, birch, and maple trees; the species lives on land and in forest landscapes, at elevations up to 3 kilometers; the climate varies, with little precipitation in winter and more in summer, or with heat and heavy summer rains and little winter precipitation, or constant heat and humidity with nearly daily rain, or consistent heat throughout the year with frequent rainfall but occasional dry periods.