Bengal tiger

The Bengal tiger is a population of the Panthera tigris tigris subspecies. It ranks among the largest of wild cats. It is distributed from India, southern Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan to Southwestern China. Its historical range extended to the Indus Basin until the early 19th century, and it is thought to have been present in the Indian subcontinent since the Late Pleistocene about 12,000 to 16,500 years ago. It is threatened by poaching, habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. As of 2022, the Bengal tiger population was estimated at 3,167–3,682 individuals in India, 316–355 individuals in Nepal, 131 individuals in Bhutan and around 125 individuals in Bangladesh. It is the national animal of India and Bangladesh.