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{{Taxobox
| name = Bengal Tiger <br /> {{lang-bn|বাঘ}} <br /> {{lang-hi|बाघ<!-- ރޯޔަލް ބެންގާލް ޓައިގަރ -->}}
| status = EN
| status_system = iucn3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn/>
| image = Bengal Tiger in Bangalore.jpg
| image_caption = Bengal Tiger in [[Bannerghatta National Park]]
| image_width = 250px
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
| ordo = [[Carnivora]]
| familia = [[Felidae]]
| subfamilia = [[Pantherinae]]
| genus = ''[[Panthera]]''
| species = ''[[Tiger|P. tigris]]''
| subspecies = '''''P. t. tigris'''''
| trinomial = ''Panthera tigris tigris''
| trinomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1760)

}}
The '''Bengal tiger''', or '''Royal Bengal tiger''' (''Panthera tigris tigris''), is a [[tiger]] [[subspecies]] native to [[India]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]] and [[Bhutan]], and has been classified as [[Endangered species|endangered]] by [[IUCN]] as the population is estimated at fewer than 2,500 individuals with a decreasing trend. None of the ''Tiger Conservation Landscapes'' within the Bengal's tiger range are large enough to support an effective population size of 250.<ref name=iucn>{{IUCN |assessors=Chundawat, R.S., Khan, J.A., Mallon, D.P. |year=2010 |id=136899 |taxon=Panthera tigris tigris |version=2010.4}}</ref>

The Bengal tiger is the most numerous of the tiger subspecies — with populations estimated at 1,706 in India, 200 in Bangladesh, 155 in Nepal and 67–81 in Bhutan.<ref name="jhala2008">{{cite book |coauthors=Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun |title=Status of the Tigers, Co-predators, and Prey in India |editor=Jhala, Y.V., Gopal, R., Qureshi, Q. |publisher=National Tiger Conservation Authority, Govt. of India |location=New Delhi |year=2008 |series=TR 08/001|page= 151 |url=http://projecttiger.nic.in/whtsnew/status_of_tigers_in_india_2008.pdf}}</ref><ref name="Khan">Khan, M. M. H. (2004). ''Ecology and Conservation of the Bengal Tiger in the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest of Bangladesh''. University of Cambridge, Department of Anatomy.</ref><ref name="tet2010">The Economic Times (2010). [http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6233044.cms?prtpage=1 ''Nepal has 155 adult tigers, 5% of world population'']. Times Internet Limited</ref><ref>Sangay, T. and Wangchuk, T. (2005). ''Tiger Action Plan for Bhutan 2006-2015''. Nature Conservation Division Department of Forests, Ministry of Agriculture, Royal Government of Bhutan & WWF Bhutan Programme, Thimphu</ref>

The Bengal tiger is the [[national animal]] of Bangladesh. ''[[Panthera tigris]]'' is the national animal of India.<ref>Government of India [http://india.gov.in/knowindia/national_animal.php National Animal ''Panthera tigris'']</ref>

==Physical characteristics==
[[File:Royal White Bengal Tiger headshot at Cougar Mountain Zoological Park 2.jpg|thumb|A White Bengal Tiger at the Cougar Mountain Zoological Park.]]
[[File:Panthera tigris7.jpg|thumb|Panthera tigris tigris]]
Its coat is a yellow to light orange, and the stripes range from dark brown to black; the belly is white, and the tail is white with black rings. A mutation of the Bengal subspecies, the white tiger, has dark brown or reddish brown stripes on a white background, and some are entirely white. Black tigers have tawny, yellow or white stripes on a black background color. The skin of a black tiger, recovered from smugglers, measured {{convert|259|cm|in|abbr=on}} and was displayed at the National Museum of Natural History, in New Delhi. The existence of black tigers without stripes has been reported but not substantiated.<ref name="animal.discovery.com">[http://animal.discovery.com/tv/tiger-spy-jungle/tigers-world/bengal-tiger.html Bengal Tiger : Tigers of the World : Animal Planet<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

The total body length, including the tail, of males is {{convert|270|to|310|cm|in|abbr=on}}, while females are {{convert|240|to|265|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name="mazak1981">{{aut|[[Vratislav Mazák|Mazák, V]].}} (1981). ''Panthera tigris''. Mammalian Species No. 152: 1–8. American Society of Mammalogists. [http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/VHAYSSEN/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-152-01-0001.pdf pdf]</ref> The tail measures {{convert|85|to|110|cm|in|abbr=on}}, and the height at the shoulder is {{convert|90|to|110|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref>Karanth, K. U. (2003) [http://www.savethetigerfund.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=8073 ''Tiger ecology and conservation in the Indian subcontinent'']. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, Vol. 100, No. 2&3. August–December 2003: 169–189</ref> The average weight of males is {{convert|221.2|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, while that of females is {{convert|139.7|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name="slaght+al">Slaght, J. C., D. G. Miquelle, I. G. Nikolaev, J. M. Goodrich, E. N. Smirnov, K. Traylor-Holzer, S. Christie, T. Arjanova, J. L. D. Smith, and K. U. Karanth. (2005) [http://fishowls.com/Slaght%20et%20al%202005.pdf Chapter 6. ''Who‘s king of the beasts? Historical and recent body weights of wild and captive Amur tigers, with comparisons to other subspecies'']. In D.G. Miquelle, E.N. Smirnov, and J.M. Goodrich (Eds.) ''Tigers in Sikhote-Alin Zapovednik: Ecology and Conservation''. PSP, Vladivostok, Russia (in Russian), pages 25–35</ref>

Male Bengal tigers from the northern Indian subcontinent are as large as [[Siberian tiger]]s with a greatest length of skulls of {{convert|332|to|376|mm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref>Kitchener, A. (1999) [http://www.savethetigerfund.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Riding_The_Tiger1&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=3060 ''Tiger distribution, phenotypic variation and conservation issues'']. In: Seidensticker, J., Christie, S., Jackson, P. (eds.) Riding the Tiger. Tiger Conservation in human-dominated landscapes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. hardback isbn 0 521 64057 1, paperback isbn 0 521 64835 1.</ref> In northern India and Nepal, males have an average weight of {{convert|235|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, and females {{convert|140|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref>Sunquist, M. & Sunquist F. 2002. Wild cats of the world. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. 462 pp. ISBN 0-226-77999-8</ref>
Recent studies of body weights of the different tiger subspecies have shown that Bengal tigers are on average larger than Siberian tigers.<ref name="slaght+al" />

