Bengal Tiger

At one time, there were eight subspecies of tigers, but three went extinct during the 20th century. There may be fewer than 2,500 tigers left in the world due to hunting and forest destruction over the last century. In traditional Chinese medicine, tigers are hunted as trophies and for their body parts. There are many protection programs in place for all five remaining tiger subspecies.

Known as Indian tigers, Bengal tigers live in India. About half of all wild tigers are Bengal tigers. In Indian tradition and lore, they have played a significant role for many centuries.