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11-01-2014, 07:24 PM( This post was last modified: 06-07-2016, 05:15 AM by peter )
1 - THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GORGED AND EMPTY MALE TIGERS IN COOCH BEHAR, THE DUARS AND ASSAM
This is a table I made in 2012 for AVA. At first sight, two conclusions can be made:
a - I distinguished between male Cooch Behar tigers of 440 lbs. and male tigers of less than 440 lbs. The conclusion is 440 lbs. and over tigers were 9,72 cm. (almost 4 inches) longer in total length and 5,22 cm. (just over 2 inches) in head and body. This difference resulted in a difference in weight of 80.4 lbs. (36,47 kg.).
b - Gorged (baited) tigers, averaged 512,56 lbs. (232,50 kg.). The others averaged 452,61 lbs. (204,85 kg.). The difference between both, therefore, was 60 lbs. (27,22 kg.). Gorged tigers were a bit (less than 1 inch) longer than the others in total length, but there was no difference in head and body length. An average male gorged tiger in north-east India, therefore, is about 60 lbs. heavier than an empty male tiger of similar size (all other factors equal):
2 - COOCH BEHAR MALE TIGERS COMPARED TO DECCAN AND NORTH-WEST INDIA MALE TIGERS
*This image is copyright of its original author
a - The conclusion regarding heavy male tigers and others in Cooch Behar is confirmed in both the Deccan and north-west India: heavy tigers (those of 420 or 440 lbs.) were longer than those below 420 or 440 lbs. (total length). They were 9,72 cm. longer in Cooch Behar, but in the Deccan the difference was 12,7 cm. (about 5 inches) and in north-west India it was 13,96 cm.
b - At about similar size (total length about 297 cm. in the Deccan and in Cooch Behar and 299 cm. in north-west India), large male tigers (those over 420 lbs. in the Deccan and over 440 lbs. in the other regions) are a bit (12 lbs.) heavier in north-west Indian than in Cooch Behar and Assam and much heavier (almost 62 lbs.) than those in the Deccan.
c - In Indian male tigers, there seems a strong correlation between total length and weight: the longer the tiger, the heavier. Could be a result of age. If we assume Nepal tigers are similar to those in India, the conclusion is they probably are heavier. The reason is they are significantly longer (total length 'over curves').
d - The difference between Cooch Behar tigers and north-west India tigers probably is well over 12 lbs. The reason is the sample from Cooch Behar was a bit inflated (38 shortish tigers were not weighed), whereas the north-west India sample had a few young adults. Furthermore, 12 'heavy' or 'very heavy' tigers were not weighed.
e - All in all, we have 402 lbs, for the Deccan, 419 lbs. for central India, 435 lbs. for north-west India and 460 lbs. for north-east India. This was about 100-150 years ago. As stated before, I think the Deccan average was a bit higher, whereas the average for Cooch Behar would be a bit lower. My guesstimate of 435-450 as a general average for India could have been close. Nepal tigers probably were heavier.
Today, the average could be 5-10% higher (between 455-495 lbs. roughly). However. We have to remember a population is more than a few large apex males. There are young adults, transients, small males, large males and old tigers. Prime males could be well over 500 lbs., but they are at the top. Most males would be smaller. My average for now would be 460-470 lbs. for all, meaby a bit less. But I could be wrong.