The Bengal tiger's roar can be heard for up to {{convert|3|km|mi|abbr=on}} away.<ref>National Geographic Animal Facts: ''Bengal Tiger'' [http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/bengal-tiger.html online]</ref>

===Tiger records===
A heavy male Bengal tiger weighing {{convert|258.6|kg|lb|abbr=on}} was shot in Northern India in 1938.<ref>Hewett, J. 1938. Jungle trails in northern India: reminiscences of hunting in India. London, Methuen and Co. 276 pp. (see page 162)</ref> In 1980 and 1984, scientists captured and tagged two male tigers (M105 and M026) in Nepal that weighed more than {{convert|270|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref>Dinerstein, E. 2003. Return of the Unicorns. Columbia University Press. 384 pp. ISBN 0-231-08450-1</ref> The largest known Bengal tiger was a male with a head and body length of {{convert|221|cm|in|abbr=on}} measured between pegs, {{convert|150|cm|in|abbr=on}} of chest girth, a shoulder height of {{convert|109|cm|in|abbr=on}} and a tail of just {{convert|81|cm|in|abbr=on}}, perhaps bitten off by a rival male. This specimen could not be weighed, but it was calculated to weigh no less than {{convert|272|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref>Brander, A. 1923. Wild Animals in Central India. London : Edwin Arnold & Co. 296 pp.</ref> Finally, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the heaviest tiger known was a huge male hunted in 1967, that measured {{convert|322|cm|in|abbr=on}} in total length between pegs ({{convert|338|cm|in|abbr=on}} over curves), and weighed {{convert|388.7|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. This specimen was hunted in northern India by David Hasinger and is on exhibition in the Mammals Hall of the [[Smithsonian Institution]].<ref>Wood, G. 1983. The Guinness book of animal facts and feats. Sterling Pub. Co. Inc. 3ra. edición. 256 pp. ISBN 978-0-85112-235-9</ref>

In the beginning of the 20th century, there were reports of big males measuring about {{convert|12|ft|m|abbr=on}} in total length; however, there was not scientific corroboration in the field, and it is probable that this measurement was taken over the curves of the body.<ref>Sterndale, R. 1884. Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon. Thacker, Spink and Co., Calcutta, 540 pp. (See No. 201. Felis tigris).[http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/5/5/19550/]</ref>

===Genetic ancestry===
Bengal tigers are defined by three distinct mitochondrial nucleotide sites and 12 unique microsatellite alleles. The pattern of genetic variation in the Bengal tiger corresponds to the premise that these tigers arrived in India approximately 12,000 years ago. This recent history of tigers in the Indian subcontinent is consistent with the lack of tiger fossils from India prior to the late [[Pleistocene]] and the absence of tigers from [[Sri Lanka]], which was separated from the subcontinent by rising sea levels in the early [[Holocene]].<ref>Kitchener, A.C. & Dugmore, A. J. 2000. ''Biogeographical change in the tiger, Panthera tigris''. Animal Conservation 3: 113–124.</ref><ref>Luo, S. J.; Kim, J.-H.; Johnson, W. E.; Walt, J. vd.; Martenson, J.; et al. 2004. ''Phylogeography and Genetic Ancestry of Tigers (Panthera tigris)''. PLoS Biol 2(12): e442 doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0020442. [http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0020442&ct=1 abstract]</ref> However, a recent study of two independent fossil finds from Sri Lanka, one dated to approximately 16,500 years ago, tentatively classifies them as being a tiger.<ref>Manamendra-Arachchi, K.; Pethiyagoda, R.; Dissanayake, R.; Meegaskumbura, M. 2005. ''A Second Extinct Big Cat From The Late Quaternary of Sri Lanka.'' The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 2005 Supplement No. 12: 423–434. [http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/s12/s12rbz423-434.pdf pdf]</ref>

==Behaviour and ecology==
[[File:Bengal tigers, Karnataka, India.jpg|thumb|A male and female tiger in India interact with each other.]]

Tigers do not live in prides as [[lion]]s do. They do not live as family units because the male plays no part in raising his offspring. Tigers mark their territory by spraying [[urine]] on a branch or leaves or bark of a tree, which leaves a particular scent behind. Tigers also spray urine to attract the opposite sex. When an outside individual comes into contact with the scent, it learns that the territory is occupied by another tiger. Hence, every tiger lives independently in its own territory.

Male Bengal tigers fiercely defend their territory from other tigers, often engaging in serious fighting. Female tigers are less territorial: occasionally a female will share her territory with other females. If a male happens to enter a female's territory, he will probably [[mating|mate]] with her, if she is not already pregnant or has a litter. If she is pregnant or has a litter, he has no choice but to find himself a new territory and another potential mate. Similarly, females entering a male's territory are known to mate with him. Both males and females become independent of their mother around 18 months old, whereupon the cubs have to establish their own territories and fend for themselves. A male's territory is larger than a female's territory.

===Reproduction and lifecycle===
[[File:A tiger in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve.jpg|thumb|A male tiger with his cub at the [[Bandhavgarh National Park]], in India.]]
Males reach maturity at 4–5 years of age, and females at 3–4 years. Mating can occur at any time, but is most prevalent between November and April. A tigress comes into heat at intervals of about 3–9 weeks, and is receptive for 3–6 days. After a gestation period of 104–106 days, 1–4 cubs are born in a shelter situated in tall grass, thick bush or in caves. Newborn cubs weigh 780–1600&nbsp;g (2&nbsp;lb) and they have a thick wooly fur that is shed after 3.5–5 months. Their eyes and ears are closed. Their milk teeth start to erupt at about 2–3 weeks after birth, and are slowly replaced by permanent dentition from 8.5–9.5 weeks of age onwards. They suckle for 3–6 months, and begin to eat small amounts of solid food at about 2 months of age. At this time, they follow their mother on her hunting expeditions and begin to take part in hunting at 5–6 months of age. At the age of 2–3 years, they slowly start to separate from the family group and become transient&nbsp;— looking out for an area, where they can establish their own territory. Young males move further away from their mother's territory than young females. Once the family group has split, the mother comes into heat again.<ref name="mazak1981" />

