Tigers and their Stripes

Tigers all over the world have different types of stripes on their fur which can be classified and differentiated on the basis of their colors and patterns etc. For example most of the tigers have black stripes while other tigers have dark brown or reddish-brown colored stripes. Furthermore; some tigers even white colored stripes on their white colored fur while some tigers have condensed (thicker) pattern of black stripes.

The stripes of the tigers can be classified into 4 key types which include the Black Stripes, the Reddish-Brown Stripes, the White Stripes and the Condensed Stripes.

Therefore; on the basis of their color and some other important factors, the tigers' stripes can be classified into 4 key types which include the Black Stripes, the reddish-brown Stripes, the white stripes and the condensed Stripes. The color of the tiger stripes mostly vary depending upon the fur coloring of the tiger. Let's go into further details about all these types of tigers in some further details!

The first and the most common type of stripes within tigers is the black colored stripes or the black stripes. These stripes exist within two types of tigers i.e., the tigers with orange fur (most common) and the tigers with white fur (mostly in captivity). Today; more than 99% of the tigers in wild have black colored stripes while in captivity more than 97% of the tigers have black colored stripes.

The most commonly occurring type of stripes within tigers includes the black stripes. These stripes are present within tigers that have the orange fur and the white fur.

People are generally aware of the tigers with black type of stripes, therefore; these are the most commonly known type of stripes as well. All type of tigers such as the Siberian, Bengal, Indo-Chinese and the Sumatran tigers have the black type of stripes on their fur.

The second and lesser known type of stripes within tigers are the reddish-brown type of stripes. Tigers with these types of stripes are extremely rare. The tigers with reddish-brown stripes are also called the Golden-Tabby tigers as well. These tigers also have a very unique color of the (golden-brown) fur on their body. Golden tabby tigers with the reddish-brown stripes were previously recorded in the wild (1950s). However; for more than 70 years no other Golden Tabby tiger has been spotted in the wild.

A very rare type of stripes within the tigers includes the reddish brown colored type of stripes. These types of stripes only exist within the Golden Tabby tigers.

Furthermore; only a few dozen of the Golden Tabby tigers exist today in captivity. The reddish-brown striped tigers have been found not only within Bengal tigers but also within Siberian tigers as well. The male tigers with reddish-brown stripes are believed to be a little bigger than the black striped tigers with orange fur.

An extremely rare type of stripes within the tigers includes the white stripes. The white type of stripes only exists within white colored fur only. These tigers are also called the "Snow White Tigers" as well. Since the fur coloring and the stripes are both white, therefore; locating these type of stripes does require a bit of more of a focus and a concentration.

One of the rarest and astonishing types of stripes within tigers is the white colored type of stripes. This type of stripes is common within the Snow white tigers which are fully white.

Some people even assume that the snow white tigers do not have any stripes on their fur which is not true. Tigers with white type of stripes only live in captivity. Both Bengal and Siberian tigers are known to have white type of stripes on their fur. One of the rarest and astonishing types of stripes within tigers is the white colored type of stripes. This type of stripes is common within the Snow white tigers which are fully white.

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The last type of stripes within the tigers is differentiated not on the basis of their color but on the basis their condensed (thicker width) stripes that appear like patches. Such tigers have their stripes so much condensed and thick that they can be almost half a foot thicker in width. A closer examination reveals that these tigers have more stripes on their fur than the other type of tigers.

The fourth type of stripes within the tigers is not colored related but rather it is thickness related. This type of stripes are called the condensed stripes and these stripes can be half a foot thicker in some cases.

The stripes on their fur get stacked together to appear thick black coat. Such types of tigers are also called the "Black Tigers" despite the fact that they are not entirely black. They are also called the melanistic tigers as well. In some cases the back of these melanistic tigers is entirely black. Tigers with these kinds of thick black stripes are also found in the wild, as a lot footages have shown such tigers.

Lastly; the tigers are the only big cats in the big cat family that have stripes on their fur. However; the hybrid big cats which have tigers as one of their parents also have stripes on their fur. Hybrid big cats with stripes include the ligers, tigons and the ti-ligers. Ligers also have unique stripes and the stripes on their fur are a bit more in numbers than the stripes on the fur of the tigers.

Apart from hybrids, the tigers are the only big cats in the big cat family to have stripes on their fur. Hybrid big cats with stripes on their fur include ligers, tigons and the ti-ligers. Ligers and tigons have dark brown colored stripes.

Furthermore; ligers have dark brown colored stripes which are further unique. The stripes of the ligers can be the fifth key type of stripes in our observation. Tigons also have dark brown colored stripes. Lastly; the Ti-Ligers almost have similar kind of stripes as the orange furred tigers.