Bengal Tiger Facts

Bengal Tigers are often called Indian Tigers, or Indian Bengal Tigers. Bengal Tigers play an important role in Indian tradition and legend. Bengal Tigers can be found in India, Nepal Bhutan, Bangladesh, Mynamar (Burma) and Tibet.

Bengal Tigers are the most common of the tiger subspecies. Bengal Tigers are the second largest of all living tiger subspecies. Unfortunately Bengal Tigers are critically endangered due to poaching and destruction of their natural habitat.

Bengal Tigers have a reddish orange coat, with black, gray or brown stripes. The underside or belly of the Bengal Tiger is a creamy white. Bengal Tigers are unique in the tiger family in that they occur in different color patterns in the wild. Most Bengal Tigers have in excess of 100 stripes. The stripes can vary in color from brown to black. The striping pattern is unique to each tiger. The stripes allow the Bengal Tiger camouflage in the tall grass. Bengal Tigers prey on pigs, deer, and antelope.

Male Bengal Tigers are 10 feet long and weigh approximately 500 lbs, while female Bengal tigers are about 9 feet long and weigh 300 lbs.

The Gestation of Bengal Tigers is 3 months. Bengal Tigers typically have 2-4 cubs in a litter. A baby Bengal Tiger only weighs 2 lbs when its born. Bengal Tiger cubs are blind at birth, and do not begin hunting until they are 18 months old. They become more independent at 18 months of age (when they can begin hunting on their own) but they stay with their mother until they are 2-3 years old. Male Bengal Tigers do not sexually mature until they are 4-5 years of age. Female Bengal Tigers mature at 3 years of age.

Bengal Tigers live an average of 15 years.

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Jacob Maddox manages content for Wildlife Animals http://www.wildlife-animals.com an educational wildlife and animal website. Jacob also guest writes for Dog Pound http://www.dog-pound.net