Save The Tiger FAQs & Facts on Bengal Tiger

What is a tiger? The tiger is a mammal. It belongs to the cat family (Felidae) and is often referred to as a big cat. It has an orange coat

patterned with broad black stripes. It has black ears, each with a winking white spot on the back, powerful

forepaws, and a long banded tail. The total length of the tiger from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail is between

2.6 to 3 meters and it weighs anywhere between 135-280 kg. The average life span of a tiger in the wild is about 14 to

16 years.

The Indian or Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigirs) is a sub species of tiger

(Panthera tigris). This sub-species is found mainly in India, Nepal, Bhutan and

Bangladesh. The diet of an Indian tiger mainly consists of large wild

ungulates such as chital (Axis axis), sambar (Cervus unicolor), barasingha

(Cervus duvacelii), nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and gaur (Bos gaurus) and

other animals such as the wild pig (Sus scrofa). It is an opportunistic feeder and

can also kill large prey such as elephant calves (Elephas maximus) and wild

buffalo (Bubalis arnee). Tigers may occasionally also kill sloth bear and

leopards as well as smaller prey such as peafowl, langur, jungle fowl & hare.

Where are tigers found in the wild? In the wild, tigers are found in India, Nepal, China, Russia,

Bhutan, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand,

Sumatra (Indonesia) and Malaysia. Eight sub-species of tiger

existed in the past out of which three have been extinct for

many years. The five surviving sub species of tiger are:

Indian Tiger or Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) found in

India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh;

Indo-Chinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti) mainly found in

Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia but are also found in

Myanmar, Southern China, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam;

Siberian or Amur Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) found in far

east Russia;

Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) found in the

Indonesian island of Sumatra;

South China Tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) found in

China.

The population found in Peninsular Malaysia has been given

a status of separate sub species Panthera tigris jacksoni.

The three sub species of tigers that became extinct in the past

century are: the Bali Tiger (Panthera tigris balica) that was

found in the Indonesian island of Bali, the Javan Tiger

(Panthera tigris sondaica) that was found in the Indonesian

island of Java and the Caspian Tiger (Panthera tigris virgata)

that was found in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Mongolia,

FAQs & Facts on Indian Tiger

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What is a Bengal tiger?

Recent reports indicate that the South China tiger

is also extinct in the wild. Recent genetic studies

show that the Caspian and Siberian tigers may

have been the same sub species.

Due to their large body size tigers are not

good tree climbers like leopards. They

usually climb along large leaning trees. But

tigers are excellent swimmers and love

water. Tigers are known to swim between

islands in the Sunderbans.

Did You Know?

Bengal Tiger © Ravi Singh/ WWF- INDIA

Kazakhstan, Caucasus, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan

and Uzbekistan.

Where do you find tigers in India? Tigers are found in a variety of habitats, including

tropical and sub tropical forests, evergreen forests,

mangrove swamps and grasslands. In India, tigers are

found in 19 states. For the better management of tiger

habitats, forests have been demarcated as Tiger

reserves, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, also

known as Protected Areas. There are 39 Tiger Reserves

in our country today, some of which were added

recently. For more details about the tiger reserves visit

www.projecttiger.nic.in

What is a white tiger?White tigers are not a separate sub-species, but are white in color

due to an expression of recessive genes. The last white tiger

reported in the wild was captured in the forests of Rewa in the

state of Madhya Pradesh. The white tigers found in the zoos

today are most likely descendants of this one tiger and bred in

captivity. There are no more white tigers reported in the wild

today. White tigers have pink noses, white-to-cream coloured fur,

and black, grey or chocolate-coloured stripes. Their eyes are

usually blue, but may be green or amber.White tigers are white in color due to an expression of recessive genes © Ameen Ahmed/ WWF- INDIA

All tigers are not man-eaters! No, they are not! Tigers, like all other wild animals, tend to avoid people, but can attack in defense if they are

taken by surprise or if they are with their young ones. Such incidences may sometimes lead to humans being

mauled or killed by chance. Occasionally, an aged, sick or injured tiger that is unable to hunt its natural prey

may also kill a human being and feed on the body. A few such tigers may resort to killing human beings

intermittently since man is an easy prey. But not all aged, sick or injured tigers become man-eater.

A healthy cub may also acquire man-eating skills from his/her mother. It is very difficult to state the exact

reasons why a tiger turns man-eater but fortunately such cases are extremely rare.

Significance of tigers in India Tigers occupy an important place in the Indian culture. Since ages, it has been a

symbol of magnificence, power, beauty and fierceness and has been associated with bravery and valor. The

tiger is a unique animal which plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of an ecosystem. It is a top

predator and is at the apex of the food chain. Therefore, the presence of tigers in the forest is an indicator of the

well-being of the ecosystem. Protection of tigers in forests protects habitats of several other species.

