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The Tiger couple at Bandhabgad
National Park, M. P.
Central India. (Clik the photo to show the enhanced view)
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Local
Name : |
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Hindi
: Baagh , Sher . |
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Size
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Measured
in a straight line between pegs few Indian tigers exceed 10 ft. ( 300 cm.)
in length. The average is 9 ft. Average weight male 400-500 lb. ( 180-230
kg.) ; female about 100lb. ( 45 kg.) less. Tigers from the Himalayas
generally show a slightly superiority in size over tigers from Madhya
Pradesh and southern India. |
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Distinctive
Characters : |
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The
Indian Tiger is rich-coloured, well-striped animal with a short coat. We
have still to learn whether the Indian Tiger varies in the different
States, and what differences in its coloration are produced by season and
age. Individual variation is great. |
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Distribution
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The Indian
Tiger designated as the typical Tiger, is found northern, north-eastern,
central and south-western India, except in the deserts of Rajasthan, The
Punjab, Cutch and Sind. |
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Habits
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The
Indian Tiger lives in humid evergreen forests, in dry open jungle, and in
the grassy swamps of the terai, in the Sundarbans it leads an almost
amphibious life in a terrain of trees, mud and water. Three things are
essentialto the Tiger, the neighbourhood of large animals upon which it
can pray, ample shade to sleep in and water to quench its thirst.
Ordinarily the Tiger hunts between sunset and dawn but should the day be
cold or clouded with rain, it will be up and about.It hunts game of all
kinds including femal or young elephants, gaur, buffalo, deer, wild boar
or nilgai. Many, in the absence of game animals or from oppertunity, take
to cattle-killing. In India many Tigers seem to mate after the rain and
the majority of young are born between February and May. Whether the Tiger
is always monogamous is not known. Tigers with more than one female in
train have been seen. Association with male and female appears to end when
the cubs are born. The period of gestation is said to be 15 to 16 weeks.
Usually 2-3, but as many as 6, may be produced in a litter. The cubs
wander about their lair, and when about 6 months old accompany the mother
in her hunting and may stay with her until quite 2 years old, and even
after she has acquired a new mate. Sexual maturity is attained at 3 years
of age by the tigress and at 4 by the tiger. The life span of the tiger is
estimated to be about 20 years. |
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Fate
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Killed
and poached for the skins and bones for the belief of its aphrodisiac
power. |
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Indian One-horned
Rhino at Kaziranga National Park, Assam (Clik the photo to show the enhanced view)
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Local
Name : |
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Hindi
: Gainda . |
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Size
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One
of the largest of all existing rhino. A male may reach over 6 ft. (180
cm.) at the shoulder. The average height about 5ft. 8inch. (170 cm.) It is
smaller than the African White rhino but larger than the African Black
Rhino. The horns do not compare in length with the African species. The
record from Assam measures 24 inc. (61 cm.) at the present day is a good
average. |
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Distinctive
Characters : |
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The
skin of this massive creature is divided into great shields by heavy folds
before and behind the shoulders and in front of the thighs. The fold in
front of the shoulders is not continued right across the back, a
distinctive character of this Rhino. On the flanks, shoulders and
hindquarters, the skin is studded with masses of rounded tubercles. With
its grotesque build, long boat-shaped head, its folds of armour, and its
tuberculated hide, the animal looks like a monster of some bygone ages. |
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Distribution
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Formerly
extensively distributed in the Gangetic plain today it is restricted to
parts of Nepal and West Bengal in the north, the Dooars, and Assam. In
Nepal it is found only in thecountry to the east of Gandak River known as
Chitawan, in Assam in isolated areas of the plainslike Kaziranga Sanctuary
in Nowgong district. |
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Habits
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Though
it prefers swamp and grass the Great Indian One-horned Rhino is also found
in wood jungle up ravines and low hills. The animal is solitary as a rule,
though several may occupy the same patch of jungle. Its foods consists
chiefly of grass. The Rhino has particular place for dropping its excreta;
so mounds accumulate in places. In approaching these spots a rhino walks
backwards and falls an easy victim to poachers. Breeding takes place at
all times of the year. The period of gestation is about 16 months and the
young at birth is 105 cm. in length and 60 kg. in weight. The female
attains sexual maturity in 4 years and the male when 7 years old. |
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Fate
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Killed
and poached for the horn for the belief of its aphrodisiac
power. |
