Tigers
The Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is one of the six surviving subspecies of tigers that remain in the world. While they are found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, this tiger has its highest population in India, and is also referred to as the Indian Tiger. The Bengal Tiger is India’s national animal. It can be found in diverse habitats ranging from the foothills of the Himalayas to scrub forests in central India and the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans.
Over the years, rapid loss of habitat and poaching have declined their numbers in the wild. Shrinking habitats have also driven tigers closer to the land in proximity to people, which has led to several conflicts and has caused casualties on both sides.
Gopal
Gopal, a wild tiger roaming free in the Nagarahole National Park was a victim of human-wildlife conflict and eventually had to be rescued and shifted to a safe place to protect him from an angry mob. Gopal now resides in a forested enclosure at the Bannerghatta Tiger Sanctuary in Karnataka, managed by Wildlife SOS and the Born Free Foundation.
General Characteristics
- Status: Endangered
- Wild population: 3,167 tigers as per India’s Tiger Census 2022
- Captive population: 381 approximately (according to a 2010/2011 census)
- Under the care of Wildlife SOS: 1
- Lifespan: 14 – 16 years
- Height: Male: 283 – 311cm; Female: 255 – 285 cm in length; 90-110 cm at shoulder
- Weight: Male: 200 – 260 kg; Female: 100 -160 kg
THREATS TO TIGERS IN INDIA
Tigers are top predators in the wild. But like most wildlife, the Bengal Tiger faces several threats. Some of the major factors that endangers this majestic subspecies include –
- Habitat loss and fragmentation: With their territories shrinking because of urbanisation, tigers are often forced into competition with other predators for food and survival, which threatens their way of life.
- Human-animal conflict: With the loss of their native habitats, tigers are now closer to human settlements. This causes frequent encounters between the two, which often conclude with harm caused to both human and animal.
- Depletion of prey base: As enormous cats that require a sizable home range and plenty of prey, tigers sometimes rely on readily available livestock and stray animals due to a fall in prey populations. Since tigers are found preying on their cattle, locals in the vicinity often resort to retaliatory killing.
- Illegal poaching and trade of body parts: Tigers are captured or killed for their bones, claws, and other body parts that are frequently sold in Southeast Asian markets. This illegal trade, in turn, is fuelled by the demand for live tigers and tiger-based products in the West, leading to a transnational poaching ring.
- Tourism industry: Tigers are an attraction that benefits the tourism industry. Sadly, tigers used for entertainment purposes are facing traumatic lives that include overbreeding, mother-cub separation, and declawing. Tigers in captivity are also known to be drugged often.
FACTS ABOUT TIGERS
- Bengal Tigers are the second largest subspecies of tigers after Siberian tigers, which are the largest feline species alive today.
- The tiger’s eminence has enabled it to often be used as a mascot or ambassador for environmental causes.
- The colours of the tiger’s vertical stripes range from brown to black. This disruptive colouration helps the feline blend within tall grasses and foliage.
- Contrary to popular belief, the White tiger is not a separate subspecies of tiger, but is a variant of the mainland Bengal Tiger that has white colouration. This leucistic pigmentation is rare and is a result of a recessive genetic condition that causes the Bengal tiger to stop producing the regular yellow, black and red pigments in its fur.
- Tigers are ambush predators and often attack from the side or the back. They are unlikely to attack if spotted beforehand. Beekeepers in Sundarbans have begun wearing masks on the back of their heads to deter attacks and mitigate man-animal conflict.
- Tigers can reach a top speed of 45 to 60 kilometres per hour but are unable to keep up this pace for too long. In addition, they have been known to jump great heights, covering over 15 feet in one leap.
- The tiger’s tongue, like that of other felines, has sharp hook-like projections that they use not just for grooming their own fur, but also tearing the flesh off their prey.