Indian Tiger Circuit

Tigers in India have been in danger of extinction, ever since the British occupied India. The rulers of India and the viceroy generals along with their party hunted these majestic tigers for their entertainment. The Tiger is not only India’s national animal, but also a symbol of a healthy eco system. The Indian Tiger is capable of living in diverse habitats. The swampy reed lands, the scorched hills of the Indian peninsula high-altitude, the lush wet forests of Northern India, the cold, coniferous Himalayan forests, the steaming mangroves of the Sunderbans and the arid forests of Rajasthan form the natural habitat of the Indian Tiger

The tigers according to their habitat have definite skills which help them to hunt their prey and survive. The Bengal tigers are good swimmers but they are not very good at climbing trees. India is probably the only country where the tiger can be found in such a wide range of habitats. But the poaching of tigers in India has led to their decline. To help save the tigers from extinction the Indian Government started a program - Project Tiger in 1973. This project took under its care habitats where the tiger can be saved. At present 23 tiger reserves are under the Project Tiger. Saving the habitat has played a major role in pulling the tiger from the brink of extinction. The tigers are solitary animals. A tiger is not tied down to one area and roams widely in search of a mate. Project tiger has helped by making forest corridors connecting two forests, so that these animals can move about safely, without the danger of a poacher lurking nearby. The Male Bengal Tigers in full adulthood measure around 3 meters in length whereas a female tiger is smaller, measuring around 2.5 meters. A healthy male weighs around 220 kilograms and a female weighs around 140 kilograms.

Tigers usually have a diet comprising of deer, pigs, antelopes and wild cattle. While these form the major part of their diet, they also prey upon fishes and other small animals. Sometimes, loss of its habitat and prey leads it to attack humans and their domestic cattle. It can also prey on mankind, if it is old or wounded and is unable to hunt normally. Another factor which is a reason for the decline in the tiger population is the presence of Naxalites. These militants provoke the villagers into taking revenge against these animals for killing their cattle, leading to the death of these tigers and leopards. Tigers have unique features. A tiger’s anatomy is such that it mates once in two years, so that the litter of cubs it produces can be looked after. The cubs stay with their mother for two years and during this time, the mother teaches them all the hunting techniques and makes them capable of surviving on their own.
8 weeks old cubs join their mothers on its hunt. By the time they are 6 months old, it has learnt how to kill, and by 16 months, they are capable of killing of feeding themselves. After two years these cubs are left alone by the mother. A tiger matures after it is 4 years old.

The tiger is a very strong adversary. It usually kills its prey with the help of its exceptionally strong jaws. When it kills its prey, before starting to eat it, it first cleanses the body by removing its hair with the help of its incisors. Then he scrapes away its skin by licking it with his very coarse tongue and then starts eating. A tiger usually doesn’t finish the whole meal in one sitting. A tigress always allows its cubs to feed themselves and eats in the end. The tigers in Sunderbans can be seen even during the day, which is unusual as they are nocturnal animals. Being solitary animals, they usually hunt at night.