ROYAL BENGAL TIGER: IS A POPULATION OF THE PANTHERA TIGRIS TIGRIS SUBSPECIES AND THE NOMINATE TIGER SPECIES.IT RANKS AMONG THE BIGGEST WILD CATS ALIVE TODAY.IT IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN PRESENT IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT SINCE THE LATE PLEISTOCENE FOR ABOUT 12,000 TO 16,500 YEARS.ITS HISTORICAL RANGE COVERED THE INDUS VALLEY UNTIL THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY ALMOST ALL OVER INDIA, WESTERN PAKISTAN,SOUTHERN NEPAL,BANGLADESH,BHUTAN AND SOUTHWESTERN CHINA.IT IS THREATENED BY POACHING,HABITAT LOSS,AND HABITAT FRAGMENTATION.AS OF 2022,THE BENGAL TIGER POPULATION WAS ESTIMATED AT3,167-3,682 INDIVIDUALS IN INDIA,316-355 INDIVIDUALS IN NEPAL,133 INDIVIDUALS IN BHUTAN AND AROUND 114 INDIVIDUALS IN BANGLADESH.
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1.GENETIC ANCESTRY:
THE BENGAL TIGER IS EXPLAINED BY THREE DISTINCT MIITOCHONDRIAL NUCLEOTIDE SITES AND TWELVE UNIQUE MIICROSATTELITE ALLELES.THE VARIATION OF GENETIC VARIATION IN THE BENGAL TIGER CORRESPONDS TO THE PREMISE THAT IT REACH IN INDIA.
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2.CHARACTERISTICS:
- THE BENGAL TIGER’S COAT IS ORANGE,WITH STRIPES MOSTLY OF DARK BROWN TO BLACK,THE BELLY AND THE INTERIOR PARTS OF THE LIMBS ARE WHITE,AND THE TAIL IS ORANGE WITH BLACK RINGS.
- THE GREATEST SKULL LENGTH OF A TIGER IS 353MM(13.8)IN MALES AND 293(11.5)IN FEMALES.IT HAS EXCEPTIONALLY SHARP TEETHS.
- THE BENGAL TIGER COMES AMONG THE BIGGEST WILD CATS ALIVE TODAY.MALE AND FEMALE BENGAL TIGERS IN PANNA TIGER RESERVES REACH A HEAD TO BODY LENGTH OF 183-211CM AND 164-193 .
- ROYAL BENGAL TIGERS ARE 6-9 FEET LONG AND WEIGH AROUND 400-600 POUNDS.THEY HAVE LARGE HEAD,BIG EARS,AND THICK WHICKERS.
- ITS FUR ARE REDDISH GOLD IN COLOUR .THEY HAVE STRIPES GOING ON ALL OVER THEIR BODY.
- THEIR TAILS ARE 3 FEETS LONG.
- THEY HAVE LARGE PADDED PAWS WITH RETRACTABLE CLAWS.
- BENGAL TIGERS HAVE GREAT VISION AND STRONG SENSE OF SMELL.
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3.PRESENCE IN INDIA:
ROYAL BENGAL TIGERS ARE MAINLY FOUND IN THE JUNGLES OF WEST BENGAL,MADHYA PRADESH,ASSAM,RAJASTHAN,ORISSA,UTTAR PRADESH AND TAMILNADU.THEY ARE ALSO SPOTTED IN SOME OF THR MAJOR NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES OF INDIA SUCH AS CORBETT,MANAS,BANDIPUR,SSARISKA,KANHA,RANTHAMBORE AND SUNDERBANS NATIONAL PARKS.
4.SHRINKING HABITAT:
ROYAL BENGAL TIGERS PREFERS DENSE FORESTS AND LUSH GRASSLANDS.
5.DIET:
BENGAL TIGERS ARE CARNIVORES.THEY SURVIVE ON LARGE VARIETY OF MAMMALS SUCH AS DEER,ANTELOPE,PIGS,BUFFALOES,HUMANS,WILD BOARS,GAURS,HARES,MONKEYS,WILD OX,LANGUR,PEACOCK,WOLVES,CROCODILES,DHOLES AND MANY MORE.
6.REPRODUCTION:
BENGAL TIGERS REACH THE LEVEL OF SEXUAL MATURITY IN 3TO4 YEARS OF AGE.THEY USUALLY MATE DURING SPRING SEASON.GESTATION PERIOD RESTS FOR 95-112 DAYS AFTER WHICH THE TIGRESS GIVE BIRTH TO 2 OR 4 CUBS.
7.LIFESPAN:
LIFESPAN OF THE ROYAL BENGAL TIGERS RANGES UP TO THE 15 YEARS OF AGE.
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8.CHIVALROUS BEHAVIOR:
BEING FIERCE IN NATURE ROYAL BENGAL TIGERS ARE NOT MUCH FRIENDLY IN NATURE AND LIVE A SOLITARY LIFE,EXCEPT IN WINTER WHEN THEY CAN BE SEEN IN A GROUP OF 3 OR 4.
9.SPECIALITY:
THEIR SALIVA HAS AN ANTISEPTIC PROPERTY THAT IS WHEN THEY GET INJURED THEY LICK THEMSELVES WHICH HEALS THEIR WOUND.THIS ALSO STOPS THE BLEEDING.THEY ARE VERY PROTECTIVE AND CARING FOR THEIR FAMILY AND LITTER.THEY CAN RUN UP TO THE SPEED OF 60KM/H.TO MARK THEIR AREA OF TERRAIN THEY SPRAY THE ROCKS AND TREES NEARBY TO IT WITH A MIXTURE OF URINE AND MUSK.
10.NOCURNAL:
TIGERS ARE NOCTURNAL.MOST OF THE PREY THAT A TIGER APPROACH IS AT NIGHT TIME.BENGAL TIGERS ARE AN AMBUSH HUNTERS.TIGER ROAR’S CAN BE HEARD MILES AWAY.BENGAL TIGERS ARE GOOD SWIMMERS AS WELL.THEY HAVE THE BIGGEST CANINE OF ALL THE BIG CATS.BENGAL TIGERS CANINE CAN MEASURE UP TP 4 INCHES.
11.HOW THEY ARE DIFFERENT:
BENGAL TIGERS NEVER ROAM IN A GROUP LIKE LIONS.EACH TIGER HAS A WHITE SPOT AT THE BACK OF ITS EARS.IT USUALLY SEEMS LIKE EYES FROM THE BACK TO AN ATTACKER.BOTH THE REAR LEGS OF A TIGER ARE SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN THE FRONT LEGS.BECAUSE OF THAT A TIGEWR IS ABLE TO JUMP ALMOST 20TO30 FT AHEAD.ONLY 50% OF TIGER CUBS SURVIVE AND MAKE IT TO ADULTHOOD.