There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
Are there any information about the seize/weight of tigers from not very "traditional" reserves like Periyar, Indravati or even the complex Satpura-Melghat ??
Recently someone here in Wildfact ( sorry, I do not remember exactly where ) said that the tigers from Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam - India´s largest reserve - are very big, and it is estimated that more than 50 big cats live there.
In my opinion, tigers from South India might be bigger than Central, because prey base seems to be excelent in south ( at least in Nagarahole and Bandipur ), where gaurs represent a very important part of tigers diet. The 177 kg tigress from Nagarahole is a good example. She was as big as an average South Africa lion !! Incredibly !!!
India has 50 Tiger Reserves, but we get regular news or pictures from only some Central and Ranthambore tigers, sometimes, also from Bandipur ( almost always Raja, my favourite tiger ), Nagarahole , Kaziranga and Corbett. As a result it is possible that there are some very impresssive cats in reserves that nobody talks about.
However, the Assam ( Manas, Orang, Kaziranga), and Terai ( Nepal, Bhutan, North India ) tigers seems to be in another league. Considering that Bheema was 225 kg when he was 2,5 year old, I believe that not few tigers from Assam + Terai reach 300 kg .