Panthera tigris tigris

Most Bengal tigers live in India, although some range through Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar. The estimated wild population is approximately 3,159-4,715 tigers, with about 333 in captivity, primarily in zoos in India. White tigers are simply a color variant of Bengal tigers and are rarely found in the wild.

The Bengal tiger lives in a wide range of habitats, including the high-altitude, cold, coniferous Himalayan forests, the steaming mangroves of the Sunderbans, the swampy reedlands, the scorched hills of the Indian peninsula, the lush wet forests of Northern India, and the arid forests of Rajasthan. Male Bengal tigers average 2.9 meters (9 1/2 feet) from head to tail and weigh about 220 kilograms (480 pounds). Females are smaller, measuring about 2.5 meters (8 feet) in length and weighing approximately 140 kilograms (300 pounds). Bengal tigers prey primarily on wild deer and wild cattle.Their range size is estimated at 10-39 km2 (6-24 miles) for females and 30-105 km2 ( 19-65 miles) for males.