* Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris): This is the most well-known and iconic Bengal tiger subspecies, found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan.
* Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris bengalensis): This subspecies is found in India and Bangladesh.
Extinct Bengal tiger subspecies:
* Caspian Tiger (Panthera tigris virgata): This subspecies once ranged across Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Central Asia, but was officially declared extinct in the 1970s.
* Javan Tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica): This subspecies was found on the Indonesian island of Java and was declared extinct in the 1980s.
* Bali Tiger (Panthera tigris balica): This subspecies lived on the Indonesian island of Bali and was declared extinct in the 1930s.
* Indo-Chinese Tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti): While not entirely extinct, this subspecies is critically endangered. It's found in Southeast Asia.
* Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae): Critically endangered, this subspecies is only found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
* South China Tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis): This subspecies is critically endangered and is believed to be functionally extinct in the wild. There are believed to be a very small number in captivity.
* Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica): This subspecies is often confused with the Bengal tiger, but it is a separate subspecies and lives in Siberia.
While there are only two extant Bengal tiger subspecies, recognizing the other subspecies helps highlight the importance of conservation efforts to protect all remaining tigers.