===Hunting and diet===
Tigers are obligate [[carnivores]]. They prefer hunting large [[ungulate]]s such as [[chital]], [[Sambar (deer)|sambar]], [[gaur]], and to a lesser extent also [[barasingha]], [[water buffalo]], [[nilgai]], [[serow]] and [[takin]]. Among the medium-sized prey species they frequently kill [[wild boar]], and occasionally [[hog deer]], [[muntjac]] and [[Gray langur]]. Small prey species such as [[porcupine]]s, [[hare]]s and [[peafowl]] form a very small part in their diet. Due to the encroachment of humans onto their habitat, they also prey on domestic livestock.<ref>Bagchi, S., Goyal, S.P., Sankar, K. (2003) ''Prey abundance and prey selection by tigers (Panthera tigris) in a semi-arid, dry deciduous forest in western India''. Journal of Zoology 260: 285-290 doi: 10.1017/S0952836903003765 [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=164131 abstract]</ref><ref>Andheria, A. P., Karanth, K. U., Kumar, N. S. (2007) ''Diet and prey profiles of three sympatric large carnivores in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, India''. Journal of Zoology 273: 169–175 doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2007.00310.x [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2007.00310.x/abstract abstract]</ref><ref>Biswas, S., Sankar, K. (2002) ''Prey abundance and food habit of tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) in Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India''. Journal of Zoology, 256: 411–420. doi: 10.1017/S0952836902000456 [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1017/S0952836902000456/abstract abstract]</ref><ref>Wegge, P., Odden, M., Pokharel, C. Pd., Storaasc, T. (2009) ''Predator–prey relationships and responses of ungulates and their predators to the establishment of protected areas: A case study of tigers, leopards and their prey in Bardia National Park, Nepal.'' Biological Conservation 142 (2009): 189-202 [http://wild-cat.org/pardus/infos/Wegge+al-2009%20Predator-prey-relationship-BardiaNP.pdf pdf]</ref><ref>Prachi, M., Kulkarni, J. (2006) ''Monitoring of Tiger and Prey Population Dynamics in Melghat Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra, India''. Final Technical Report. Envirosearch, Pune</ref>

Bengal tigers have also been known to take other predators, such as [[Indian Leopard|leopards]], [[Indian Wolf|wolves]], [[Indian Jackal|jackal]]s, [[fox]]es, [[crocodile]]s, [[Asiatic black bears]], [[sloth bear]]s, and [[dhole]]s as prey, although these predators are not typically a part of the tiger's diet. Adult [[Asian elephants|elephants]] and [[One-horned rhinoceros|rhinoceroses]] are too large to be successfully tackled by tigers, but such extraordinarily rare events have been recorded. The Indian hunter and naturalist [[Jim Corbett (hunter)|Jim Corbett]] described an incident in which two tigers fought and killed a large bull elephant. If injured, old or weak, or their normal prey is becoming scarce, they may even attack humans and become [[man-eater]]s.<ref name="mazak1996">Mazak, V. (1996) ''Der Tiger : Panthera tigris''. Westarp Wissenschaften, Magdeburg, Heidelberg, Berlin, Oxford ISBN 3894327596</ref>

In most cases, tigers approach their victim from the side or behind from as close a distance as possible and grasp the prey's throat to kill it. Then they drag the carcass into cover, occasionally over several hundred meters, to consume it. The nature of the tiger's hunting method and prey availability results in a "feast or famine" feeding style: they often consume {{convert|18|-|40|kg|lb}} of meat at one time.<ref name="mazak1981" />

==Population and distribution==
[[File:India Tiger cubs.jpg|thumb|A Bengal tigress with her cubs at the [[Bandhavgarh National Park]], India]]
In 2010, the population of wild Bengal tigers in the [[Indian subcontinent]] is estimated to be fewer than 2,500. Of these, 1,165–1,657 are found in India, 200–419 in Bangladesh, mostly in the [[Sunderbans]], 100–194 in Nepal and 67–81 in Bhutan. Over the past century tiger numbers have fallen dramatically, with a decreasing population trend. None of the Tiger Conservation Landscapes within the Bengal tiger range is large enough to support an effective population size of 250. Habitat losses and the extremely large-scale incidences of [[poaching]] are serious threats to the species' survival.<ref name=iucn/> The extent of area occupied by tigers is estimated at less than {{convert|1184911|km2|sqmi}}, a 41% decline from the area estimated in the mid-1990s.<ref>Sanderson, E., Forrest, J., Loucks, C., Ginsberg, J., Dinerstein, E., Seidensticker, J., Leimgruber, P., Songer, M., Heydlauff, A., O'Brien, T., Bryja, G., Klenzendorf, S and Wikramanayake, E. 2006. ''Setting Priorities for the Conservation and Recovery of Wild Tigers: 2005-2015''. The Technical Assessment. WCS, WWF, Smithsonian, and NFWF-STF, New York and Washington, DC, USA.</ref>

===India===
[[File:Uttama coin.png|thumb|An early silver coin of [[Uththama Chola|Uttama Chola]] found in Sri Lanka showing the Tiger emblem of the Cholas. In Grantha Tamil.<ref name="crest">[[K.A. Nilakanta Sastri]], K.A (2002) [1955]. ''A History of South India''. New Delhi: OUP, p 18</ref><ref>{{cite book |first= P.N|last= Chopra|authorlink= | coauthors= Ravindran, T.K; Subrahmanian, N|title= History of South India ; Ancient, Medieval and Modern| origyear=2003| year=2003|page=31| publisher= S. Chand & Company Ltd|location=New Delhi| isbn= 81-219-0153-7}}</ref>]]
[[File:Shiva Pashupati.jpg|thumb|The ''Shiva Pashupati,'' seal with tiger (broken) to right of the seated Shiva figure termed ''Pashupati'']]
The Bengal tiger has been a national symbol of India since about the [[25th century BCE]] when it was displayed on the [[Pashupati#Pashupati seal|Pashupati seal]] of the Indus Valley Civilisation. On the seal, the tiger, being the largest, represents the Yogi Shiva's people.<ref name="Annabell">{{cite web|url=http://www.lairweb.org.nz/tiger/bengal.html|title=Distribution and numbers for the Bengal tiger:|last=Annabell|first=Maxine|year=2001|publisher=Tiger Territory|accessdate=31 January 2010}}</ref> The tiger was later the symbol of the [[Chola Empire]] from [[300]] [[Common Era|CE]] to 1279 CE and is now designated as the official animal of India.<ref name="nic">{{cite web|url=http://india.gov.in/knowindia/national_animal.php|title=National Animal|year=2009|work=Know India/National Symbols|publisher=Government of India, National Informatics Centre|accessdate=31 January 2010|location=New Delhi}}</ref>

The [[Project Tiger]] initiative launched in 1972 initially reversed the population decline, the decline has resumed in recent years; India's tiger population decreased from 3,642 in the 1990s to just over 1,400 from 2002 to 2008.<ref>Ramesh, R. (2008) ''Indian wild tiger numbers almost halve.'' Guardian News and Media Limited, 13 February 2008. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/feb/13/endangeredspecies.india?gusrc=rss&feed=environment online]</ref> Since then, the Indian government has undertaken several steps to reduce the destruction of the Bengal tiger's natural habitat in India.

