Photographs selected by Quentin Nardi

Endangered, only about 4,500 tigers live in Asia and parts of the Middle East, down from 100,000 in 1900. While their African cousin, the lion, is often considered the king of the jungle, tigers hold the same position atop the food chain where they live. Their distinctive coats and fierce fangs make them expert predators—and easily identifiable by humans who admire them from afar. It’s wise not to get too close, but have a good look here.

Scent-Marking
A tiger establishes its territory by scent-marking a tree, or transferring its aroma, warning other animals of its presence. Amartya Mukherjee, India, 2021
Dip in water
A tiger takes a dip in cool waters on a summer afternoon. Saurabh Dhanorkar, India, 2023
Tiger Canyon
At Tiger Canyon, a reserve, tigers roam free and hunt their own food. Elize Labuschagne, South Africa, 2019

TIger at Night
Tigers are commonly more active during the night, when their stripes help camouflage from unsuspecting prey. Sanjay Shukla, India, 2019
Cub in Shade
A 1-year-old cub sits in the shade on cool stones while it awaits its mother’s return. Rahul Sanap, India, 2018
Family Time
A tigress and her three cubs enjoy some quality family time in the morning. Akash Akinwar, India, 2019

Winter Wonderland
Two tigers play in a winter wonderland. Jiangchuan Tong, China, 2017
Rests peacefully
A tiger rests peacefully on a cold winter morning at the Kabini tiger reserve. Narayanan Iyer, India, 2020
Tiger Yawn
Tigers have about 30 teeth, some as long as three inches. Sampo Massala, Singapore, 2023

Two young, playful tigers
Two young, playful tigers practice their combat techniques while cooling off in the water at a zoo outside Madrid. Pedro Jarque Krebs, Spain, 2020
Mutations
Incredibly rare, only 1 in 10,000 tiger births in the wild result in this distinct mutation, seen here at the Cougar Mountain Zoo. Maia Aikens, Washington, 2018

Left Alone
Judging by the look in his eyes, this tiger prefers to be left alone as it drinks from a watering hole. Disturb it at your own risk. Michael Watts, India, 2019
Profile
Tigers can consume more than 80 pounds of meat during one feeding. Nick Dale, India, 2023
Gentle Nudge
A cub offers a display of affection in the form of a gentle nudge to its mother. Narayanan Iyer, India, 2022

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Tracy Scott Forson is a senior editor at Smithsonian magazine.