If you’ve ever watched tiger shows on TV, you’ll know that these powerful, stripy creatures are only found in Asia. You may wonder why this is - after all, Siberian tigers can be found in the Russian Far East, so we know they could survive the cooler temperatures of many European countries. So why are tigers not thriving on our continent? Let’s find out.  

The Caspian tiger

The truth is that there was once a subspecies of tiger that roamed parts of Europe. The Caspian tiger had distinctive golden yellow fur with brown stripes, and lived in parts of Turkey, Ukraine and Russia. Sadly, however, this beautiful creature was declared extinct in the 1970s, having been extensively hunted for its fur, as well as suffering from habitat loss due to the clearing of land for agriculture. 

Population density

One of the key reasons you won’t find a tiger population in Europe is quite simply space. Tigers have large territories that often span up to 150 square kilometres, depending on the availability of food. Some Siberian tigers roam over 2,000 square kilometres in order to meet their survival needs. 

Here in the UK, we have a population density of around 280 people per square kilometre, making our isles very unsuitable for tigers. Even in larger countries like France and Spain, there are 96-123 people per square kilometre, meaning any tiger populations would have to be limited. Conversely, in places like India, China and Siberia there are areas with extremely low population densities, meaning tigers can establish territories without coming into contact with humans. 

Habitat

In addition to requiring space and an abundance of prey, tigers need the right kind of habitat. They favour forests, grasslands and mangrove swamps, where there is plenty of cover to suit their preferred method of hunting. While there are large forested areas of Europe, much of the ancient woodland has been cleared for agriculture. Similarly, some grasslands are used for livestock grazing, which would put tigers into conflict with humans.

Could tigers survive in Europe?

While subspecies like the Siberian tiger could, in theory, survive in the forested regions of Europe, the above factors would cause significant issues and threaten their existence. The populations would be very small, which could lead to further complications such as a lack of genetic diversity. Over time, this would result in susceptibility to disease and an inability to adapt to changing conditions. Instead, it’s more beneficial to focus on the conservation of tigers in their current habitats and try to build the numbers of existing groups. 

Discover The Tiger Who Came to Tea

Fans of all things tiger shouldn’t miss the production of The Tiger Who Came to Tea this summer. Playing at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from 14 July - 7 September 2025, this family friendly tiger play is based on Judith Kerr’s best-selling picture book. If you’re searching for ‘children’s theatre near me’ during the holidays, look no further - book your tickets today for a trip to remember!