In the past, Indian censuses of wild tigers relied on the individual identification of footprints known as pug marks — a method that has been criticized as inaccurate.<ref>Karanth, K.U., Nichols, J.D., Seidensticker, J.,  Dinerstein, E., Smith, J.L.D., McDougal, C., Johnsingh, A.J.T., Chundawat, R.S., Thapar, V. (2003) [http://www.savethetigerfund.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home1&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentFileID=555 ''Science deficiency in conservation practice: the monitoring of tiger populations in India'']. Animal Conservation (2003) 6: 141–146</ref> Using modern [[camera trap]] counting methods, the landmark 2008 national tiger census report estimates only 1,411 adult tigers in India, plus uncensused tigers in the [[Sundarbans]] delta mangrove forests.<ref name="jhala2008" />

In May 2008, forest officials at the [[Ranthambore National Park]] in Rajasthan, India spotted 14 tiger cubs.<ref>BBC News (2008) ''Joy over India tiger cubs births'' BBC News, 6 May 2008 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7386191.stm article online]</ref> In June 2008, a tiger from Ranthambore was relocated to the [[Sariska Tiger Reserve]], where all tigers had fallen victim to poachers and human encroachments since 2005.<ref>Rahman, M. (2008) ''Tiger reintroduced at Indian reserve after poachers kill off population.'' Guardian News and Media Limited. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/01/wildlife.endangeredspecies?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront?TB_iframe=true&height=650&width=850 article online]</ref>

As of June 2009, tigers are found in 37 [[Tiger Reserves of India|tiger reserves]] spread across 17 Indian states.<ref>Irish Examiner (2009) ''India steps up tiger conservation plans.'' Examiner Publications (Cork) Limited, July 03, 2009. [http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/world/india-steps-up-tiger-conservation-plans-417322.html article online]</ref>

Rivaling the [[Chitwan National Park|Chitwan-Parsa-Valmiki Tiger Conservation Unit]] in Nepal for the title of the world's best tiger habitat is the [[Western Ghats]] forest complex in western [[South India]], an area of {{convert|14400|mi2|km2|sp=us}} stretching across several protected areas. The challenge here, as throughout most of Asia, is that people literally live on top of the wildlife. The Save the Tiger Fund Council estimates that 7,500 landless people live illegally inside the boundaries of the {{convert|386|sqmi|km2|adj=on}} [[Nagarhole National Park]] in southwestern [[India]]. A voluntary if controversial resettlement is underway with the aid of the Karnataka Tiger Conservation Project led by [[K. Ullas Karanth]] of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

A 2007 report by UNESCO, "Case Studies on Climate Change and World Heritage" has stated that an anthropogenic 45-cm rise in sea level, likely by the end of the 21st century, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, combined with other forms of anthropogenic stress on the [[Sundarbans]], could lead to the destruction of 75% of the Sundarbans mangroves.

The [[Forest Rights Act]] passed by the Indian government in 2006 grants some of India's most impoverished communities the right to own and live in the forests, which likely brings them into conflict with wildlife and under-resourced, under-trained, ill-equipped forest department staff. In the past, evidence showed that humans and tigers cannot co-exist.<ref>Buncombe, A. (2007) ''The face of a doomed species'' The Independent, 31 October 2007 [http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/the-face-of-a-doomed-species-398373.html online]</ref>

===Bangladesh===
In 2004, 200 tigers were estimated to live in Bangladesh, most of them in the [[Sundarbans]], and a few in the eastern hilly part of the country.<ref name="Khan"/>

===Nepal===
The tiger population in the [[Terai]] of [[Nepal]] is split into three isolated and vulnerable subpopulations — inhabiting [[Chitwan National Park]] and the adjacent [[Parsa Wildlife Reserve]], [[Bardia National Park]] and [[Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve]]. The number of adult tigers has reached 155 after a serious decline.<ref name="tet2010" /> A survey conducted from December 2009 to March 2010 indicates that 125 adult tigers live in [[Chitwan National Park]] and its border areas covering {{convert|1261|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref>WWF Nepal (2010)  [http://wwfnepal.org/media_information/news/?194386/More-tigers-found-in-Nepal-as-Nepal-India-trans-boundary-efforts-for-tiger-conservation-intensify ''More tigers found in Nepal as Nepal-India trans-boundary efforts for tiger conservation intensify'']</ref>

Once a royal hunting reserve, Chitwan became a national park in 1973. New economic incentives give villagers a direct stake in this renowned tourist attraction, with more than a third of revenues from park entrance fees being returned to the 300,000 people living in 36 villages in the surrounding buffer zone. As a result, locals are now creating and managing [[tiger]] habitat and consider themselves guardians of their [[tigers]].

===Bhutan===
In [[Bhutan]], scientists have evidence of a richer tiger population than previously estimated. Camera traps snapped photos of a wild tiger high in the Himalayas, at the surprising elevation of {{convert|13000|ft|m|sp=us}}. This offers new possibilities for suitable tiger habitat.<ref name="animal.discovery.com"/>

==Threats==
[[File:Tig2.jpg|thumb|A Bengal tiger in the [[Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary]]]]
The most significant immediate threat to the existence of wild tiger populations is the [[Wildlife trade#Illegal wildlife trade|illegal trade]] in poached skins and body parts between India, Nepal and [[China]]. The governments  of these countries have failed to implement adequate enforcement response, and wildlife crime remained a low priority in terms of political commitment and investment for years. There are well-organised gangs of professional poachers, who move from place to place and set up camp in vulnerable areas. Skins are rough-cured in the field and handed over to dealers, who send them for further treatment to Indian [[tanning]] centres. Buyers choose the skins from dealers or tanneries and smuggle them through a complex interlinking network to markets outside India, mainly in China.<ref name="eia2006">Banks, D., Lawson, S., Wright, B. (eds.) (2006) [http://www.wpsi-india.org/images/EIA-WPSI_Skinning_The_Cat.pdf ''Skinning the Cat: Crime and Politics of the Big Cat Skin Trade'']. Environmental Investigation Agency, Wildlife Protection Society of India</ref>

