How Long Do Tigers Live?

Michele Eve Sandberg/CC-BY 2.0

In the wild, tigers live eight to 10 years, although some live for 15 or 20 years. In captivity, they live as long as 26 years.

Tigers are fearsome predators, but they face many dangers in the wild that affect their longevity. There are normally three or four cubs in a litter, but at least one often dies at birth. Those that survive are hunted by predators, and their own fathers sometimes devour them. Tigers that reach adulthood face shortages of prey that can result in starvation. They also risk injury or death as they defend their territories, and they must remain vigilant for bears and packs of wild dogs that view them as prey. Tigers that live to old age are often too sick or weak to hunt and are vulnerable to attack by other predators.

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