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

[peter]

THE ACTUAL STANDING HEIGHT OF LIONS AND TIGERS IN THE JARDIN DES PLANTES (Paris) IN 1895


The tables below were posted at AVA quite some time ago. Most unfortunately, the essentials were omitted. This means I can't inform you on a few things you would want to know. However. I do know the French were involved in northern Africa and the southeastern part of Indochina in that period (1895).

a - Origin

It's more than likely that the lions came from northern Africa. It's also more than likely the tigers came from what is now Vietnam. Based on what I have, I'd say the southern part of it (Cochinchina, see the map below).

b - Measurements

The lions and tigers in the Jardin des Plantes were measured while standing in front of the bars. We're talking about the actual standing height measured at the top of the shoulder, that is.    

b1 - Barbary lions:

*This image is copyright of its original author

b2 - Vietnam tigers:

*This image is copyright of its original author

c - Averages

Lion ♂: 88,265 - (m) 92,0750 - 95,885 (n=3)
Lion ♀: 81,280 - (m) 85,1675 - 89,055 (n=2)

Tiger ♂: 86,995 - (m) 88,025 - 89,055 (n=2) - the young male wasn't included
Tiger ♀: 74,930 - (m) 79,690 - 84,138 (n=3)

d - Photographs
 
d1 - Wild Barbary lion 

This male was photographed somewhere in northern Africa. Great picture:

*This image is copyright of its original author

d2 - Subadult male Barbary lion (London Zoo, 1896):

*This image is copyright of its original author

d3 - Captive Indochinese tiger (captured in the northern part of Vietnam):

*This image is copyright of its original author

d4 - Map of French Indochina

*This image is copyright of its original author

d5 - Captive Indochinese tigers (Zoologischer Garten Berlin, autumn 2015):

*This image is copyright of its original author

d6 - My guess is the tiger below was shot in Annam, in the heart of Vietnam. In those days, the conditions in Annam were better than in the north (Tonkin) or south (Cochinchina). Situated on a plateau, it was considered healthy and popular with many. Apart from beautiful forests, Annam had plenty of wild animals (elephants, large herbivores and big cats). 

Compared to British India, French Indochina was easier to reach. Between 1920-1940 or so, it was the place to be for American hunters. The tigers, of course, were said to be large. Larger than in southern or northern Vietnam and larger than in Bengal (west and north of the Sunderbans) as well. I have to say that the photographs I have (all from French books) often show impressive animals. The largest skull I know of was from Annam. The largest shot by Baze in that region was 260 kg. and, partly as a result of a very long tail, 338 cm. in total length (most probably measured 'over curves'). He wasn't the only one. Some years ago, there was an exhibition in Paris about Indochina. A friend was there. He knows about tigers and told me the mounted tiger was the largest he had seen. By a margin, he added. 

Tigers shot in the northeast (China), north (Tonkin, just south of China) and south (Cochinchina) were smaller than in Annam. The largest V. Mazak knew about was a male of 402 pounds shot in December 1968 the northwestern part of what was then North-Vietnam. Tigers in the western part of Vietnam, however, also were quite large. A German hunter shot a male close to 200 kg. in one of the last wild places in the west in the sixties of the last century.      

There's not much left of the paradise Annam once was. The last forests are all but empty. Tigers are gone. A village just south of Hanoi is considered a hotspot for those interested in tigers. Poached tigers, that is. What a pity.   

As for the tiger below. Although perhaps not as robust as an average male Indian tiger, he was tall. Well over average, I'd say:

*This image is copyright of its original author

 

e - Comparison with the table published by V. Mazak (1983)

It is about the measurements of Panthera tigris corbetti (Paris Zoo and Dvur Kralove). The 2 males averaged 88 cm., whereas the 2 females averaged 79,25 cm. No difference with the tigers measured in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris in 1895, that is: 
 

*This image is copyright of its original author

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