Bengal Tiger — mammal wildlife photo, Panthera tigris tigris

Panthera tigris tigris


Quick Facts

Type
Mammal
Size
2.7–3.1 m (head to tail)
Weight
100–260 kg
Habitat
Forests, grasslands, and mangroves of South Asia
Diet
Deer, wild boar, and other large mammals
Active Time
Mostly nocturnal
Lifespan
8–10 years in the wild
Field Notes
  • Every tiger's stripe pattern is unique, like a human fingerprint.
  • A tiger's stripes are also on its skin, not just its fur.
  • Unlike most cats, Bengal tigers love water and swim well to cool off and hunt.

About the Bengal Tiger

The Bengal tiger is the most numerous tiger subspecies and the national animal of India and Bangladesh, living in forests, grasslands, and mangrove swamps of the Indian subcontinent. Its orange coat with black stripes provides camouflage in dappled light, and no two tigers share the same stripe pattern. A solitary, powerful ambush predator, it hunts deer, wild boar, and other large prey, often at night. Tigers are strong swimmers that readily enter water. The subspecies is endangered, with wild populations threatened by poaching and habitat loss.