Swamp Tiger
From the swamps of the Sundarbans to the foothills of the Himalayas, there is one creature that commands fear and respect among all living things: the Bengal tiger - the mightiest land predator on Earth.
Where in the world
Home of the swamp tigers
The Sundarbans region is an area of mangrove swamp bordering on the Bay of Bengal, within the enormous deltas of four mighty Himalayan rivers. The nearest city is Calcutta. The area is thought to contain the largest remaining population of wild Bengal tigers - up to 500 animals live a semi-aquatic life among the swamps and small islands.
Out of Asia
If the lion is the King of beasts, the tiger is the Emperor, with a domain stretching from India to eastern China and south to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Sadly, this vast range is now fragmented into just a few small pockets. Their isolation is partly due to natural features such as mountains, deserts and seas. But more and more it is mankind, through deforestation and settlement, that is shrinking the tiger's once-mighty empire.
Magnificent seven
As well as the Bengal tiger, there were, until 30 years ago, seven other subspecies of tiger. To the untrained eye they all look similar, but there are slight differences in size and coat pattern. These differences are a result of the various populations breeding in almost complete isolation of one another, causing regional traits to become exaggerated over time. Geography, more than physical characteristics, defines the tiger family.
Tigers are strong swimmers- those of the Sundarbans region will cover anything up to 6km (4 miles) from island to island with an efficient doggy-paddle. They readily take to the water, whether in pursuit of prey, or simply to cool off.
DID YOU KNOW?
Wild ones
Most of the world's 5,000 or so tigers not in captivity are Bengal tigers; there are some 3,500 to 4,500 still living in the wild. Of these, more than 80 per cent live in India, with much smaller populations also scattered across neighbouring Bhutan, Bangladesh, Mayanmar and Nepal.
