Bengal Tigers

By Madison

Appearance

I am 2.7m long and my mate is 3m long. I have long sharp teeth called fangs, sensory whiskers, powerful jaws and my legs are whitish inside. My kind are usually orange- brown with black stripes and sometimes I am white with black stripes. My belly is white. You can see I have a unique stripe pattern. I like to climb trees. My sharp retractable claws are helpful. I am very good at swimming also.

Habitat

I live in the cool rain forests of India and the dense grasslands of Burma. I love the shade. The males claim the territory and I don’t migrate. I also live in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhuton and Siberia.

Diet

I am a carnivore. I eat deer, pigs, antelopes, cattle and young elephants. I kill them with a bite on the neck. My babies eat small animals like peafowl, monkeys and frogs. Also I mostly hunt at night

Reproduction

My little ones develop and stay in the womb for three and a half months. I have 1 to 6 cubs in a litter. I have to be three and a half to 4 years old to have my first cubs. The cubs weight is 0.9 to 1.4 kg

Offspring

My babies are playful like kittens, even though they’re called cubs. They are dependent on me for one year. The females settle down by me and the males roam. They can’t eat big animals till they are 2 years old, then they are independent. My mate stays with me for my whole life.

Natural enemies

My main enemy is other tigers and of course man hunts me too. My powerful legs help me run fast and swim quickly. My sharp claws help me climb trees to get up high. Also, I have fangs that help me scare other animals away. I am protected in nature reserves.

Am I Endangered?

Sadly it’s true, I am endangered. I am killed by poachers and hunting is getting more common! Also, my home is ruined because of people clearing my forests with giant machines! Zoos are trying to help, but if this keeps happening my kind will become extinct!

Bibliography

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3213/3131549497_2661b65fa0.jpg

http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/004/cache/bengal-tiger-playing_461_600x450.jpg

http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/176215/176215,1229161007,1/stock-photo-a-tiger-eating-meat-in-a-zoo-21947800.jpg

www.tiger-pictures.net/bengal_tiger_4.jpg