How big is a male Caspian Tiger?

An adult male Caspian Tiger weighs around 170 – 240 kg (375 – 530 lbs) and reaches 2.6 – 2.9 m (including tail), with a shoulder height of approximately 0.9 – 1.1 m (90 – 110 cm).

What is the conservation status of the Caspian Tiger?

The Caspian Tiger is classified as Extinct (1970s) by wildlife authorities, primarily found in Caucasus, Central Asia, Northern Iran, Xinjiang.

What is the bite force of a Caspian Tiger?

The Caspian Tiger possesses an estimated bite force of ~1000 PSI, backed by curved canines measuring up to 7.0 – 8.5 cm.

Caspian Tiger

Panthera tigris virgata

The Caspian tiger was a majestic historic tiger form that roamed the river reed beds and deciduous forests from Turkey to the borders of China, nearly genetically identical to the Siberian tiger.

Extinct (1970s) IUCN Red List

“Ghost of the Ancient Silk Road.”

EXTINCT HISTORIC FORM

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Region Caucasus, Central Asia, Northern Iran, Xinjiang

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Weight 170 – 240 kg Female: 90 – 140 kg

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Length 2.6 – 2.9 m (including tail)

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Habitat Tugay riparian river corridors

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Diet Wild boar, wild prey

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Lifespan Estimated 10 – 15 years (in the wild)

Appearance

Bright yellowish-gold coat with narrower, closer-spaced brownish-black stripes and silky chest fur. Slightly more compact than the Amur tiger with strong limbs adapted to navigating dense reed banks.

Warm golden coat with silky fur texture

Closer-spaced cinnamon-brown to black stripes

Strong, compact frame built for muddy terrain

Broad skull closely matching the Amur tiger

Behavior

Followed migrating boar herds through river corridors and flooded reed beds. Highly solitary and capable of crossing desert stretches between river oasis habitats.

Ambush hunter in tall Phragmites reed beds

Migrated along seasonal river courses

Preyed heavily on wild boar and saiga antelopes

Declined due to habitat clearing and militarized hunting

SIZE

How big was a Caspian Tiger?

Large male Caspian tigers rivaled modern Bengal tigers in body mass and overall skeletal length.

See Size in Detail

Front View

Side View

Male Weight 170 – 240 kg

Female Weight 90 – 140 kg

Body Length 2.6 – 2.9 m

Shoulder Height 0.9 – 1.1 m

1.8 m

~ 3.0 m

HABITAT

Where did it live?

Caspian tigers inhabited riparian river valleys, reed beds, and mountain scrublands around the Caspian Sea, Central Asia, and northern Iran.

View Habitat Notes

Current Range Possible Historic Range

“From lush reed deltas along the Amu Darya to mountain foothills.”

HUNTING & DIET

Reed-Bed Ambush Tactics

The Caspian tiger relied on impenetrable reeds and river channels to ambush wild boar, using water cover to conceal its approach before striking.

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Main prey: Wild boar, Bukhara red deer, goitered gazelle

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Strategy: Riparian thicket concealment

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Lethality: Deep canine puncture and throat clamp

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Habitat skill: Navigated swampy riverbeds with ease

“A vanished titan of Central Asia’s river jungles.”

COMPARISON

How does the Caspian Tiger compare?

Compare the Caspian Tiger with other tiger types or lions to see the differences in size, strength, speed, and more.