The tiger is found in a variety of habitats: from the tropical evergreen and deciduous forests of southern Asia to the coniferous, scrub oak, and birch woodlands of Siberia. It also thrives in the mangrove swamps of the Sunderbans, the dry thorn forests of north-western India, and the tall grass jungles at the foot of the Himalayas. Tigers are found in the Himalayan valleys, and tracks have been recorded in winter snow at 9800 feet. The tiger's habitat requirements can be summarized as having some form of dense vegetative cover, sufficient large ungulate prey, and access to water.
The geographic distribution of the tiger once extended across Asia from eastern Turkey to the Sea of Okhotsk. However, its range has been greatly reduced in recent times. Currently, tigers survive only in scattered populations from India to Vietnam, and in Sumatra, China, and the Russian Far East. Tigers require adequate prey, cover and water. Their ranges vary in accordance with prey densities, from 4-150 square miles for females; 11-380 square miles for males. While females need ranges suitable for raising cubs, males seek access to females and have larger ranges.
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