Panthera tigris sondaica
The last surviving Sunda Island tiger population lives in Sumatra. Protecting forest, prey, and movement routes supports a whole living landscape.
PANDUANHEWAN · INDONESIA
Sumatran tiger vs Javan leopard: the differences
How do the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) and Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas) differ? Classification, features, range, diet, size, IUCN status and legal protection, from cited sources.
The Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) and the Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas) are different species in the same genus, Panthera. Range in Indonesia — the Sumatran tiger: Sumatra; the Javan leopard: Java.
Panthera pardus melas
A big cat endemic to Java with spotted and black forms. Connected forests and careful management of human encounters matter for its survival.
Sumatran tiger and Javan leopard compared
| Aspect | Sumatran tiger | Javan leopard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Panthera tigris sondaica | Panthera pardus melas |
| Indonesian name | Harimau Sumatera | Macan tutul Jawa |
| Class | Mammalia | Mammalia |
| Order | Carnivora | Carnivora |
| Family | Felidae | Felidae |
| Range in Indonesia | Sumatra | Java |
| Endemic to Indonesia | Yes | Yes |
| Size | Body weight: Adult Sumatran tigers can reach 140 kg; Body length: Up to 2.5 m from head to tail tip | — |
| Diet | Carnivore | Carnivore |
| Diet type | carnivore (meat-eater) | carnivore (meat-eater) |
| Reproduction | giving birth to live young (viviparous) | giving birth to live young (viviparous) |
| IUCN status | Critically Endangered — subspecies assessment (P. t. sumatrae) | Endangered |
| Legal protection | Protected (Regulation P.106/2018) | Protected (Regulation P.106/2018) |
Every cell comes from the sourced data on each animal’s page; an empty cell means the data is not yet available, not that it is absent.
Sources
- WWF — Sunda tiger ↗
- WWF — Tiger taxonomy and biology ↗
- WCS Indonesia — Sumatran tiger ↗
- WCS — Bukit Barisan Selatan research, 2017 ↗
- Peraturan Menteri LHK Nomor P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi ↗
- IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group ↗
- Animal Diversity Web ↗
- Terrestrial mammal community richness and temporal overlap between tigers and other carnivores in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Sumatra (Allen et al. 2020, Animal Biodiversity and Conservation 43: 97-107; author PDF) ↗
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (GBIF) ↗
- IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group — Javan leopard ecology and status ↗
- IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group — Leopard colour and taxonomy ↗
- SINTAS Indonesia — Java-Wide Leopard Survey progress, 2025 ↗
- Exploring temporal activity of dholes, their prey, and competitors in East Java, Indonesia (Havmøller et al. 2024, Ecology and Evolution; PMC) ↗
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