You may have heard that no two tiger’s stripes are alike. And according to a new study, each tiger’s distinct genetic and evolutionary history gives it unique characteristics that may be key to saving these majestic big cats from extinction.
With less than 4,000 living in the wild due to poaching and habitat loss, tigers are recognized as an endangered species by the World Wildlife Fund and other organizations. Yet efforts to save tigers have been stunted by disagreement over the number of subspecies still alive. Previous studies have claimed there are nine subspecies of tigers. A contentious 2015 study claimed there were just two. But a new study published in Current Biology this month may finally squash the scientific debate surrounding the number of tiger subspecies roaming the planet.
The research team, which sequenced the genomes of 32 representative tiger specimens, classified tigers into six genetically distinct subspecies. Researchers ...
