Tigress

A tigress is an adult female tiger, the female counterpart of the male tiger (Panthera tigris). Tigers are large, solitary carnivores native to Asia, and the tigress shares the species’ distinctive coat pattern of dark vertical stripes on a pale orange to copper background. Each tigress has a unique stripe arrangement, much like a human fingerprint.

Tigresses are generally solitary, except for mothers with cubs or during mating. They maintain territories that they defend from other tigers, and they rely on stealth and ambush to catch prey such as deer, wild boar, and other large mammals. Reproduction occurs when a tigress enters estrus, typically every few weeks during favorable conditions. After a gestation of about 93 to 104 days, she gives birth to a litter usually comprising two to four cubs. Cubs remain with their mother for up to two years, learning to hunt and navigate their territory before they disperse.

Conservation status for the tiger as a species is Endangered, with populations fragmented across parts of South and Southeast Asia and into the Russian Far East. Major threats include habitat loss, poaching for skin and body parts, and human-tiger conflict. Protection relies on protected areas, anti-poaching measures, wildlife corridors, and coordinated regional conservation efforts.

In popular culture, Tigress is also the name of a fictional character in the Kung Fu Panda film series. She is a female Bengal tiger and a key member of the Furious Five, renowned for her martial arts skill; the character is voiced by Angelina Jolie in the films.