The Bengal tiger is an iconic cat, arguably as famous as any other type of tiger left on the planet. Like all tigers, however, it is both admired and endangered, revered by the same species that is wiping it out.
Yet Bengal tigers have been clawing back in recent years, and while they are still far below their historical numbers, they have become a rare bright spot for their beleaguered species. In hopes of shedding more light on these enigmatic cats — and on their struggle to coexist with us — here are a few lesser-known facts about the legendary Bengal tiger.
1. Tiger Taxonomy Is Complicated
Tigers were once divided into several subspecies, but more recent research suggests there are just two subspecies: Panthera tigris tigris in mainland Asia, and P. tigris sondaica in the Greater Sunda Islands. The Bengal tiger was previously considered a subspecies, but is now generally classified as a specific population within P. tigris tigris, which also includes the Caspian, Indochinese, Malayan, Siberian, and South China tigers.
Fast Facts
- Common Name: Bengal tigerScientific Name: Panthera tigrisAverage Lifespan in the Wild: Eight to 10 yearsAverage Lifespan in Captivity: 16 to 18 yearsIUCN Red List Status: EndangeredCurrent Population: 2,154 to 3,159 mature individuals
That may seem like a demotion, but the taxonomic details don’t diminish the importance of any of these populations, and they have little effect on the longstanding cultural cachet held by Bengal tigers.
2. Bengal Tigers Are Big, Even for Big Cats
Bengal tigers have the longest canine teeth of any living cat, and also rival the Siberian tiger for the title of largest cats on Earth, both in terms of length and weight. The Siberian (or Amur) tiger is often cited as the largest cat overall, capable of growing up to 12 feet (3.7 meters) long and weighing more than 660 pounds (300 kilograms). They are highly variable in size, though, and may now be smaller overall than in the past due to selective pressure from human hunters killing larger individuals.
Bengal tigers may not quite match the largest of their Siberian cousins, but they can grow to similar sizes and weights. The largest Bengal tiger on record reportedly weighed 569 pounds (258 kg) and stretched about 10 feet (3 meters) long.
3. Their Diverse Diets Include Venomous Snakes
Bengal tigers largely prey on ungulates, including a wide variety of deer, antelopes, wild pigs, and wild bovids, but they also hunt smaller prey such as gray langur monkeys. In some places, tigers may get as much as 10% of their food by killing domesticated livestock, posing a challenge for conservation as their habitat is increasingly fragmented by farmland.
There have been a few known instances of Bengal tigers taking down Indian rhinoceroses and Indian elephants, and they’re also known to sometimes attack other predators, including sloth bears and leopards. They have even been found to prey on venomous snakes; in a post-mortem of one male Bengal tiger from 2009, researchers found a king cobra and a monocled cobra in his stomach.
4. They Have a Deep Cultural Significance for Humans
Bengal tigers have been woven into the cultures of India and surrounding countries for thousands of years. A tiger is one of the animals depicted on the Pashupati seal, a roughly 4,000-year-old artifact from the Indus Valley Civilization, and also features prominently in the symbols of the Chola dynasty. Bengal tigers have remained an important source of symbolism for the region ever since, and today serve as the national animal of both India and Bangladesh. Tigers have a long literary legacy, too, from Shere Khan of “The Jungle Book” to Richard Parker in “The Life of Pi.”
5. India Is Home to About 70% of All Wild Tigers
The Bengal tiger is native to the Indian subcontinent, where it has lived for at least 12,000 years, dating back to the Late Pleistocene. Today, it exists in the countries of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan.
With a population of roughly 3,000 Bengal tigers, India now has the largest remaining population of Bengal tigers, as well as the highest number of wild tigers of any kind in a single country, representing about 70% of the species’ entire wild population. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Bangladesh is home to between 300 and 500 Bengal tigers, Nepal has about 200, and Bhutan has somewhere between 50 and 150.
6. There Aren’t Many Bengal Tigers Left in Captivity
Overall, there are more tigers living in captivity in the U.S. alone than there are living in the wild globally. Bengal tigers, however, are rarely found in captivity outside India. They’ve been bred in captivity since 1880, but widely interbred with tigers from other range countries. As a result, many “Bengal tigers” in captivity outside India are not true Bengal tigers, and thus inappropriate for conservation-breeding programs aimed at reintroduction to the wild. Of about 200 registered Bengal tigers in captivity, all reportedly live within India.
