National Animal of India: National animal is the symbol of a country’s natural abundance. The choice of selection could be based on multiple criteria. It must have a rich history and should express the country’s heritage and culture. The national animal of India is the ‘Royal Bengal Tiger’. It is Majestic and lethal at the same time. After the Inception of Project Tigers in the year 1973 due to the dwindling population of tigers in India, the government of India declared Royal Bengal Tiger as the national animal. The combination of agility, stamina, and unmatchable power has made the tiger the national animal of India.
The Scientific name of Royal Bengal Tiger is Panthera tigris tigris. Tigers are the largest of the four big cats (Lion, Tiger, Jaguars and Leopards). Royal Bengal Tiger is among the eight varieties of tigers found in India. The Bengal Tiger is a powerful predator and can weigh up to 570 pounds (260 kilograms) and grow up to 10 feet (3 meters) in length. It has distinctive orange fur with black stripes, and is known for its strength, agility, and hunting abilities.
The Roar is Back
In the year 2006, Tigers were on the brink of getting extinct. The total number of tigers in the country was 1411. The numbers increased to 2967 in 2018 thanks to the steps taken by the World Wildlife Fund and government. In the year 2018, the maximum number of tigers are in Madhya Pradesh (526) closely followed by Karnataka it is 524 and Uttarakhand is on the third place with a total of 442 tigers.
Tiger Reserves in India
India is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including the Bengal tiger, one of the most majestic and endangered big cats in the world. To protect these iconic animals, the Indian government has established several tiger reserves across the country. When the project tiger was started in the year 1973 there were only 9 tiger reserves in the entire country. This number has jumped up to 50 as per the data collected in the year 2019. The names of all the tiger reserves in the country has been given below:
| S. No. | Name of Tiger Reserve | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nagarjunsagar Srisailam | Andhra Pradesh |
| 2 | Namdapha | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 3 | Kamlang Tiger Reserve | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 4 | Pakke | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 5 | Manas | Assam |
| 6 | Nameri | Assam |
| 7 | Orang Tiger Reserve | Assam |
| 8 | Kaziranga | Assam |
| 9 | Valmiki | Bihar |
| 10 | Udanti-Sitanadi | Chattisgarh |
| 11 | Achanakmar | Chattisgarh |
| 12 | Indravati | Chhattisgarh |
| 13 | Palamau | Jharkhand |
| 14 | Bandipur | Karnataka |
| 15 | Bhadra | Karnataka |
| 16 | Dandeli-Anshi | Karnataka |
| 17 | Nagarahole | Karnataka |
| 18 | Biligiri Ranganatha Temple | Karnataka |
| 19 | Periyar | Kerala |
| 20 | Parambikulam | Kerala |
| 21 | Kanha | Madhya Pradesh |
| 22 | Pench | Madhya Pradesh |
| 23 | Bandhavgarh | Madhya Pradesh |
| 24 | Panna | Madhya Pradesh |
| 25 | Satpura | Madhya Pradesh |
| 26 | Sanjay-Dubri | Madhya Pradesh |
| 27 | Melghat | Maharashtra |
| 28 | Tadoba-Andhari | Maharashtra |
| 29 | Pench | Maharashtra |
| 30 | Sahyadri | Maharashtra |
| 31 | Nawegaon-Nagzira | Maharashtra |
| 32 | Bor | Maharashtra |
| 33 | Dampa | Mizoram |
| 34 | Similipal | Odisha |
| 35 | Satkosia | Odisha |
| 36 | Ranthambore | Rajasthan |
| 37 | Sariska | Rajasthan |
| 38 | Mukandra Hills | Rajasthan |
| 39 | Kalakad-Mundanthurai | Tamil Nadu |
| 40 | Anamalai | Tamil Nadu |
| 41 | Mudumalai | Tamil Nadu |
| 42 | Sathyamangalam | Tamil Nadu |
| 43 | Kawal | Telangana |
| 44 | Amrabad | Telangana |
| 45 | Dudhwa | Uttar Pradesh |
| 46 | Pilibhit | Uttar Pradesh |
| 47 | Corbett | Uttarakhand |
| 48 | Rajaji TR | Uttarakhand |
| 49 | Sunderbans | West Bengal |
| 50 | Buxa | West Bengal |
These tiger reserves are not only home to tigers, but also to a variety of other wildlife species, including elephants, leopards, Indian rhinoceros, and many others. The Indian government, in collaboration with various non-governmental organizations, is working towards the conservation and protection of these species and their habitats.
Some Interesting Facts
- Bengal Tiger was declared as the national animal of India in April 1973. Before Tiger, Lion was the national animal of India.
- Since 2010, Royal Bengal Tiger has been classified as an endangered animal by IUCN.
- White tigers are not a different species. They are white because some tigers are born with less pigmentary cells in their skin, which makes them look white.
- Male Bengal tigers have an average length of 2.7m to 3.1m including the tail, while females measure 2.4m to 2.65m on average.
- The weight of males ranges from 180 to 258 kg, whereas females ranges from 100 to 160 kg.
- A newborn cub remains blind in the first week of its birth.
- An adult tiger can leap a distance of over six metres and jump can up to five metres vertically.
- One blow of a tiger’s paw is strong enough to break a bear’s skull and can even break its spine! You can imagine condition of humans easily now!
- Tigers have over 100 stripes on their body. Interestingly, no two tiger have the same stripe pattern.
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