The Bengal Tiger

The Bengal Tiger

From head to tail, males can measure from two to three meters. The height of his withers (neck) is of 91 cm. The males weights about 250 kg. He can live up to 25 years. He lives in the south of the Sundarbans delta, the largest mangrove forest in the world, which lies in India, and spreads across areas of Bangladesh.

Bengal tigers can also be found in north and central India, as well as in Birmania and in Nepal.

In 1900, they were about 40.000 – 50.000. Around 1972, there remained 1.850.  In 1984, thanks to a program of protection, they were numbered approximately 4.000.

Tigers hunt at night. They assault their preys on the side or at the back. They bit to death at the nape of the neck small preys; they bit at the throat bigger preys and let them suffocate to death. The Bengal tiger hunts the “yaur” (kind of wild bull), the buffalo, the (wild) boar, monkeys and lizards. When hungry, a tiger can kill up to 30 buffaloes per annum. He can also eat 31 kg of meat within a night. It takes between 2 or 3 days for a tiger to eat its prey. Between two meals, he covers its prey with leaves.

The Bengal tiger usually breeds in the springtime. A male from a neighbouring field comes on the female's field. About 15 weeks later, the tigress brings between 2 and “babies” into the world, sightless during the first ten weeks. After eight weeks, the latter will be able to start eating the little preys brought by their mother. The tiger is a night hunter and lonesome. He does not like sharing his territory with other tigers. Tigers mark their territory by urinating and secreting which smell strongly and indicate their presence. They can also savage to pieces the bark of a tree. He can run up to 45 km per hour.

A tiger print can measure 13 cm of diameter that is to say the equivalent to your two hands placed side by side. A forefoot has five fingers, and a hind foot has four fingers. Thanks to the cushions under his feet, the tiger can approach a prey without making any noise and absorb the choc of his gigantic leaps.

During the warm hours of the day, the tiger stays in one of his cool hiding places. His strong smell is so dread that not one single animal dares to disturb him while he's resting. He tiger has a fur striped with black, white and reddish-brown. He becomes invisible when he hides away in the long grass of the jungle. Thanks to his camouflage, he can approach his preys without been noticed. A tiger inspects is territory everyday. It takes him three days to go round and visit all his hiding-places. Intruders: beware! The anger of the master of this place can be violent!