ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)

[peter]

PHOTOGRAPHS OF NEPAL TIGERS (2014)

Nepal, directly north of India, is not a very prosperous nation. In spite of that, it's doing very well in the department of conservation. Make that great. It now has over 200 tigers, an achievement only few dreamt of a few years ago!

A year or two ago, I posted a number of tables on the size of tigers in Nepal and different regions in India. The tables were based on information collected before 1940. The conclusion was that Nepal tigers, and those of Royal Chitwan in particular, topped the table for length and weight. Male tigers just about averaged 10 feet in total length measured 'over curves'. Those in Chitwan were even longer. 

Tigers living in the hills just south of the Himalayas most probably always had been large. The difference in size between tigers in northern India and Nepal before 1940 could have been a result of protection. In northern India, they were hunted. In Nepal, they were not.    

Are Himalayan tigers as large as they were before 1940? Based on what I found in books and documents published after 1940, I'd say they are. The difference in size between tigers in northern India and Nepal most probably is more limited than before 1940. The reason is that tigers are now protected in India as well.  

Can you estimate the size of a big cat using a photograph? The answer is negative.

In spite of that, it would be nice to see recent photographs of Nepal tigers in order to get an idea. A few weeks ago, a new member, 'Greenforest', posted a document that has photographs of most, if not almost all, Nepal tigers. Here's the link to the document: 

https://www.ntnc.org.np/sites/default/files/publicaations/National%20tiger%20status%20report%202013.pdf

Anyone interested in Nepal tigers should have a look, I think. If you see something typical, please inform us.

Many thanks on behalf of all, 'Greenforest'. Very interesting document. Reply