Being fierce, Royal Bengal Tigers are not friendly. They live alone, except in winter when in a group. Bengal tigers are strong, dragging prey half a mile even if heavier than itself. A tiger’s coat has various colors. Today no white tigers exist in the wild. The last was shot in 1958. There are 200 white tigers in captivity from inbreeding. The market value of a white tiger cub remains high – and breeding continues.
A Bengal tiger weighs 450-550 pounds. The female is shorter and lighter than the male. They are the most common zoo tiger due to orange and black fur. The scientific name is Panthera tigris tigris. They are the national animal of India and Bangladesh. An adult Bengal tiger can weigh up to 660 pounds. Males are larger than females. After the Siberian tiger Bengal tigers are the second largest living cat. In the wild they live around 10-12 years but in captivity up to 20 years.
The Bengal Tiger is the national animal of India and Bangladesh. At 4 inches long they have the largest canine teeth of any living cat. Their claws are perfect for climbing. There are fewer than 2,000 left in the wild due to hunting and human population growth.
Royal Bengal Tigers constitute a large tiger population. They live in India, China, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Burma. The biological name is Panthera Tigris, in the Felidae family.
Bengal tigers vary in color from orange to light yellow with pale to deep black stripes. They live in lowland tropical rainforests and grasslands, hunting deer, wild pigs and more.
Aggression among adult males relates to density and competing for territory control.
Bengal Tigers are large cats with orange and black striped fur and white bellies. They weigh up to 260 kg. Habitat ranges from forests to grasslands and mangroves where they prey on deer, boar and buffalo. An estimated 2,900-3,900 live in the wild but face threats like habitat loss, poaching and human conflicts.
The Bengal tiger has the biggest wild cats alive today. It belongs to the world’s charismatic megafauna. Adult males weigh 290-570 lb, females 180-400 lb. In central India, 42 adults averaged 420 lb.
The small bengal tigers have more black fur lines, an extra camouflage to protect from predators.
The most recognizable Bengal tiger feature is the distinctive coat ranging light yellow to orange with dark brown to black stripes forming the traditional “tiger stripe” pattern. They also have a white underbelly and tail with black rings. There are genetic mutations resulting in “white tigers” and “black tigers”.
Bengal cats can be friendly. It depends on training and socialization. Bengal cats are friendly with other cats, dogs and kids. They are highly trainable, affectionate and entertain owners. Bengal cats make a good family pet as they are friendly and loyal. They love walks and talking to owners.
In India, Bengal Tigers mainly live in subtropical and temperate upland forests. In Bangladesh, the Sundarbans mangrove region. In Nepal, prime lowland forest. In Bhutan, subtropical Himalayan foothills and north temperate forests. Most active at dusk and dawn, they stalk prey using tall grass and trees to silently attack.
Why Bengal tigers are so special?
Bengal tigers are mostly found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma and China. Today, it is threatened by poaching, loss and fragmentation of habitat. By 2011, it was estimated at comprising fewer than 2,500 wild individuals.
Tiger is symbol of wilderness and well-being of the ecosystem. By conserving tigers the entire wilderness ecosystem is conserved. Hence conserving wilderness is important and crucial to maintain the life support system. So saving tiger amounts to saving the ecosystem which is crucial for man’s own survival.
The tiger is an apex predator, meaning it is at the top of the food chain. Humans that hunt the Bengal tiger and habitat loss are the only threats. It is now estimated that less than 2,000 Bengal Tigers are left in the wild.
As top predators, wild tigers play an important role in maintaining the harmony of planet’s ecosystems. By preying on herbivores, tigers help to keep the balance between the prey animals and the forest vegetation.
The Bengal tiger has no natural predators in its native environment. Humans that hunt the Bengal tiger and habitat loss are the only threats to the Bengal tiger.
Hunting and human population growth are main threats to Bengal Tigers. As populations grow, habitat for the tiger reduces. People also hunt the same animals, tigers rely on for survival.
Bengal tigers are solitary creatures that prefer to have a large territory of their own. A Bengal tiger’s territory can cover up to 12 square miles.
How aggressive is a Bengal tiger?
The Bengal tiger tends to be more social than the Siberian tiger, often hunting in small groups. Siberian tigers usually prefer solitary hunting. Bengal tigers are known as more aggressive. Siberian tigers are usually more docile.
Bengal tigers depend on large home territories. The destruction of their habitat can make them aggressive.
Healthy, young Bengal tigers in their prime occasionally attack people, not just old and injured tigers that struggle hunting.
Male Bengal tigers average 190 kg as adults. The heaviest can reach 260 kg.
By nature, tigers are more aggressive than lions. Male lions can seem lazy. Tigers dominate when comparing the two species.
Bengal tigers do not normally kill or eat people. They usually avoid humans and change direction when people are near. Some sick or injured tigers unable to hunt normally attack people. Also, tigers living where prey has disappeared sometimes turn to humans as food.
The Bengal tiger has a yellow to light orange coat with dark brown to black stripes. The tail has white rings. The belly is white. Their appearance makes them unique among tiger species.
Once widespread across India, the Bengal tiger now lives in small preserved forests and parks. These habitats range from dry grasslands to lush mangrove forests.
The smallest tiger is the Sumatran. Despite small size, Sumatran tigers sometimes attack people. But their small population makes attacks rare.
How many Bengal tigers are left?
There are around 2300 Bengal tigers left in the wild, most of these in India. Bengal tigers have been listed as endangered since the 1970s. Their numbers are dwindling due to poaching and habitat destruction. If Bengal tigers were to go extinct, it would have ecological and societal impacts. There are eight tiger subspecies, Bengal tigers are one subspecies. The total tiger population depends on which subspecies are counted. More tigers die from humans than any other cause.
In the early 1900s, over 100,000 Bengal tigers existed. Their numbers dropped 96 percent, leading to extinction of four subspecies. As top predators, tigers are crucial to ecosystems. Approximately 2,500 Bengal tigers remain in the wild, mostly in India, Nepal and Bhutan. Bengal tigers are the most numerous tiger species, with around 3,500 in India across the country. They play a vital ecosystem role.
It has been hours driving around Ranthambore National Park. Wild tigers are increasingly difficult to spot in India. If lucky, there’s a chance of seeing one on a Ranthambore tiger safari. Ranthambore National Park.
Bengal tigers are the most populous tiger variants, estimated around 2,500 individuals in the wild. About 200 white tigers exist globally. No white tigers remain in the wild.
Tigers existed in India for 12,000-16,500 years. Bengal tigers rank among the biggest cats today. White Bengal tigers reach 200-230 kilos and 3 meters length when fully grown at 2-3 years old. Only one pure white Bengal tiger was reported as cross eyed.