Common name: Bengal Tiger
Scientific name: Panthera tigris tigris
Characteristics/ behaviors:The Bengal Tiger is a mammal and a carnivore. The biggest of the cats, they can weigh up to 600 pounds, and measure up to 8 feet on average including the tail. They are the most populous tiger species, despite being less than 2,500 individuals. They are so fierce, their roar can be heard from 2 miles away. They are proven to actually be the strongest and the second biggest of the cat family and not the lion, because the mane of a lion is the only thing that makes it look larger and more intimidating. In fights, Tigers would always win if lions didn't have their protective manes. Usually a light or dark orange and has bold brown or black stripes, Bengal Tigers are set apart by their remarkable size being the biggest next to the Siberian male Tiger. Tigers are not bipedal and they move in four legs. They communicate through a series of snorts, purrs, growling and resembling that of a cat's, meowing and roaring. Bengal tigers actually love water. They are expert swimmers and can swim great stretches at a time. Another unique activity is that when Bengal tiger babies are born, they stay with the mother for 18 months. In that time period she teaches them to hunt, stalk, swim, etc. after,18 months she lets them fend for themselves and let them go to claim their own territory. Unlike Lions, Tigers usually stay alone, and prefer the solitude rather than have a group.
DNA/Genetics: A common mutation of the Bengal tiger is its production of the beautiful white tiger that is heavily protected globally. They sport a white fur coat with grey or brown stripes. The rarest form of mutation is the Black Tiger. It's a tiger with dark charcoal fur and white or pale yellow stripes. These two specimens are not subspecies on their own but mutations from the original Bengal Tiger. Bengal Tiger has 19N chromosomes (pairs, one from the mother and one from the father) and has a total of 38 chromosomes. Like all animals, mitochondrial DNA is inherited only maternally. This is because a mother is the source of an infant's mitochondria (which has it's own genetic code). Some of the most common diseases among Bengal Tigers are rabies, feline AIDS or FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), and Feline leukemia virus. Some adaptive traits for tigers is their stamina and ability to run at great speeds for elongated periods of time to escape danger or to hunt food. Another is their stealth like ability to blend into their surrounding and camouflage themselves to be practically invisible. Bengal tigers have two white spots on the back of their ears, this is beneficial because some animals believe they are being preyed on and watched when in reality it's the spots. They resemble the same affect a monarch butterfly has with closed wings.
Habitat/Ecosystem: Bengal Tigers prefer a more forested and easily camouflaged environment. They can be commonly found in the deciduous forests of India; hot and humid forests in Bhutan, and the Himalayan sal forests and grasslands. The Bengal tiger is found primarily in India with smaller populations in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Myanmar. It generally claims a home in subtropical, grasslands, scrub forests, and mangroves. Many abiotic factors of the Tiger is soil, rocks, and water. Bengal tigers generally like to stay near water because they are expert swimmers and can swim up to 15 miles. Unlike their cousins the Leopard or Cheetah, Bengal Tigers generally avoid climbing trees because their large size causes them to literally get stuck up a tree. Biotic factors are plants, trees, and animals. A Bengal Tiger generally likes to find areas with an abundance of food. They can eat up to 60 pounds per day of meat.
Food Web: Producers: grass, fruit, leaves, brush, (autotroph) (photosynthesis)
Primary consumers: antelope, zebra, goats, elephants (heterotroph) (herbivores)
Secondary consumers: pigs, jackals, bear (heterotroph) (omnivore)
Primary consumer: tiger (heterotroph) (carnivore)
Symbiotic relationships: Bengal tigers have many types of relationships with other organisms. One is parasitism through the relationship between fleas and tigers. Fleas attach themselves and suck the nutrients from their host until the flea dies or lays offspring, the Bengal tiger loses blood and essential nutrients and essentially can become weak, sick, and die. A mutualism relationship for a Bengal Tiger, is the relationship between coliform bacteria. The bacteria benefits by fermenting lactose inside the tiger (which is the breaking down of sugar lactose), and the tiger benefits by having the sugar broken down in its food and the more nutritional part is absorbed by the tiger. To a Bengal tiger, a Jackal is usually a food source but sometimes it can represent a commensalism relationship. The Jackal will follow the Tiger at a safe distance and when the Tiger makes its kill, the leftovers go to the benefiting Jackal, and the Tiger is unaffected.