7. Bengal Tigers Are Rebounding
As a species, tigers across Asia numbered as many as 100,000 individuals in the early 1900s, but then suffered a steep and prolonged decline, due largely to a mix of habitat loss and unsustainable hunting. Between 1875 and 1925, an estimated 80,000 tigers were killed in India alone, and by the 1960s the country’s tiger population was on the brink.
That prompted a series of efforts to save Bengal tigers from fading away. India outlawed the killing or capture of wild tigers in 1971, made the Bengal tiger its national animal in 1972, and launched its Project Tiger conservation program in 1973, sparking a boom in tiger sanctuaries around the country that’s still growing. After having dropped to a low of fewer than 2,000 tigers, India’s total tiger population had grown to 2,200 in 2014 and nearly 3,000 in 2018 (the country conducts a census every four years).
8. But They Need a Lot More Room
India has achieved great success in boosting its tiger population, but there have been problems. Although tigers have been reproducing, some conservationists worry they aren’t dispersing enough into new territories. A single male tiger may require a territory of nearly 40 square miles (100 square km), and aside from causing issues with their fellow tigers, running out of space can lead to conflict between tigers and people.
Tiger habitats are increasingly fragmented by roads, railways, farmland, logging, and other forms of human development, resulting in more cats preying on livestock or otherwise clashing with people. Along with ongoing poaching and depletion of prey species, this has limited the success of India’s tiger conservation efforts, although experts do see reasons for optimism.
According to renowned tiger expert Ullas Karanth, if prey species can rebound and people can be kept out, there is currently enough connected forest cover in India to support a population of 10,000 to 15,000 Bengal tigers.
Save the Bengal Tigers
Choose wood furniture created from reclaimed wood rather than teak or red cedar logged in India.Refuse to buy products made from tiger parts.Support legislation to protect tigers.Donate to support reputable conservation organizations such as the Wildlife Conservation Society.
What animal eats a tiger?
Tigers are apex predators, meaning they sit at the top of the food chain in their ecosystem. Not many animals (besides humans, potentially their only predator) are brave enough to mess with an adult tiger, but cubs sometimes fall prey to crocodiles, hyenas, snakes, and Asiatic wild dogs.
Are tigers intelligent?
Tigers are said to be the smartest big cat. Oxford University scientists have discovered that they have bigger brains, compared to body size, than their lion, leopard, and jaguar counterparts. They also have one of the best memories of any animal, their short-term memory lasting longer even than humans'.
How fast are Bengal tigers?
Bengal tigers can run up to 40 mph for short distances and can jump up to 16 feet in the air. They weigh between 600 and 700 pounds, 60% to 70% of which is pure muscle—and don’t even ask about their lethal bite. All this is to say: These animals are unfathomably powerful. They can easily take down prey much larger than them (like an elephant) and drag it away.
What’s the biggest threat to Bengal tigers?
The IUCN points to poaching as the biggest threat to wild Bengal tiger populations. These tigers are hunted for their skins, bones, meat, and other derivatives. In 2021, the Wildlife Protection Society of India reported 56 tiger deaths at the hands of poachers, the highest number in 20 years. Organizations like Save Wild Tigers work to implement stricter poaching laws and reduce demand for tiger products.
Tigers are apex predators, meaning they sit at the top of the food chain in their ecosystem. Not many animals (besides humans, potentially their only predator) are brave enough to mess with an adult tiger, but cubs sometimes fall prey to crocodiles, hyenas, snakes, and Asiatic wild dogs.
Tigers are said to be the smartest big cat. Oxford University scientists have discovered that they have bigger brains, compared to body size, than their lion, leopard, and jaguar counterparts. They also have one of the best memories of any animal, their short-term memory lasting longer even than humans'.
Bengal tigers can run up to 40 mph for short distances and can jump up to 16 feet in the air. They weigh between 600 and 700 pounds, 60% to 70% of which is pure muscle—and don’t even ask about their lethal bite. All this is to say: These animals are unfathomably powerful. They can easily take down prey much larger than them (like an elephant) and drag it away.
The IUCN points to poaching as the biggest threat to wild Bengal tiger populations. These tigers are hunted for their skins, bones, meat, and other derivatives. In 2021, the Wildlife Protection Society of India reported 56 tiger deaths at the hands of poachers, the highest number in 20 years. Organizations like Save Wild Tigers work to implement stricter poaching laws and reduce demand for tiger products.
