A Guide to Bengal Tigers

What is a Bengal tiger?

Bengal tigers are a carnivorous subspecies of tiger and a member of the panthera tigris tigris.They are one of the largest breeds of big cat alive today. It’s estimated that these tigers have lived on the Indian subcontinent since the Late Pleistocene era for around 12,000 to 16,500 years.

What family do Bengal tigers belong to?

They belong to the Felidae family and the Pantherinae subfamily.

What does a Bengal tiger look like?

The bengal tiger has the recognisable tiger ‘look’ in that it has a yellow or orange coat of fur with dark brown or black stripes and white fur on their belly and the inside of their limbs.The tail is orange with black rings.

How big are Bengal tigers?

The bengal tiger is widely thought to be the 2nd largest species of tiger, matching the size of the siberian tiger. Male tigers can grow up to around 3.2 metres in length (including their tails) and can weigh up to 300kg! Although the females are typically smaller in size, they can still reach lengths of up to 2.7 meters and reach 181 kg in weight.

How fast can a Bengal tiger run?

Bengal tigers can reach speeds of up to 35 – 40 mph!

What do Bengal tigers eat?

Bengal tigers are carnivores which means that their diet is almost exclusively made up of meat. They will often hunt larger mammals including wild boar, Indian hog dear, water buffalo, goats and more.

How strong are Bengal tigers?

Like many other tiger species, the Bengal tiger is extremely strong and has been known to be able to drag its prey almost half a mile. They can even move animals larger than themselves once hunted.

What is a group of Bengal tigers called?

A group of tigers is called a streak or an ambush.

What countries do Bengal tigers live in?

Bengal tigers can be found in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

What are baby Bengal tigers called?

A baby Bengal tiger is called a cub.

How many cubs do Bengal tigers have?

Females will give birth to an average of 2 – 6 cubs per litter.

What is a Bengal tiger’s habitat?

This tiger is an especially adaptable animal and can live in a wide range of different habitats, environment and landscapes. This includes mangroves, wetlands and forests. As they can be found across a number of different countries they can cope with both hot or cold locations.

How many Bengal tigers are left in the wild?

It is believed that by 2011 there were fewer than 2,500 Bengal tigers remaining in the wild.

How long do Bengal tigers live in the wild?

The average lifespan of a tiger in the wild is around 11 years.

Do Bengal tigers have any predators?

Due to their size and hunting skills, the Bengal tiger has no natural predators. However, human conflicts and poaching are the biggest predatory risk to this species.

How long are Bengal tigers pregnant for?

The gestation period lasts for between 3 – 3.5 months.

What dangers do Bengal tigers face?

The biggest threats currently facing Bengal tigers are poaching and reduction of their habitat as a result of agriculture growth and expansion of human populations in surrounding areas. This reduction of habitats leads to an increase in human-tiger conflicts which leads to further risks to the tiger populations.

Why are Bengal tigers endangered?

It’s acknowledged that the biggest threats to the survival of the Bengal tiger is illegal poaching to harvest tiger fur and body parts to sell and destruction and/or shrinking of their natural habitats. With growing human populations nearby, this expansion of agriculture and roads often lead to a reduction in environments suitable for tigers. Overlapping human and tiger populations can also lead to conflict, which can result in hunting or retaliatory killings.

How can we help to save the Bengal tigers?

Supporting conservation efforts is something that we can all do to help the Bengal tiger population. It’s more important than ever that we help to protect this species and prevent a further population decline. By supporting conservation efforts with a donation you can also play a part in the protection of these animals.

Source: thebigcatsanctuary.org