<P> The tiger 's closest living relatives were previously thought to be the Panthera species lion , leopard and jaguar . Results of genetic analysis indicate that about 2.88 million years ago , the tiger and the snow leopard diverged from the other Panthera species , and that both may be more closely related to each other than to the lion , leopard and jaguar . Results of a phylogeographic study indicate that all living tigers had a common ancestor 72,000 -- 108,000 years ago . </P>
<P> The tiger 's closest living relatives were previously thought to be the Panthera species lion , leopard and jaguar . Results of genetic analysis indicate that about 2.88 million years ago , the tiger and the snow leopard diverged from the other Panthera species , and that both may be more closely related to each other than to the lion , leopard and jaguar . Results of a phylogeographic study indicate that all living tigers had a common ancestor 72,000 -- 108,000 years ago . </P>
when did the first tiger appeared on earth
when did the first tiger appeared on earth
about 2.88 million years ago
about 2.88 million years ago