The illicit demand for bones and body parts from wild tigers for use in [[Traditional Chinese medicine#Animal products|Traditional Chinese medicine]] is another reason for the unrelenting poaching pressure on tigers on the Indian subcontinent. For at least a thousand years, tiger bones have been an ingredient in traditional [[medicines]] that are prescribed as a muscle strengthener and treatment for [[rheumatism]] and body pain.<ref>Hemley, G., Mills, J.A. (1999) [http://www.savethetigerfund.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Papers1&CONTENTID=3030&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm ''The beginning of the end of tigers in trade?''] In: Seidensticker, J., Christie, S., Jackson, P. (eds.) Riding the Tiger. Tiger Conservation in human-dominated landscapes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. hardback isbn 0 521 64057 1, paperback isbn 0 521 64835 1</ref>

Other factors contributing to their loss are [[urbanization]] and revenge killing. Farmers blame tigers for killing cattle and shoot them. Their skins and body parts may however become a part of the illegal trade.<ref name="eia2006" />

The [[Wildlife Protection Society of India]] (WPSI) works with [[law enforcement in India|law enforcement agencies in India]] to apprehend tiger [[poaching|poachers]] and [[wildlife trade]]rs throughout India. WPSI investigates and verifies any seizure of tiger parts and unnatural tiger deaths that are brought to their notice. Between 1994 and 2009, WPSI has documented 893 cases of tigers killed in India, which is just a fraction of the actual poaching and trade in tiger parts during those years.<ref>Wildlife Protection Society of India (2009) ''WPSI's Tiger Poaching Statistics'' [http://www.wpsi-india.org/statistics/index.php online]</ref> In 2007, police in [[Allahabad]] raided a meeting of suspected poachers, traders and couriers. One of the arrested persons was the biggest buyer of tiger parts in India who used to sell them off to the Chinese traditional medicinal market, using women from a nomadic tribe as couriers.<ref>Banerjee, B. (2007) ''Tiger Poaching Ring Busted by Indian Police'' National Geographic Society News, December 6, 2007. [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/12/071206-AP-india-tiger.html online]</ref>

In 2006, India's [[Sariska Tiger Reserve]] lost all of its 26 tigers, mostly to [[poaching]].<ref>Bhaskarang, G. (2009) ''Poachers driving Indian tigers into oblivion.'' [http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20090619gb.html online]</ref> In 2009, none of the 24 tigers residing in the [[Panna Tiger Reserve]] were left due to excessive poaching.<ref>Ali, F. M. (2009) ''Indian tiger park has no tigers.''  BBC News 14 July 2009 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8150382.stm online]</ref>

==Conservation efforts==
[[File:Bengal Tiger Karnataka.jpg|thumb|A Bengal Tiger in a natural reserve in [[Karnataka]], India. Following the revelation that only 1,411 Bengal tigers exist in the wild in India, down from 3,600 in 2003, the Indian government has decided to set up eight new [[tiger reserve]]s.<ref>Sharma, A. (2008) ''India Reports Sharp Decline in Wild Tigers'' National Geographic News February 13, 2008 [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/02/080213-AP-india-disap.html article online]</ref>]]
An area of special interest lies in the Terai Arc Landscape in the [[Himalaya]]n foothills in northern India and southern Nepal, where 11 protected areas comprising dry forest foothills and tall-grass savannas harbor tigers in a {{convert|49000|km2|mi2}} landscape. The goals are to manage tigers as a single metapopulation, the dispersal of which between core refuges can help maintain genetic, demographic, and ecological integrity, and to ensure that species and habitat conservation becomes mainstreamed into the rural development agenda. Nepal has developed a community-based tourism model, with a strong
emphasis on sharing benefits with locals and on the regeneration of degraded forests.
The approach has been successful in reducing poaching, restoring habitats, and creating a local
constituency for conservation.<ref name="future">Damania, R., Seidensticker, J., Whitten, T., Sethi, G., Mackinnon, K., Kiss, A., Kushlin, A. (2008) ''A Future for Wild Tigers''. Washington, D.C.: World Bank. [http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstream/10088/7930/1/986D8887-2F38-44FE-96A2-A59C8FAE96BE.pdf pdf]</ref>

===In India===
{{Main|Project Tiger}}
[[File:Ranthambore Tiger.jpg|thumb|A Bengal tiger roams around in [[Ranthambore National Park]], [[Rajasthan]], India. Because of dwindling tiger numbers, the Indian government has pledged [[US$]]153 million to further fund the [[Project Tiger]] initiative, set-up a Tiger Protection Force to combat poachers, and fund the relocation of up to 200,000 villagers to minimize human-tiger interaction.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4272945.ece | work=The Times | location=London | title=Tigers flown by helicopter to Sariska reserve to lift numbers in western India  | date=July 5, 2008 | accessdate=April 26, 2010 | first=Jeremy | last=Page}}</ref>]]
The Indian [[Wildlife Protection Act of 1972]] enables government agencies to take strict measures so as to ensure the conservation of the Bengal tigers. The Wildlife Institute of India estimates showed that tiger numbers had fallen in Madhya Pradesh by 61%, Maharashtra by 57%, and Rajasthan by 40%. The government's first tiger census, conducted under the Project Tiger initiative begun in 1973, counted 1,827 tigers in the country that year. Using that methodology, the government observed a steady population increase, reaching 3,700 tigers in 2002. However, the use of more reliable and independent censusing technology (including [[camera trap]]s) for the 2007–2008 all-India census has shown that the numbers were in fact less than half than originally claimed by the Forest Department.<ref>{{cite news |title=Just 1,411 tigers in India |publisher=The Times of India
|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health--Science/Earth/Flora--Fauna/File-Just-1411-tigers-in-India/articleshow/2777803.cms |date=February 13, 2008| accessdate=2009-03-03 |first1=Nitin |last1=Sethi}}</ref>

Tiger scientists in India, such as Raghu Chundawat and Ullas Karanth, have faced criticism from the forest department. Both these scientists have been for years calling for use of technology in the conservation efforts. Chundawat, in the past, had been involved with radio telemetry (collaring the tigers). While studying tigers in Panna tiger reserve, he repeatedly warned the FD authorities about the problem of tiger poaching in the reserve; they remained in denial, producing bogus numbers of tigers in their reports, and banned Chundawat from the reserve. Eventually, however, it was proven he was right, as in 2008. the authorities admitted that all tigers in Panna have been poached.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/panna-lost-tigers-elevated-officials-21192.php# |title=The great Panna cover-up | publisher=NDTV |date=April 29, 2010| accessdate=2009-04-29}}</ref> Karanth has been instrumental in using camera traps, radiotelemetry and prey counts. During the 1990s and early 2000s he also noticed that tiger numbers were significantly lower than the official figures; his insistence on using modern science in tiger conservation and uncompromising efforts to save tigers and their habitat have earned him many enemies.

