III. The Classification:

Classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List 2002 and listed on Appendix I on CITES. Subspecies: Siberian tiger (P. t. altaica) classified as Critically Endangered (CR) and listed on Appendix I of CITES; Amoy tiger (P. t. amoyensis) classified as Critically Endangered (CR) and listed on Appendix I of CITES; Sumatran tiger (P. t. sumatrae) classified as Critically Endangered (CR); Indochinese tiger (P. t. corbetti) and the Bengal tiger (P. t. tigris) are not entered on the IUCN Red List; The Bali (P. t. balica), Javan (P. t. sondaica) and Caspian tigers (P. t. virgata) are now extinct. These subspecies' classifications are taken from the 2002 Red List – they are not listed on the 2004 Red List as they are under review. Here’s a scientific classification of Tigers:

A. Class--Mammalia.

B. Order--Carnivora.

The scientific order Carnivora includes cats, dogs, bears, raccoons, hyenas, otters, weasels, badgers, mongooses, and civets. All typical carnivores have well developed claws and a pair of specialized cheek teeth (carnassials) for slicing flesh.

C. Family--Felidae.

The cat family includes the small cats (genus Felis), the clouded leopard (genus Neofelis), the cheetah (genus Acinonyx), and the big cats (genus Panthera).

D. Genus, species--Panthera tigris.

There are five species in the genus Panthera: tigers (P. tigris), snow leopards (P. uncia), leopards (P. pardus), jaguars (P. onca), and lions (P. leo).

The table shows the Tiger’s scientific and common name and the most recent estimates of their numbers: