The Bengal tiger is a subspecies of tiger named Panthera tigris tigris. It is also known as the Royal Bengal tiger and lives in Asia. The Bengal tiger is found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma and China. The fur of the Bengal tiger is orange to brown and the animal is decorated with black camouflaging stripes. There are also white Bengal tigers.

Bengal tiger fact & information about reproduction
The Bengal tiger populations are sensitive since their reproductive pace is comparatively low. The female Bengal tiger will not reach sexual maturity until she is 3 or 4 years old and the male have to be even older before he can star reproducing, usually 4 or 5. The females only produce offspring every two years after a gestation period of 98 to 110 days. The litter will typically consist of 2 to 4 cubs, and it is not uncommon for several cubs to die at an early age.

Bengal tiger facts & information about threats
The Bengal tiger is included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Poachers still kill a lot of Bengal tigers each year for their pelts and other parts of the animal’s body. In many Asian countries the Bengal tiger is believed to possess healing properties; if you consume parts of a tiger you can benefit from the tigers’ strength. Tiger bones and other parts of the tiger is therefore often included in remedies, e.g. in traditional Chinese medicine.

Habitat loss is another big problem for the remaining tigers. When the habitat is destroyed or disrupted by human activity, it causes severe effects for the Bengal tiger. A third problem for the Bengal tiger is revenge killing. As people ventures into tiger habitat and settles there, the risk of meeting a Bengal tiger increases. Around 20 people is killed each year by Bengal tigers in Bangladesh alone and this naturally affects the attitude towards the tigers among the local residents. It is also common for farmers to kill Bengal tigers in order to prevent them from catching cattle.    

Bengal tiger fact & information about conservation programs
The Bengal tiger is the national animal of India and tigers are important since they attract eco-tourism and thereby provide work opportunities. There are currently 66 different protected zones in India and a conservation program called “Project Tiger” has had a significant effect on the Indian tiger population. In the 1970s, the estimated number of wild Bengal tigers in India were no higher than 1,200. Today, the number has increased to around 3,500.
Bangladesh is another important Bengal tiger country and has three protected areas with 300-450 Bengal tigers. In Nepal, there are also three protected zones for the Bengal tiger and in these regions you can find around 150-250 tigers. The numbers for Bhutan is four protected zones and 50-250 tigers.

Bengal tiger facts & information about zoos
In Asia, Bengal tigers have been kept in captivity for a long time and in zoos since 1880. In India, the Alipore Zoo in Calcutta was the first zoo to house a Bengal tiger. The Bengal tiger is not at all reluctant to breed in captivity and according to the International Tiger Studbook, there are 333 purebred Bengal tigers to be found in zoos today. All of the purebreds live in India, with the exception of one purebred female tiger that lives in the United States. There is also an abundance of non-purebred tigers living in zoos all over the world.

More info on big and small wild cats:

Bengal Tigers
White Bengal Tigers
Royal Bengal Tigers
Jaguar Animal - Jaguar Cats
Black Jaguar (Animal)
Jaguar Animal Facts
Ocelot - Ocelot cat
Ocelot facts & Information
Siberian Tiger
White Siberian Tiger
Siberian Tiger Habitat
Siberian Tiger Fact
Siberian Tiger Information
Snow Leopard
Snow Leopard Habitat
Snow Leopard Fact
Endangered Snow Leopard
White Tigers
White Bengal Tigers
White Siberian Tigers
Baby White Tigers