Scientific name: Panthera tigris tigris
Characteristics/ behaviors:The Bengal Tiger is a mammal and a carnivore. The biggest of the cats, they can weigh up to 600 pounds, and measure up to 8 feet on average including the tail. They are the most populous tiger species, despite being less than 2,500 individuals. They are so fierce, their roar can be heard from 2 miles away. They are proven to actually be the strongest and the second biggest of the cat family and not the lion, because the mane of a lion is the only thing that makes it look larger and more intimidating. In fights, Tigers would always win if lions didn't have their protective manes. Usually a light or dark orange and has bold brown or black stripes, Bengal Tigers are set apart by their remarkable size being the biggest next to the Siberian male Tiger. Tigers are not bipedal and they move in four legs. They communicate through a series of snorts, purrs, growling and resembling that of a cat's, meowing and roaring. Bengal tigers actually love water. They are expert swimmers and can swim great stretches at a time. Another unique activity is that when Bengal tiger babies are born, they stay with the mother for 18 months. In that time period she teaches them to hunt, stalk, swim, etc. after,18 months she lets them fend for themselves and let them go to claim their own territory. Unlike Lions, Tigers usually stay alone, and prefer the solitude rather than have a group.
DNA/Genetics: A common mutation of the Bengal tiger is its production of the beautiful white tiger that is heavily protected globally. They sport a white fur coat with grey or brown stripes. The rarest form of mutation is the Black Tiger. It's a tiger with dark charcoal fur and white or pale yellow stripes. These two specimens are not subspecies on their own but mutations from the original Bengal Tiger. Bengal Tiger has 19N chromosomes (pairs, one from the mother and one from the father) and has a total of 38 chromosomes. Like all animals, mitochondrial DNA is inherited only maternally. This is because a mother is the source of an infant's mitochondria (which has it's own genetic code). Some of the most common diseases among Bengal Tigers are rabies, feline AIDS or FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), and Feline leukemia virus. Some adaptive traits for tigers is their stamina and ability to run at great speeds for elongated periods of time to escape danger or to hunt food. Another is their stealth like ability to blend into their surrounding and camouflage themselves to be practically invisible. Bengal tigers have two white spots on the back of their ears, this is beneficial because some animals believe they are being preyed on and watched when in reality it's the spots. They resemble the same affect a monarch butterfly has with closed wings.
Habitat/Ecosystem: Bengal Tigers prefer a more forested and easily camouflaged environment. They can be commonly found in the deciduous forests of India; hot and humid forests in Bhutan, and the Himalayan sal forests and grasslands. The Bengal tiger is found primarily in India with smaller populations in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Myanmar. It generally claims a home in subtropical, grasslands, scrub forests, and mangroves. Many abiotic factors of the Tiger is soil, rocks, and water. Bengal tigers generally like to stay near water because they are expert swimmers and can swim up to 15 miles. Unlike their cousins the Leopard or Cheetah, Bengal Tigers generally avoid climbing trees because their large size causes them to literally get stuck up a tree. Biotic factors are plants, trees, and animals. A Bengal Tiger generally likes to find areas with an abundance of food. They can eat up to 60 pounds per day of meat.
Food Web: Producers: grass, fruit, leaves, brush, (autotroph) (photosynthesis)
Primary consumers: antelope, zebra, goats, elephants (heterotroph) (herbivores)
Secondary consumers: pigs, jackals, bear (heterotroph) (omnivore)
Primary consumer: tiger (heterotroph) (carnivore)
Symbiotic relationships: Bengal tigers have many types of relationships with other organisms. One is parasitism through the relationship between fleas and tigers. Fleas attach themselves and suck the nutrients from their host until the flea dies or lays offspring, the Bengal tiger loses blood and essential nutrients and essentially can become weak, sick, and die. A mutualism relationship for a Bengal Tiger, is the relationship between coliform bacteria. The bacteria benefits by fermenting lactose inside the tiger (which is the breaking down of sugar lactose), and the tiger benefits by having the sugar broken down in its food and the more nutritional part is absorbed by the tiger. To a Bengal tiger, a Jackal is usually a food source but sometimes it can represent a commensalism relationship. The Jackal will follow the Tiger at a safe distance and when the Tiger makes its kill, the leftovers go to the benefiting Jackal, and the Tiger is unaffected.