Most Bengal tigers live in India, and some range through Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar. Their
estimated population is approximately 3,250-4,700 tigers, with roughly 333 in captivity, mostly in zoos in India.
Bengal tigers are reddish orange with narrow black, gray or brown stripes, generally in a vertical direction. The underside is creamy or white; a rare variant has a chalky white coat with darker stripes and icy blue eyes.
Bengal tigers eat medium to large prey such as pigs, deer, antelopes, and buffalo. The male weighs up to 225 kg (500 lb.), female to 135 kg (300 lb.); largest existing member of the cat family. A tiger can consume as much as 40 kg (88 lb.) of meat in one feeding.
|