History
Evolutionary History
Between 6 and 10 million years ago, the Pantherinae subfamily evolved from the Felidae family. Fossil records indicate that the Panthera genus then evolved approximately 2 to 3.8 million years ago. This genus includes multiple species, including jaguars, lions, leopards, and tigers. Fossil records found in northern China and Java suggest that the tiger species evolved from the Panthera genus 1.6 to 1.8 million years ago.
Tiger subspecies
Source: Tiger Conservation Campaign
Source: Tiger Conservation Campaign
The geographical fragmentation of the tiger species over time allowed for the evolution of nine different subspecies, although only six exist today.
Historically, tigers inhabited Mesopotamia and portions of South and East Asia. During the nineteenth century, they were also found in parts of Turkey, China, Afghanistan, Iran, and Russia. Their eastern distribution ranged from Korea, eastern China, and select areas within the region of Southeast Asia. The biogeography of the Bengal tiger is presently confined to India as well as parts of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Myanmar.
Life History
Female Bengal tigers have a gestation period of three and a half months and usually give birth during the winter to two to six cubs. Cubs stay with their mothers for about two to three months before venturing out on their own and, as carnivores, cannot hunt until they are 18 months of age. Once they have gained their independence, they leave their families to claim their own territories at two and a half years old. Unfortunately, the rate of mortality of cubs is high and few live past two years.
Bengal tiger cubs
Source: World Wildlife Fund
Source: World Wildlife Fund
Tigers are isolated creatures who aggressively mark and protect their territory. An average adult Bengal tiger is 240 to 500 pounds and is five to six feet in length. Bengal tigers can eat up to 60 pounds of food in one day and are strong nocturnal hunters. In captivity, tigers can live up to 26 years, but in the wild, their lifespan is cut short to eight to ten years due to habitat destruction and hunting.