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Map showing state wise tiger numbers

Indirect benefits include

sources, prevention of soil erosion and provision of

ecological services like pollination, water table retention etc.

The absence of this top predator is an indication that its

ecosystem is not sufficiently protected.

Tigers are both a Flagship and Umbrella species. As a

Flagship species they are important for conservation and as

an Umbrella species, conservation of tigers leads to

conservation of other species. Tigers and high intensity biotic

disturbances such as poaching and stealing of kills do not go

together. If the tigers in the wild have to survive, it is

imperative that other species of wild animals that are directly

or indirectly a part of the food chain must also thrive.

Therefore, the survival of the tiger is an important yardstick

to measure the existence of a healthy forest ecosystem.

protection of rivers and other water

Tigers have been featured extensively in Indian art.©Khalid Pasha/ WWF-India

The tiger is endangered Tigers in the wild are facing severe threats. There has been

steep decline in the tiger population all across the world. At

the beginning of the last century, it is believed that worldwide,

there were possibly many thousands of tigers in the wild with

about a few thousands of those in India. A WWF-Wildlife

Conservation Society survey found that tigers have lost 93% of

their historic range. In the last 10 years (1999-2009), tiger

habitat decreased by an alarming 45%. Today, tigers occupy

just 7% of their historic range. The current tiger population in

India is estimated to be only 1411 (with a range of 1100-1600)

according to a Wildlife Institute of India-National Tiger

Conservation Authority survey. The tiger is listed as

Endangered in the IUCN red list.Poaching of tiger for its body parts gravely threaten its future ©Soumen Dey/ WWF-India

The decline in the tiger population in India can be attributed to many factors.

The major reason is the growth in human population. Since independence

large chunks of prime tiger habitats have been lost forever to agriculture and

developmental activities. In India till the middle of the last century, people

killed tigers in the name of sport.

Tiger hunting was officially banned only after the enactment of the Wildlife

(Protection) Act in 1972. Today, increasing biotic disturbances, uncontrolled

poaching of prey, urbanization, mining and quarrying; and poaching of tiger

for its body parts gravely threaten its future. Bones and other body parts of the

tigers are used in Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) and their skins are

used for making ‘Chubas’ ( the traditional robe worn by the Tibetans). It is this

illegal market for tiger skins and parts in China and Tibet that remains as one

of the most serious threat to wild tiger populations in India.

Possession of tiger skin, bones and other body parts is a criminal offence under Indian law. ©Ameen Ahmed/ WWF-India

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The Indian Tiger is an endangered animal and is listed in the Schedule I of India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This

act gives it protection against hunting/poaching and trade for skins, bones and body parts. Any person who commits

such an offence is punishable with an imprisonment of not less than three years extending up to seven years along

with a fine of not less than fifty thousand rupees which may extend up to two lakh rupees. In the event of a second or

subsequent conviction he can receive imprisonment for a term of not less than seven years and a fine which shall be

not less than five lakh rupees and can vary up to a maximum of fifty lakh rupees.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), presently ratified by

over 160 countries, makes international trade in tiger parts illegal. India has been a signatory of this convention since

the year 1975.

What are the methods to estimate tiger populations?

What are the Indian and international laws that protect tigers?

The process of estimating the number of tigers in a given area is called 'Tiger

census'. This exercise provides us with an estimate of tiger number, density

and change in tiger indices - a measure of tiger occupancy in a given area. It is

conducted at regular intervals to know the current tiger populations and

population trends. Besides estimating the number of tigers the process also

helps to gather information on the density of the tiger populations and

associated prey.

Pugmark Census Technique was

commonly used earlier to estimate

tiger numbers

©Dipankar Ghose/ WWF-India

What is the nature of Human-Wildlife conflict in India? For centuries humans and wild animals have co-existed in India. This is mainly because the human

populations were much lower and the forest areas were large. However, over the past few decades, the human

population has grown manifold thereby creating great pressure on forest resources. Forests that were vast and

undisturbed have given way to human habitations and settlements. Grazing by domestic cattle in forest areas

has resulted in disease out-breaks among wild herbivores, and also reduced availability of fodder, forcing wild

herbivores to depredate crops that adjoin forests. In retaliation, villagers sometimes resort to acts like stealing

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A camera trap image of a tiger

©WWF-India & Arunachal FD

Many different methods are used to estimate the number of tigers. The most

commonly used technique in the past was 'Pugmark Census Technique'. In this

method the imprints of the pugmark of the tiger were recorded and used as a

basis for identification of individuals. Now it is largely used as one of the

indices of tiger occurrence and relative abundance. Recent methods to

estimate the numbers of tigers considered more accurate than pugmark

technique. These are camera trapping and DNA finger-printing. In camera

trapping, the photograph of the tiger is taken and individuals are

differentiated on the basis of the stripes on the body. In the latest technique of

DNA fingerprinting, tigers can be identified from their scats.

