IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Kerley, L.L.; Goodrich, J.M.; Miquelle, D.G.; Smirnov, E.N.; Quigley, H.B.; Hornocker, M.G. | |
| Reproductive parameters of wild female Amur (Siberian) tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) | |
| 2002 In Press | |
We monitored reproduction of 11 female Amur tigers (_Panthera tigris altaica_) on and near the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Zapovednik, Russia, 1992-2000, using radiotelemetry, capture, and conventional tracking (using snow and soil substrates). Tigers gave birth in all but 3 months of the year, with a peak in late summer (x2 5 10.68, _d.f. _5 3, _P _5 0.014; _n _5 19 litters from 11 mothers). Minimum age of 1st reproduction for 4 tigers was 4 6 0.4 years (mean 6 95% confidence interval). Mean interval between litters was 21.4 6 4.4 months (_n _5 7 pairs of consecutive litters for 4 tigers). Mean litter size was 2.4 6 0.6 cubs (_n _5 16 litters of 9 tigers) when litter size was 1st determined but due to 41-47% cub mortality (_n _5 19 litters), decreased to 1.3 6 0.5 cubs (range 5 0-4, _n _5 19 litters) by the time cubs were 12 months old. At least 57% of cub mortality was anthropogenic. Mean age at dispersal was 18.8 6 1.5 months (_n _5 5 litters). Mean reproductive rate was 1.4 cubs/year, but only 0.7 cubs/year survived up to 12 months old. We believe that recent conclusions that tiger populations can grow and recover rapidly from substantial losses may be overly optimistic. |
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