Bengal Tiger Facts for Kids

Only one species of tiger exists in the world, but it is separated into a number of subspecies. The Bengal tiger is one of these subspecies and is different from other tigers in a few physical ways, such as size and where it lives. All tigers are endangered, but the Bengal is considered one of the least threatened. Around half of the world's wild tigers are Bengal tigers.

  1. Description

    • Adult Bengal tigers grow to between 7 and 9 feet in length, from their noses to the tip of their tails, and weigh between 240 to 500 lbs. The big cats have orange to reddish fur that has a pattern of black stripes. These stripes are like a fingerprint because no two cats have the same pattern. The Bengal tiger is different from the other types of tigers because its sharp canine teeth are longer than any other large cat.

    Habitat and Distribution

    • The Bengal tiger lives in southeast Asia in countries such as India, China, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal. The tiger's striped coat helps to camouflage it in its natural forest habitats. The stripes blend in with the shadows of the forest and also with the tall grasses in forest clearings. Bengal tigers live alone and will walk around their territory leaving their scent on trees to keep other tigers out.

    Diet and Threats

    • Like all tigers, Bengal tigers only eat meat, which makes them carnivores. They use the camouflage of their coats to creep up close to potential prey. The tigers are strong hunters and can kill big animals such as buffalo, wild pigs and deer as well as a range of smaller animals such as rodents, birds and fish. Being the largest of all cats, the tigers sometimes kill leopards and will sometimes even attack small elephants and rhinos. Humans are the only real threat to tigers through hunting and destroying the forests in which the cats live.

    Life Cycle

    • Male and female Bengal tigers only meet up to breed. Females have cubs only every three to four years because it takes a long time to raise baby tigers. Bengal tigers can produce between one to seven cubs, which the female looks after with no help from the father. The cubs stay with their mother learning to hunt and survive for 18 months before they can look after themselves. In the wild, Bengal tigers live between eight and ten years.