Bengal tiger

The Bengal tiger, or Royal Bengal tiger , equals a race of tiger mainly obtained in India and Bangladesh. They are also obtained in regions of Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and south Tibet. The Bengal tiger is among the biggest and the just about a lot of of the tiger race, with approximately 1,411 wild tigers being accounted by the Government of India's National Tiger Conservation Authority.

Onetime got hold throughout the Indian subcontinent, the Bengal tiger's instinctive habitat has drastically cut down due to their expanding interactions with mankind. Most tigers in India, home to almost 50% of the Earth tiger population, are broke up into numerous small separated populations building them defenseless to extinction.

It's traditionally been believed the 2nd biggest race after the Siberian tiger. They are the basal tiger race, existing in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, semitropical and equatorial rain forests, scrub forests, wet and dry deciduous forests, and mangroves. The Bengal race P. tigris tigris is the national animal of Bangladesh, although at the species grade, the tiger Panthera tigris is the national animal of India .

How many types of tigers are there in the world and what are their names and where do they reside?

SIX TYPES OF TIGERS

There are currently 6 subspecies of tigers. The different subspecies are found in areas of Asia, India and Russia. The largest subspecies is found in snowy areas of Russia. The smallest and darkest subspecies is found farther south, in the jungles of Indonesia. Tigresses (females) are always smaller than males.

SIBERIAN OR AMUR TIGER - the largest of the tiger subspecies, males can be as long as a station wagon. These tigers also have the palest orange coat and the fewest stripes.

BENGAL OR INDIAN TIGER - This is the most common subspecies of tiger.

INDOCHINESE TIGER - These tigers are about 20% smaller and are darker than Bengal tigers.

MALAYAN TIGER - This subspecies was proved to be a "true subspecies", living in Thailand and Malaysia in 2004. A group from the U.S. National Cancer Institute, the Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, studied the tiger and discovered the new classification. The Malayan tiger is one of the smallest subspecies of tigers, along with the Sumatran tiger.

SOUTH CHINA TIGER - These tigers are slightly smaller than the Indochinese subspecies. In the 1950s the Chinese government ordered that these tigers be destroyed because they were viewed as pests. Today, there are less than 30 South China tigers left in the wild. Thankfully, the Chinese have taken steps toward a plan to protect the remaining South China tigers.

SUMATRAN TIGER - Even though the Sumatran is one of the smallest tiger subspecies, it still is a pretty big cat and is the length of a school cafeteria table!

Royal Bengal Tiger [Wild Animals in India]

The Royal Bengal tiger, the national animal of India is an incredible sight. With its orange hide marked with dark stripes, its white underbelly, long tail, huge paws and fearsome teeth, the Royal Bengal Tiger of India is justifiably called the "King of the Jungle." It is the largest of the Big Cats. There are several subspecies of Tiger of which the Siberian Tiger is the largest.

Zoological name: Panthera tigris tigris

Range: The Royal Bengal Tiger is found in the wild across India in protected forests, and in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Estimated population: It is estimated that there are around 3,250 - 4,700 Royal Bengal Tigers in the wild with over 330 in captivity, including zoos and animal parks.

Physical characteristics: Royal Bengal Tigers can have an incredible size ranging in length from under 6 feet to over 9 feet, while the length of its tail can be over 3 feet. Adult male tigers are larger than female tigers. The color of the Royal Bengal Tigers pelt can range from orange to tan with white beneath. The pattern of stripes on a tiger's skin is unique to each tiger. The patterns are used to identify and enumerate tigers based on tiger sightings in wildlife national parks in India. Tigers can shed their short thick fur in summer and it grows in thickness in winter. The Siberian tiger, the largest of the tigers, lives in a snow covered landscape, protected by its thick fur. Tigers have large, padded paws, with retractable claws. The paw print or pugmark of each tiger is also unique and is therefore used for identification and tracking by wildlife officials. Tigers have a large head, big ears and thick whiskers. The strong jaw of the tiger is used to bite the throat or neck of the tiger's prey. Tigers have incredible vision, their sight is enhanced by a reflecting layer behind the retina called the tapetum, whereby light is reflected back onto the retina, enabling tigers to see six times better than humans.

White tigers: All white tigers in captivity in the world today are the descendants of one white tiger, Mohan caught by the Maharaja of Rewa in 1951. A White Tiger is the same as a Royal Bengal Tiger except for a genetic mutation that causes the change in the color of their fur and eyes. White tigers have blue eyes and brownish stripes.

Habitat: Tigers prefer thick grass, dense jungle and undergrowth in which they can hide and wait for their prey. The stripes on the hide of the tiger act as an incredible camouflage and help the tiger conceal itself in tall grass and vegetation. In the dry jungles of wildlife parks in Ranthambore and Sariska in Rajasthan India, tigers are often seen in the ruins of monuments and temples in the park. Tigers unlike other cats, like water and in the hot summer are often seen sitting or lying in pools of water to stay cool and are good swimmers.

Diet: Royal Bengal Tigers are carnivores and hunt for prey. Their prey includes deer, wild buffalo, elephants, wild pigs and cattle in areas of human encroachment. Aged, sick or injured tigers that are unable to hunt swift-footed prey have been known to turn man-eater.

Behavior: Royal Bengal Tigers are usually solitary. Tiger couples have sometimes been seen, however a family group commonly consists of a mother and her cubs that live with her for around 2 years. Male tigers are known to fight over territory. A male tigers territory usually overlaps the territory of more than one tigress. Tigers mark their territory by urinating and spraying scent from a specialized gland. A tigress retires to a den to bear her litter, which usually consists of 2-4 cubs. In the wild, tigers live from 8- 15 years. In zoos, tigers have been recorded as living up to 26 years.

Status: Royal Bengal Tiger is an endangered species. Their numbers were recorded as below 2000 in the 1970's, after which Project Tiger was initiated in India in 1973 in wildlife national parks and sanctuaries of India. There has been a steady increase in the population of tigers in India where they are protected in 27 tiger reserves, wildlife national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. The threat of poaching due to the demand for tiger bones and body parts in traditional Chinese medicine remains a pressing issue. The loss of habitat as well as human population pressure on wildlife reserves in India is another concern.

Project Tiger Wildlife Sanctuaries: Tourists can see the incredible Royal Bengal Tiger in the following Wildlife National Parks on India wildlife tours:

Bandipur-Nagarhole (Karnataka), Corbett (Uttaranchal), Kanha (Madhya Pradesh), Manas (Assam), Melghat(Maharashtra), Palamau (Jharkhand), Ranthambhore (Rajasthan), Similipal (Orissa), Sunderbans (West Bengal), Periyar (Kerala), Sariska (Rajasthan), Buxa (West Bengal),Indravati (Chattisgarh), Nagarjunsagar (Andhra Pradesh), Namdapha (Arunachal Pradesh), Dudhwa-Katerniaghat (Uttar Pradesh), Kalakad-Mundanthurai (Tamil Nadu), Valmiki (Bihar), Pench (Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra), Tadoba-Andhari (Maharashtra), Bandhavgarh (Madhya Pradesh), Dampha (Mizoram), Bhadra (Karnataka), Pakhui-Nameri (Arunachal Pradesh-Assam), Bori, Satpura, Pachmari (Madhya Pradesh).