As the largest cat species of the genus Panthera, the Tiger is a solitary animal that tends to live alone. The only time they live in a group is when a mother is raising her babies and teaching them how to hunt. Besides, they can only be seen in pairs during the mating season.
The Bengal Tiger is the second-largest tiger species that lives in India and Bangladesh. Learn more about this species through the Bengal Tiger article!
Sleepy Behavior
Tigers tend to sleep a lot more than other animals, and that is a normal behavior! They need more than 16 hours every day for sleeping. What is the reason for that?
In the wild, tigers need a lot of energy when they have to chase prey, hunt, and eat. Not only that, they tend to have slower digestion because of the meat they consume.
The Beauty of White Tiger
Uniquely, Bengal tigers are the only subspecies that come in different colors. The white Bengal tigers are a recessive mutant, but it is not an occurrence of albinism. The white color is caused by a lack of the pigment pheomelanin, which is found in Bengal tigers with orange color.
The White Tiger is incredibly rare, which is why there are so few white tigers in the wild today. It is due to their color being dependent on a defective, recessive gene that is passed on from their parents.
When compared to Bengal tigers, the white Bengal tigers tend to grow faster and heavier than the orange Bengal tigers. They also tend to be somewhat bigger at birth and as fully grown adults.
The Power of Tiger in India
In India, the tiger is well respected. The Bengal tiger is the national animal of India because of its rich cultural history and characteristics.
In Indian mythology, Goddess Durga uses the tiger as her vehicle, and the tiger symbolizes unlimited power. Durga riding a tiger indicates that she possesses unlimited power and uses it to protect virtue and destroy evil. Her bold pose is called Abhay Mudra, which means “free from fear.”
Let’s learn more about culture and wildlife together with Bali Safari Park!
