It is widely believed that tigers cannot climb trees. According to legend, the tiger’s master—the cat—purposely did not teach it the skill of climbing. In fact, this is not correct. Siberian tigers are very fond of climbing when young and are extremely agile. However, as they reach adulthood, their large body weight makes climbing more difficult. Nevertheless, under special circumstances—such as when attacked, startled, hunting prey in a tree, or climbing high to mark territory—adult Siberian tigers can still climb to heights of 6 to 8 meters when necessary. The Siberian tiger is also one of the large cat species that enjoy water. They are excellent swimmers and can swim 10 to 15 kilometers without stopping. They are even capable of briefly submerging themselves underwater while hunting for food. Sometimes, to cool down, Siberian tigers will soak in water to lower their body temperature.

The Siberian tiger belongs to the cat family. It has five toes on its front paws and four on its hind paws. The toes are tipped with hard, sharp claws, which serve as powerful weapons for capturing prey. A single swipe of its claws can tear open the flesh of its target. The claws can be freely retracted and extended. When walking, the claws are withdrawn into protective sheaths to prevent wear from contact with the ground. Like human fingernails, tiger claws continuously grow. To prevent them from growing too long, which could puncture the paw pads and hinder movement, tigers have a habit of sharpening their claws. The paw pads (or toe pads) are soft and elastic. Thanks to these thick, fleshy pads, tigers can walk almost silently, making it difficult for other animals to hear their approach. Often, by the time a sound is heard, the tiger is already nearby. In the wild, zoologists often rely on footprints in the snow to estimate a tiger’s age and gender. Generally, the paw pad width of an adult male tiger is between 10.5 and 11.5 cm, while that of a female is between 8.5 and 9.5 cm.