The Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti) is one of only six tiger subspecies that still survive in the wild today.
These majestic creatures once roamed freely through the tropical and subtropical forests stretching across Cambodia, southern China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
But now, they are seen less and less in the wild. According to National Geographic, it is estimated that only about 250 to 350 Indochinese tigers remain today, with viable breeding populations found only in Thailand and Myanmar.
Physical Traits and Unique Characteristics
The Indochinese tiger has a distinctive appearance compared to its relatives, such as the Bengal or Siberian tiger. It is about 20% smaller than the Bengal tiger, yet still larger than the Malayan tiger.
Male Indochinese tigers typically measure between 2.6 to 2.9 meters in length and weigh between 150 and 195 kilograms. Females are slightly smaller, ranging from 2.3 to 2.6 meters in length and weighing between 100 and 130 kilograms. To put that into perspective, an adult male can weigh roughly half as much as a full-grown horse.
Its coat is a deep orange with narrower black stripes, which helps it camouflage among the dense shadows of the tropical forest. One unique feature of the male is the sagittal crest—a bony ridge running along the top of the skull toward the back of the head.
These tigers also possess exceptional night vision, sharp hearing, and powerful claws and hind leg muscles. This allows them to leap great distances, climb trees, swim proficiently, and even run at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
Indochinese tigers can live between 15 to 26 years in the wild, depending on their health and environmental conditions. However, as they age, they become more vulnerable to vision problems and injuries, which can impair their hunting ability and affect their chances of survival.
Lifestyle and Behavior
As solitary animals, Indochinese tigers prefer to live and hunt alone. They are rarely seen with other tigers, except during mating season or when a mother is raising her cubs. They communicate using vocalizations such as roars, growls, and hisses, as well as territorial markings like scratching tree trunks or spraying urine.
Female tigers give birth to two to six cubs after a gestation period of around 16 weeks. However, due to limited food supply, usually only two cubs survive.
Tiger cubs are born blind and begin to open their eyes within 6 to 12 days. They stay with their mother for 18 to 24 months before becoming independent and venturing into the forest on their own.
Diet and Role in the Ecosystem
As apex predators at the top of the food chain, Indochinese tigers play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of forest ecosystems. Their prey includes various animals such as sambar deer, wild boar, banteng, and occasionally even young elephants. They also opportunistically eat birds, fish, monkeys, and other small animals.
An adult tiger can consume up to 40 kilograms of meat in a single meal, the equivalent of six bowling balls in weight. Surprisingly, they are also capable of leaping high into tree branches thanks to their powerful hind legs.
Threats and Looming Extinction
In the past, Indochinese tigers were hunted extensively. In Myanmar alone, more than 1,300 tigers were killed between 1928 and 1932 as part of “pest control” efforts. Today, although sport hunting is banned, the main threats now come from habitat loss and the decline of prey animals.
Large-scale land clearing for agriculture, settlements, and logging has fragmented their natural habitat into small, isolated patches, making it difficult for tigers to find mates and reproduce.
To make matters worse, cheap but deadly wire snares used by poachers have become the leading cause of tiger disappearances in regions like Laos and Vietnam, where the species is now considered functionally extinct.
In many cases, tigers caught in these traps die from starvation or are trafficked for their skin, bones, and internal organs, which are highly valued in the black market.
Endangered Status
The Indochinese tiger is currently listed as “Endangered” on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species.
However, many experts believe this classification no longer reflects the true severity of the situation. Given the rapidly declining population and local extinctions in four out of its six native countries, some argue that the species should be reclassified as “Critically Endangered.”
Conservation Efforts and Future Hope
Despite the critical situation, hope is not entirely lost. In 2010, thirteen countries, including those where tigers naturally occur, committed to the Global Tiger Recovery Program, with the ambitious goal of doubling wild tiger populations.
Efforts have included habitat protection, anti-poaching measures, public education, and the establishment of wildlife corridors to connect fragmented forest areas.
Thailand has now become the last stronghold of the Indochinese tiger, with approximately 189 individuals recorded. The Western Forest Complex and Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex are considered key habitats, and experts believe these areas could potentially support up to 2,000 tigers if managed effectively.
Meanwhile, the Cambodian government, in collaboration with WWF, has developed a plan to reintroduce tigers into the country. Potential reintroduction sites include the Cardamom Rainforest and the Mondulkiri Highlands.
This initiative includes increasing patrols, reintroducing captive-bred tigers, and possibly relocating wild tigers from India, an option now viable due to a recent reclassification of tigers from six subspecies to just two: mainland Asian tigers and island tigers.