The project to map all the forest reserves in India has not been completed yet, though the Ministry of Environment and Forests had sanctioned Rs. 13 million for the same in March 2004.

[[George Schaller]] wrote:<ref>Shashwat DC (2007) ''The Last Roar?'' Dataquest Magazine, India June 27, 2007 [http://shashwatdc.blogspot.com/2007/07/last-roar.html online]</ref>
<blockquote>
"India has to decide whether it wants to keep the tiger or not. It has to decide if it is worthwhile to keep its National Symbol, its icon, representing wildlife. It has to decide if it wants to keep its natural heritage for future generations, a heritage more important than the cultural one, whether we speak of its temples, the Taj Mahal, or others, because once destroyed it cannot be replaced."
</blockquote>
In January 2008, the Government of India launched a dedicated anti-poaching force composed of experts from Indian police, forest officials and various other environmental agencies.<ref>{{cite news| title = India launches anti-poaching force to curb tiger, wildlife trade | publisher = The Earth Times | date = 23 Jan 2008 | url=http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/177235,india-launches-anti-poaching-force-to-curb-tiger-wildlife-trade.html}}</ref> Indian officials successfully started a project to reintroduce the tigers into the Sariska reserve.<ref>{{cite news| title = It's the tale of a tiger, two tigresses in wilds of Sariska | publisher = The Economic Times | date = 2 March 2009 | url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Its-the-tale-of-a-tiger-two-tigresses-in-wilds-of-Sariska/rssarticleshow/4212845.cms}}</ref> The [[Ranthambore National Park]] is often cited as a major success by Indian officials against poaching.<ref>{{cite news| title = Tigers galore in Ranthambhore National Park | publisher = The Hindu | date = 11 March 2009 | url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/11/stories/2009031152382000.htm}}</ref>

For the first time in several years, the tiger population in India increased in 2011. <ref>http://www.theworldreporter.com/2011/04/16-rise-in-worlds-tiger-population-in.html</ref>

===In Bangladesh===
The [[Sundarbans tiger project]] is a Bangladesh Forest Department initiative that started its field activities in February 2005. The idea for creating such a project was first developed during a field survey in 2001, conducted by Md. Osman Gani, Ishtiaq U. Ahmad, James L. D. Smith and K. Ullas Karanth. They realized that the Sundarbans mangrove forest at the mouth of the [[Ganges River]] contained probably one of the largest populations of wild tigers left in the world. As such, there was an urgent need to start measures that would ensure the protection of this precious area. The Save the Tiger Fund and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service generously donated funds to support the initial phase of research that aimed to collect data on tiger ecology using telemetry, and study the tiger’s environment by assessing its habitat and prey.
But management of a wilderness area needs more than just information on the species to be protected. Personnel with skills and resources to implement conservation strategies, and the general support of the country are also required. So from the research base, the project is evolving rapidly to also encompass capacity building and conservation awareness activities. It has been able to do so through the forward thinking approach to management taken by the Forest Department, and the incredible support of the Bangladeshi people.
The project is administered by the Forest Department. At the field level, there is a team of 8 persons, made up of Forest Department personnel and one wildlife consultant from the University of Minnesota who advises on research strategies and trains staff.<ref>Chakma, S. (2009) ''News from the field 61 - UPDATED! (October 2009)'' Sundarbans Tiger Project [http://sundarbantigerproject.info/news.php?readmore=59 online]</ref><ref>Barlow, A. C. D., Gani, O., Ahmed, I. U., Rahman, M., Hossain, A., Hossain, A. N. M., Islam, T., Saha, U. K., Smith, J. L. D.  (2007) ''Sundarbans Tiger Project Activities and Results 2005-2006'' Sundarbans Tiger Project, Bangladesh. [http://www.environmentportal.in/files/Sundarbans%20Tiger%20Project%20Activities.pdf pdf]</ref><ref>Barlow, A. (2009) ''The Sundarbans Tiger. Adaptation, Population Status, and Conflict Management.'' University of
Minnesota [http://environmentportal.in/files/barlow_2009_phd.pdf pdf]</ref>

===In Nepal===
The government aims at doubling the country's tiger population by 2022, and in May 2010, decided to establish [[Banke National Park]] with a protected area of {{convert|550|km2|sqmi}}, which bears good potential for tiger habitat.<ref>Bhushal, R.P. (2010) ''Nod to Banke National Park.'' The Himalayan Times, 13 May 2010 [http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/rssReference.php?headline=Nod+to+Banke+National+Park&NewsID=244047 online]</ref>

===In captivity===
Indian zoos have bred tigers since 1880, the first time being at the [[Alipore Zoo]] in [[Kolkata]]. The 1997 International Tiger Studbook lists the global [[captivity (animal)|captive]] [[population]] of Bengal tigers at 210 individuals that are all kept in Indian zoos, except for one female in North America. Completion of the Indian Bengal Tiger Studbook is a necessary prerequisite to establishing a captive management program for tigers in India.<ref>Save The Tiger Fund: ''Bengal Tiger'' [http://www.savethetigerfund.org/Content/NavigationMenu2/Learn/Tigers/Subspecies/BengalTiger/default.htm online]</ref>

