How Much Does A Tiger Weigh? Top 10 Heaviest Animals On Earth

Tigers are the largest cat species living on the planet Earth. They have another name the big cats because of being the largest cat species. They are one of the most aggressive and heaviest living creatures on Earth. Most people wonder how heavy are they because they have such muscular and big bodies. Be with us to find out how much does a tiger weigh. With that, we will also be learning more about other heavy animals as well.

How Much Does a Tiger Weigh?

They have such a big and muscular body and are one of the heaviest wild animals. Their body can go up to 10.5 feet long. Their average weight can be 240 to 675 pounds (108 kg to 306 kg). Siberian tigers are the biggest of them all in size and weight wise, their average weight is 675 pounds (306 kg).

Their weight and size could vary by the type of species or by the type of environment in which they are living. For example, if they are living in captivity their weight could end up being about 500 pounds because the caretakers make sure to give them a balanced diet. On the other hand, if they are living in the wild with a little bit of food shortage then their weight would be less and it could be around 400 pounds.

Tigers’ Diet in the Wild

These animals have a nocturnal nature and they tend to become active at night times to hunt down their target. 9 out of 10 times they fail to chase down their target. Just one time they become successful. They eat only once in a week. They can eat almost 75 pounds of meat per day. They tend to cover up their remaining hunted meat with leaves to return and eat it again. This explains why they are not as heavy as the other animals in the wild.

Their diet varies by the type of species but their usual diet includes buffalo, antelope, horses, moose, and deer. If there is a shortage of food like in the winter, a group of tigers may attack an animal bigger than them such as an elephant to eat it.

Tigers’ Diet in the Captivity

The tigers in captivity are much healthier than the tigers in the wild. Because of the balanced diet, they get in captivity. The caretakers there make sure that a tiger gets healthy food to maintain their good health. They feed them on time by time. They rub the meat with mineral and vitamin supplements to provide them with enough energy.

In captivity, their balanced diet includes beef, chicken, rabbit, goat, horse, and camel meat.

Why Tigers Eat Less?

As you that they only eat once in week. Being a nocturnal creature they come out when there is less number of preys out there. Few deers or buffalos are out of their habitat at night times. This means there are fewer opportunities for tigers to grab their prey. Plus they fail 9 times to hunt down their prey. They eat the meat of their prey only once time and then don’t do it again for almost one week. During this process, they use less energy than other animals who hunt their prey 3 to 5 times a week. So, they don’t tend to eat much because they don’t need that much energy.

Top 10 Heaviest Animals

As far as the weight is concerned numerous land animals are competing for a place in the top 10 list. But the tigers are not any near to the animals in the top 10.

Here are the top 10 heaviest animals on the planet:

Walrus – 2,300 kg

Walrus is in the 10th place. They are semi-aquatic mammals native Northern Hemisphere. Their average length could go up 3.6 metres while their average weight is 2,300 kg (5,070 lbs).

Javan Rhinoceros – 2,300 kg

These rhinoceros are small herbivorous creatures. They are native to the rainforests of Vietnam, Java, and Indonesia. They are mostly 4 meters in length, and their average weight could go up to 2,300 kg (5,070 lbs). They are in the 9th place according to their average weight.

Black Rhinoceros – 2,900 kg

They are also known as the hook-lipped rhinoceros. They are large herbivorous mammals, native to woodlands and savannas of Africa. The male ones could be 4 meters in length while their average weight is 2,900 kg (6,400 lbs). With that, they secure 8th place on this list.

Indian Rhinoceros – 4,000 kg

These rhinoceroses are also sometimes called the one-horned rhinoceroses. They are large herbivorous creatures and are native to the grasslands and wetlands of India and Nepal. Males can be measured 4 meters in length with a shoulder height of 5.5 to 6.8 feet. They can weigh up to 4,000 kg (8,820 lbs). They are at the 7th place on the list.

Hippopotamus – 4,500 kg

On the 6th place, it’s a hippopotamus. They are also known as hippos. They are large semi-aquatic mammals native to the rivers, swamps, and lakes of sub-Saharan Africa. They are 4 meters in length while in weight they can reach up to 4,500 kg (9,920 lbs).

White Rhinoceros – 4,500 kg

White rhinoceros is in the 5th place on the list. Square-lipped rhinoceros is their second name. They are large herbivorous mammals native to the grasslands of eastern and southern Africa. Like other rhinoceros, they can reach up to 4 meters in length but they are heavy because their weight can go up to 4,500 kg (9,920 lbs).

Elephant Seal – 5,000 kg

It is a large carnivorous mammal native to islands and coasts of the Southern Hemisphere. They are the members of same family as the walrus, the Phocidae family. They are 5 meters in length while they weigh 5,000 kg (11,200 lbs) on average. With that, they secure the 4th place on the list.

African Forest Elephant – 7,000 kg

They are absolutely large herbivorous animals, and they are native to the forests of West and Central Africa. They are the member Elephantidae family with African savanna elephants and Asian elephants. They are slightly smaller than the rhinoceros with their length going up to only meters. Their weight is 7,000 kg (15,400 lbs) on average. They stand in 3rd place.

Asian Elephant – 7,000 kg

These elephants are also herbivorous creatures and are native to the grasslands, wetlands, and forests of South and Southeast Asia. They are larger than the African elephant with a length of up to 4 meters. They are as heavy as the African elephants because they also weigh up to 7,000 kg (15,400 lbs) on average. But they are in the 2nd place due to their size.

African Bush Elephant – 10,400 kg

On the 1st place is the African bush elephant. They seem to be huge when you see them in real. They also have an herbivorous nature and are native to the grasslands, forests, and savannas of Africa. They can reach a length of up to 4 meters but their weight can go up to 10,400 kg (22,928 lbs) on average.

FAQs

How Much Does a Male Tiger Weigh?

The males are heavier than the females. The average weight of a male tiger could vary between 400 and 675 pounds depending on the conditions and environments they are living in.

How Much Does a Tiger Weigh in the Wild?

Tigers in the wild might be heavier than the ones in the captivity. Because they eat on their own and as much as they want, In the wild, they can weigh between 400 and 675 pounds.

How Much Does a Tiger Weigh in the Captivity?

Tigers in captivity are healthier than the ones in the wild. They are given a specific amount of food to ensure their health. In captivity, their weight could vary between 350 and 600 pounds.

Why Are Tigers Not That Much Heavier?

A tiger would be a lot heavier but in fact, they are not. This is because they are not keen on eating, they only eat once time in a whole week. They also prefer to run less than other animals so they don’t consume more food.