ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)

[peter]

CHESTER

Here's two photographs of Sumatran tiger 'Chester' and Clyde Beatty in order to illustrate my point regarding the Prague Zoo Sumatran tiger:

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

 
Although they seldom exceed 8 feet straight and 330 pounds, male Sumatran tigers quite often have a relatively long skull. Pocock (1929) mentioned a male of 8.3 with a skull over 340,00 mm. in greatest total length. As even large males seldom exceed 175,00 cm. in head and body, one could conclude Sumatran tigers are not deprived in this department.  

In spite of that, males only average about 315,00 mm. in greatest total length. Sumatra seems to have two distinct types of tiger. One ranges between 285,00-310,00 mm., whereas the other ranges between 320,00-340,00 mm. (up to 350,00 mm.). The explanation isn't age. 

Same in females, but less pronounced. The smallest female skulls are shorter than an average female Bali skull, whereas the longest are about as long as an average male of the first group. Sumatran tigers, as far as I know, are the only ones where males and females overlap in this respect. Reply