Tiger farming does not increase tiger populations in the wild!

Captive breeding of tiger or tiger farming does not help

increase tiger populations in the wild. If this was true, then

those countries indulging in tiger farming would boast a

healthy population of tigers in the wild, which has not

happened so far.

Tigers in the wild breed very well, provided they have a good

habitat and adequate protection. Problems related to habitat,

prey base and protection can not be solved by captive

breeding. Furthermore, rehabilitation of a captive bred tigers Harbin Tiger Park, China. ©Kirsten Conrad/ TRAFFIC

What would happen if tiger trade from tiger farming is legalized?Why should it bother wild tigers?

If the trade in tiger body part is legalized in the name of tiger farming, eventually the tigers in the wild would

be poached. Body parts of wild tigers are sometimes preferred more than that of farm-bred tigers. Also, it will

be virtually impossible to distinguish between products of wild tigers and those of farms. As tiger poaching is

less expensive than tiger farming, there will be attempts to disguise wild tiger products as farmed products.

Therefore legalizing trade in farmed tiger products will only increase overall trade volume and make

stopping the illegal tiger trade far more difficult. Organised criminal networks will not give up illegal tiger

trade just because farmed tiger products are available. It will also be far more profitable to poach a tiger in the

wild than to raise it in a farm, which would cost about US$ 1500/year. The concept of farming the tigers for

commercial trade should be abandoned for ever. Human ailments can only be treated and cured with scientific

drugs but NOT by the medicines prepared with tiger body parts.

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in the wild has been unsuccessful. This is because tigers in the wild learn hunting by a process of close

association with the mother, a situation which cannot be replicated in captivity. Therefore tiger farming is only

a way to breed tigers for their skin and derivatives to meet market demands and cannot be seen as a

conservation tool.

power from power lines and setting up live electric fence to kill

crop raiders. Due to lack of sufficient wild prey base in the

forests, leopards frequent villages looking for food. In the

process, humans, particularly children and women get killed.

Lack of prey base also forces carnivores such as tigers, leopards

and dholes (wild dog) and wolves to kill domestic cattle for

survival. Villagers may again retaliate by poisoning these wild

animals. Also activities like stealing of animals killed by tigers

lead to injury and death of human beings. Villagers retaliate by killing tigers when they kill cattle

© NBL/ WWF-India

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How does WWF-India contribute to Tiger Conservation?

To protect the tiger and to ensure its survival in the wild,

WWF-India supports tiger conservation initiatives

undertaken by the Government of India. The activities

undertaken include strengthening protection measures in

Protected Areas, helping local communities to reduce

their dependence on forest resources, mitigating human-

wildlife conflict, providing a scientific database that will

serve as a basis for sound management of tiger habitats,

and capacity building for conservation of the species.

TRAFFIC-India, a collaboration of WWF and IUCN, is

working to curb illegal trade in wildlife that is drastically

affecting the wildlife populations in India.

WWF-India supports tiger conservation initiatives in different parts of India © Diwakar Sharma/ WWF-India

How can I help? Please to see how you can help save the tiger.click here

What does future hold for Indian tigers? Tiger conservation continues to face increasing challenges on the ground. However, it is still not too late.

Through scientific, planned management interventions such as preventing further destruction and

restoration of habitat and prey base, curbing human-tiger conflict and illegal wildlife trade, we can help

conserve viable tiger populations in the wild.

India was the first country in the world to champion

the cause of conservation of the tiger and its natural

habitats. Project Tiger, launched in 1973, was one of the

largest conservation initiatives of its kind globally.

After a great success initially, it has had mixed results.

Focus has been sharpened on tiger conservation issues

across the country and many prime tiger habitats were

designated as Tiger Reserves. Conservation initiatives

in many areas have led to successful amelioration of

habitats and a healthy tiger population; while in other

areas the results have not been so effective. Threats to

tiger conservation such as destruction and

fragmentation of habitats, human-tiger conflict and

poaching of tiger and its prey continue to remain.

Where does India stand in tiger conservation today?

India was the first country in the world to champion the cause of tiger conservation © Joseph Vatakkaven

Visit: www.wwfindia.org/tigers

Learn more about WWF-India’s work for the tiger

Complied and edited by:Species and Landscapes Programme

WWF-India, 172-B, Lodi Estate,New Delhi 110 003

Tel: +91 11 4150 4783www.wwfindia.org

Designed by: Pallavi Patil