==Relationship with humans==
===Genetic pollution===
Tara, a hand-reared supposedly Bengal tigress acquired from [[Twycross Zoo]] in [[England]] in July 1976, was trained by [[Billy Arjan Singh]] and [[Reintroduction|reintroduced]] to the wild in [[Dudhwa National Park]], [[India]], with the permission of India's then-Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]], in an attempt to prove that zoo-bred, hand-reared tigers can be released in the wild with success. In the 1990s, some tigers from Dudhwa were observed which had the typical appearance of Siberian tigers: white complexion, pale fur, large head and wide stripes. With recent advances in science, it was subsequently found that [[Siberian tiger]]s' [[gene]]s have polluted the otherwise pure Bengal tiger gene pool of Dudhwa National Park. It was proved later that Twycross Zoo had been irresponsible and maintained no breeding records and had given India a [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] Siberian-Bengal tigress instead. Dudhwa tigers constitute about 1% of India's total wild population, but the possibility exists of this [[genetic pollution]] spreading to other tiger groups; at its worst, this could jeopardize the Bengal tiger as a distinct [[subspecies]].<ref>[http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19981119/32350524.html Indian tiger isn't 100 per cent “swadeshi (Made in India)”; by PALLAVA BAGLA; Indian Express Newspaper; November 19, 1998]</ref><ref>[http://www.india-today.com/itoday/17111997/wild.html Tainted Royalty, WILDLIFE: ROYAL BENGAL TIGER, A controversy arises over the purity of the Indian tiger after DNA samples show Siberian tiger genes. By Subhadra Menon. INDIA TODAY, November 17, 1997]</ref><ref>[http://www.lairweb.org.nz/tiger/tara4.html The Tale of Tara, 4: Tara's Heritage from Tiger Territory website]</ref><ref>[http://www.lairweb.org.nz/tiger/bengal.html Genetic pollution in wild Bengal tigers, Tiger Territory website]</ref><ref>[http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/interviews/bilarjsingh.php Interview with Billy Arjan Singh: Dudhwa's Tiger man, October 2000, Sanctuary Asia Magazine, sanctuaryasia.com]</ref><ref>Shankaranarayanan, P., Singh, L. (1998) ''Mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence among big cats and their hybrids.'' Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, India. [http://www.iisc.ernet.in/~currsci/nov10/articles18.htm online]</ref><ref>[http://www.cza.nic.in/research1.html Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA), Government of India]</ref><ref>{{Citation |doi=10.1126/science.278.5339.807b |title=Indians Look At Their Big Cats' Genes |date=October 31, 1997 |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |volume=278 |issue=5339 |page=807 }}</ref>

===Attacks on humans===
{{Original research|section|date=April 2010}}
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2010}}
[[File:Maneater victim.png|thumb|Illustration from Sanderson's ''Thirteen years among the wild beasts of India : their haunts and habits from personal observation'' (1912)]]
Tigers are known to not like the presence of [[human]]s in their territory, since they like to be alone. Any human interference in tiger [[hunting]] or whilst [[nursing]] are met by the tiger unwelcomingly. There have been incidents where mother tigers have been separated from their cubs due to human interference. A well-known incident occurred in [[Bandhavgarh National Park]], where a tigress known as ''Mohini'' was separated from her cubs while crossing the road, since some tourists blocked her road to the other side, resulting in losing her contact with her cubs, who had already crossed the road. Usually, tigers become man eaters when they grow old and have no strength to hunt.{{Or|date=April 2010}} At such times, if a human comes in contact with the tiger, he/she may be killed. But that is not the only reason why tigers become man eaters. If tigers do not have enough [[prey]] to feed upon, due to an imbalance in the food chain, they will often try to hunt humans. If a young tiger has injured [[teeth]] or [[paws]], then it becomes difficult for him to tear apart his prey, which is also another reason for him to eat man.

===Re-wilding project in South Africa===
In 2000, the Bengal tiger re-wilding project ''Tiger Canyons'' was started by [[John Varty]], who together with the zoologist [[Dave Salmoni]] trains captive-bred tiger cubs how to stalk, hunt, associate hunting with food and regain their predatory instincts. It is claimed that once the tigers prove that they can sustain themselves in the wild, they would be released into the wilderness of [[South-Africa]] to fend for themselves; and that two tigers have already been re-wilded, and two more are undergoing re-wilding training.

Two of the tigers were bred in the [[USA]] and hand-raised at [[Bowmanville Zoo]] in [[Canada]], while the other two were bred in [[South Africa]].<ref>Varty, J. (2007) JV and The Big Cats [http://www.jvbigcats.co.za/ online]</ref> The four tigers involved in this [[project]] are not purebred Bengal tigers, should neither be used for breeding nor being released into the [[Karoo]], which for them is unsuitable habitat.<ref>{{cite web |author=Maxine, A. |year=2001 |title=Releasing Tigers. Tiger Moon Sanctuary. |url=http://www.lairweb.org.nz/tiger/release10.html |publisher=Tiger Territory}}</ref> These tigers have been confirmed to be crossbred [[Siberian tiger|Siberian]]–Bengal tigers. Tigers that are not genetically pure are not allowed to be released into the wild and will not be able to participate in the tiger [[Species Survival Plan]], which aims to breed genetically pure tiger specimens.<ref>Arrick, A., Mckinney, K. (2007) ''Purrrfect Breed?'' TylerPaper.com, 13 August 2007 [http://www.tylerpaper.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070813/NEWS01/708130305 online]</ref>

This project was featured by [[The Discovery Channel]] as a [[Documentary film|documentary]]  ''[[Living With Tigers]]''. Voted as one of the best Discovery Channel documentaries in 2003, the project has been proven to be a fraud in 2004. The tigers are unable to hunt, and the film crew chased the prey up against the fence and into the path of the tigers just for the sake of dramatic footage. Cory Meacham, a US-based environmental journalist, mentioned that "the film has about as much to do with tiger conservation as a Disney cartoon." In addition, the tigers have not been released, and indeed still reside in a small enclosure under constant watch and with frequent [[human]] contact. The Discovery documentary contains footage that its maker, John Varty, has admitted on affidavit to be false. Conservationists fear that the public will be misled in this cynical fashion.<ref>Barber, K. (2004) ''Discovery Film Proclaimed A Fraud; Broadcaster to be Sued.'' Wildlife Film News 56 Feb 2004 [http://www.wildeye.co.uk/wildlife-film/Wfn/wfn56.htm online]</ref><ref>Berryman, N., Nelson, G. (2003) ''Paper Tigers: South Africa.'' Nomad Adventure Tours, 30 March 2003 [http://www.nomadtours.co.za/article_2006-6-2_5.html online]</ref>

John Varty, in an attempt to cover up his continual breeding of tigers with no genetic value and the lack of genetic purity, suggested Andrew Kitchener's theory of Tiger Subspecies classification but was later debunk. It was a outdated argument, suggested in 1999 by animal researcher Andrew Kitchener. He proposed a theory to re-classify Tiger Subspecies based on [[Geographic location]] instead of [[DNA]] molecular studies, this theory will eventually be overturned and seen as a wrong step in the world of conservation. He argued that the historical range of some Tiger subspecies overlapped, and using that basis, he assumed that these tigers must be genetically identical. He wanted to re-classify Tigers into 3 subspecies, the Sunda Island tigers which consist of all island tigers, the Mainland Tigers which consists of all Tiger subspecies ranging in China, Southern Asia and India and the Caspian Tiger.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jvbigcats.co.za/tigersubspecies.htm|title=John Varty Tiger Subspecies belief |publisher=John Varty |date=1999-11-17|accessdate=2011-03-07}}</ref> The argument was recorded in detail and published in [[Valmik Thapar]]'s book, Tiger - The Ultimate Guide.

