Tiger is the largest living member of the cat
family.The reddish yellow coat with black stripes
gives it a royal look.The tiger lives in varied
habitats open jungles, humid evergreen forests and
mango grove swamps. Its diet consists mainly of deer,
antelopes, gaurs and wild pigs. Sometimes it also
captures birds, lizards, turtles, fishes, frogs and
crabs. Tigers hunt on their own and usually lead a
solitary existence, each in its own territory. They
are endowed with good swimming power but seldom climb
trees.
The Royal Bengal tiger, the national animal of India
is an incredible sight. With its orange hide marked
with dark stripes, its white underbelly, long tail,
huge paws and fearsome teeth, the Royal Bengal Tiger
of India is justifiably called the "King of the
Jungle." It is the largest of the Big Cats. There are
several subspecies of Tiger of which the Siberian
Tiger is the largest.
Royal Bengal Tigers are
carnivores and hunt for prey. Their prey includes
deer, wild buffalo, elephants, wild pigs and cattle in
areas of human encroachment.
Royal Bengal Tigers are usually
solitary. Tiger couples have sometimes been seen,
however a family group commonly consists of a mother
and her cubs that live with her for around 2 years.
Male tigers are known to fight over territory. A male
tigers territory usually overlaps the territory of
more than one tigress. Tigers mark their territory by
urinating and spraying scent from a specialized gland
Royal Bengal Tigers In India :
Ranthambore Tiger Sanctuary:
The park due to the diurnal
behavior exhibited by the bengal tiger population
which adapted to the changes brought about by an
inspired park director, Fateh Singh Rathore. The
former hunting ground of the Maharajas of Jaipur, the
Ranthambore National Park is situated in Eastern
Rajasthan at the confluence of the Aravali hill ranges
and the Vindhyan plateau. Two rivers flow through the
Ranthambore National Park - the Chambal River in the
South and the Banas River in the North. Six man-made
lakes and many perennial streams pass through the
entire national park.
Kanha Tiger Sanctuary
Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh was conceived in
1955 and later in 1974, it got the status of a tiger
reserve under the Project Tiger Scheme. The park came
under the Project Bengal Tiger umbrella in 1974. At
nearly 2000 sq. km Kanha is one of India's largest
parks, and after Sunderbans, home to the second
largest population of tigers. Over the years Kanha has
received a fair amount of international attention,
having featured in numerous newspaper and magazine
articles.
Bandhavgarh Tiger Sanctuary:
Though
small in size, yet it is the national park known for
its highest tiger population. The former hunting
reserve of the royal family of Rewa; Bandhavgarh was
declared a National Park in 1968 .. Tigers such as
Sita and Charger, and more recently Dhitoo, Mohini and
Sita Bachi, have not only bolstered the local
population by breeding successfully, they have also
brought international media attention to the park and
the plight of the Bengal Tiger.