International Tiger Day 2021: Did You know? No two tigers have the same stripes

Bengaluru, July 29: International Tiger Day 2021 also known as World Tiger Day has been held on the 29th July every year since 2010 when it was first created at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit. The day is observed to mark the declining population of tigers across the globe.

Here are some of the interesting facts

There were eight tiger subspecies at one time: These subspecies are the Bengal tiger, South China tiger, Indochinese tiger, Sumatran tiger and Siberian tiger. The three subspecies of tiger that have become extinct are - the Caspian, Bali and Javan.

In less than 100 years ago: Hunting and habitat loss have put populations at risk, and today their range has been reduced to around 7% of its former size.

Bengal tiger: The Bengal Tiger has the lengthiest canine amongst various carnivorous animals. A canine in Bengal Tiger can grow upto 4 inches and are longer than that of a lion.

Tigers are a keystone species: They're integral to the health of the ecosystems in which they live. As apex predators, they keep prey species under control. This protects the vegetation, which in turn maintains the integrity of streams, forests and croplands that provide people around the world with clean air, water, food and financial benefits.

No two tigers have the same stripes. Like human fingerprints, their stripe patterns are unique to each individual. Stripes range in color from light brown to black and are not symmetrical on both sides of the body.

Tigers are generally nocturnal hunters, but also opportunists: Their night vision is up to six-times greater than a human's. But they're also opportunists, which means they won't pass up the chance for a daytime snack when it's available.

The white Bengal Tiger is a rare phenomenon\

A tiger's roar can be heard as far as 3 Km !