This argument was later overthrown by DNA Molecular studies, done in the year [[2004]]. Kitchener's argument was flawed as it was based solely on geographical location, and not based on any DNA testing. The DNA research is a collaboration of the world's leading tiger experts, involving [[Melvin Sunquist]], Ullas K Karanth, and Dale Miquelle. DNA testing was based off the latest genetic research based on blood, skin, hair, and/or skin biopsies of 134 tigers which known geographic origins. The study concludes that there are six subspecies of modern tigers alive today as we know today, the (1) Amur tiger; (2) northern Indochinese tiger; (3) South China tiger; (4) Malayan tiger; (5) Sumatran tiger; and (6) Bengal tiger P. t. tigris.  Hence, according to the latest genetic studies, there are more than three subspecies of tiger. Therefore in conclusion, according to the latest genetic studies, more than three subspecies of tigers exist. Andrew Kitchner later accepted the research and went on to admitting that his theory was flawed. <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=534810#pbio-0020442-Kitchener1|title=Phylogeography and Genetic Ancestry of Tigers (Panthera tigris) |publisher=National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine |date=2004-12-17|accessdate=2011-07-02}}</ref> 

Even though the argument has been disproved, and Kitchener himself admitted it's flaws. However there are concerns that some zoos and private organisations will use the theory as an excuse to breed tigers with no genetic record and value. Conservationists fear that private organisations will continue breeding tigers which are not purebred and to use the flawed theory to support their cause and hence getting an opportunity to breed tigers with mixed ancestry, disguising as an act of conservation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://jvbigcats.co.za/newsletters44.htm|title=Tiger Canyons and John Varty on Wikipedia |publisher=John Varty |date=2011-07-05|accessdate=2011-07-06}}</ref>

==Usage within sports==
* The logo of [[Bangladesh Cricket Board]] features a Royal Bengal Tiger.
* [[Cincinnati]]'s [[National Football League]] team is named the [[Cincinnati Bengals]].
* The [[Detroit]]'s [[MLB]] team [[Detroit Tigers]] are nicknamed the Bengals.
* Dominican Republic's most successful baseball team [[Licey Tigers]] are nicknamed the Bengals.
* The team from [[Kolkata]] in the [[Indian Cricket League]] is called the [[Royal Bengal Tigers]].
* [[Louisiana State University]]'s Tigers are nicknamed the Bayou Bengals.

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110329/jsp/frontpage/story_13780289.jsp
==External links==
{{commons|Panthera tigris tigris}}
{{wikispecies|Panthera tigris tigris}}
*[http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20081201182128/http://lynx.uio.no/lynx/catsgportal/cat-website/catfolk/tiger-04.htm Cat Specialist Group: ''Bengal Tigers'']
*[http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/136899/0 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: ''Panthera tigris ssp. tigris'']
*[http://www.savethetigerfund.org/Content/NavigationMenu2/Learn/Tigers/Subspecies/BengalTiger/default.htm Save The Tiger Fund: ''Bengal Tiger'']
*[http://sundarbantigerproject.info/ Sundarbans Tiger Project]
*[http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/tigers.htm Information Resources on Tigers, Panthera tigris: Natural History, Ecology, Conservation, Biology, and Captive Care] AWIC Resource Series No. 34, April 2006
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2009/apr/15/bengal-tigers-faces-photography?lightbox=1 Guardian News and Media Limited: ''The four faces of the Bengal tiger'']
*[http://conservationofwildlife.in/149/tiger-a-chance-encounter Tiger - A chance encounter]

{{Template:National symbols of Bangladesh}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bengal Tiger}}
[[Category:Fauna of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Mammals of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Mammals of Nepal]]
[[Category:Fauna of India]]
[[Category:Fauna of South Asia]]
[[Category:Megafauna of Eurasia]]
[[Category:National symbols of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Tigers]]
[[Category:Big cats of India]]

[[az:Benqal pələngi]]
[[bn:বেঙ্গল টাইগার]]
[[bg:Бенгалски тигър]]
[[ca:Tigre de Bengala]]
[[cs:Tygr bengálský]]
[[da:Bengalsk tiger]]
[[de:Königstiger]]
[[dv:ރޯޔަލް ބެންގާލް ޓައިގަރ]]
[[es:Panthera tigris tigris]]
[[fa:ببر بنگال]]
[[fr:Tigre du Bengale]]
[[ko:벵골호랑이]]
[[hi:बंगाल बाघ]]
[[hr:Bengalski tigar]]
[[id:Harimau Benggala]]
[[it:Panthera tigris tigris]]
[[he:טיגריס בנגלי]]
[[lv:Bengālijas tīģeris]]
[[lt:Bengalinis tigras]]
[[mk:Бенгалски тигар]]
[[ml:ബംഗാൾ കടുവ]]
[[ms:Harimau Benggala]]
[[mn:Бенгалын бар]]
[[nl:Bengaalse tijger]]
[[no:Bengaltiger]]
[[pa:ਬੰਗਾਲ ਟਾਈਗਰ]]
[[pnb:بنگال دا شیر]]
[[pl:Tygrys bengalski]]
[[pt:Tigre-de-bengala]]
[[ru:Бенгальский тигр]]
[[sq:Tigri i Bengalit]]
[[simple:Bengal tiger]]
[[sk:Tiger bengálsky]]
[[sr:Бенгалски тигар]]
[[fi:Intiantiikeri]]
[[sv:Bengalisk tiger]]
[[tl:Panthera tigris tigris]]
[[ta:வங்காளப் புலி]]
[[th:เสือโคร่งเบงกอล]]
[[tr:Bengal kaplanı]]
[[uk:Бенгальський тигр]]
[[vi:Hổ Bengal]]
[[zh:孟加拉虎]]