(Dhaka, Bangladesh): The striped tiger, a member of the cat family, is not only the king of the jungle but also a symbol of nature’s balance. After millions of years of evolution, this majestic creature is now in grave danger. Once rulers across Asia, the number of tigers has fallen to fewer than 4,500. With human encroachment, poaching, and deforestation, the struggle for survival has become even more difficult for tigers each day.
Scientists believe that around 60 million years ago, during the age of dinosaurs, carnivorous animals related to tigers originated. Tigers evolved over time from civet-like animals. Their unique identity lies in their distinct stripes, which distinguish them from other mammals in the cat family. The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest member of the cat family.
Three subspecies of tigers—Caspian tiger, Javan tiger, and Bali tiger—are already extinct. Currently, six subspecies remain: Bengal tiger, Indochinese tiger, Malayan tiger, Sumatran tiger, Siberian tiger, and South China tiger. Among the 13 countries that once had wild tigers, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam have already lost their populations.
Tigers are brutally killed for their body parts, which are sold at high prices for use in traditional Chinese medicine and luxury items. Due to unplanned deforestation, poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and other human-induced pressures, the number and range of tigers have declined by 95% in the last 100 years.
To address the crisis, in 2010 the first tiger summit was held in Russia with leaders of tiger-range countries, setting a goal to double the global tiger population by 2022. India, Nepal, Russia, and partly Bhutan have achieved this goal. Tiger numbers have also increased along the Kazakhstan-China border, but Malaysia has seen an 80% decline. In Bangladesh, tiger numbers have grown by 7.5%. Currently, the global tiger population stands at around 4,500, of which about 2,500 are Bengal tigers spread across South Asia.
Tigers of the Sundarbans
The Bengal tiger has survived for over 2,500 years in the unique mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, shared by Bangladesh and India. Research shows that 74% of the Sundarbans tigers’ diet comes from spotted deer, and they can swim distances of up to one kilometre. Living in the harsh, saline environment has made Sundarbans tigers comparatively smaller in size. These traits set them apart from the other five subspecies.
According to the 2018 tiger census, the Sundarbans had 114 tigers, and the 2024 survey recorded 125 tigers.
Currently, 37 tigers live in Bangladesh’s two zoos and two safari parks: 12 in the Bangladesh National Zoo, 12 in Chattogram Zoo, 9 in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Gazipur, and 4 in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Dulahazara.
Tiger Stripes
The unique arrangement of stripes on a tiger’s face and body differs from individual to individual. This feature helps tigers camouflage themselves during hunts and adapt to their surroundings. Using camera-trapping analysis, researchers track tiger movements and conduct censuses based on these stripe patterns.
Size and Habitat
Tigers are the largest of all cats. Some tigers can weigh up to 300 kilograms. Siberian and Bengal tigers are the largest subspecies.
Tigers primarily live in tropical Asian forests, but they are also found in colder climates like Russia’s Far East. Today, wild tigers exist in 10 countries: Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, China, and Russia.
Tiger Roar
Tigers cannot roar continuously. Due to the special structure of the elastic hyoid in their vocal cords, they produce roars. A tiger’s call can be heard from three kilometres away, sounding much like a deep “ha-lum ha-lum.”
Diet
Tigers are carnivorous animals. They prey on deer, wild boars, wild cattle, monkeys, and other mammals. Sundarbans tigers also eat fish and crocodiles. They are nocturnal hunters and hunt during twilight and dawn. While hunting, they wait silently in cover and ambush prey when it is within 15–20 meters. After striking with their powerful paws, they kill prey by suffocation.
Reproduction
November to April is the prime breeding season for tigers. The gestation period is 103–105 days, and each birth results in two to five cubs. Tiger cubs are born blind and remain so for the first 10–12 days. They are weaned at 3–5 months of age and learn to hunt by 18–24 months. After two years, male tigers disperse to distant territories, while females stay near their mother’s territory.
Diseases
Research shows that in captivity, the main causes of tiger death are viral diseases such as avian influenza and canine distemper. Wild tigers are more prone to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Other significant diseases include feline chlamydophila, dirofilariasis, feline calicivirus, feline coronavirus, feline leukemia, feline herpesvirus, feline parvovirus, tuberculosis, rabies, and sarcoptic mange. Inbreeding depression is another potential threat to the Sundarbans tiger population.
Human-livestock-tiger conflicts have existed for centuries. Scientists suspect that tigers can contract certain diseases from prey such as deer, cows, goats, and wild boars, but there has been no conclusive research on this.
