New Delhi: A rare golden tiger has been sighted in Kaziranga National Park. Although it is not the first time the golden tiger has been spotted in the Park, the recent sighting has sent waves across social media and the wildlife conservation community. The siting of the rare golden tiger reflects India’s rich fauna. In this article, we will learn about the specifications and other details of the rare golden tiger.
All you need to know about the rare golden tiger
The rare golden tiger is also known as the golden ‘tabby’ tiger or strawberry tiger.
A golden tiger is a type of Bengal with a different colour due to a recessive gene. It is a variation, not a separate subspecies like white and black tigers.
A golden tiger is pale golden or blonde with red-brown stripes instead of black stripes. This unique colouring comes from a gene known as “wideband”, which reduces black pigment during hair growth. While tigers can have different colours in the wild, this rarely happens.
Studies of golden tiger family trees show that golden tigers are genetically normal orange tigers with an added recessive gene, likely the wideband gene. This same gene also causes some white tigers to be stripeless. A white tiger with two copies of the wideband gene has no stripes, while an orange tiger with two copies becomes a golden tabby. The wideband gene is separate from the gene that causes white colouration.
The golden tiger seen in Kaziranga National Park is a colour variation of Bengal tigers due to the wideband gene. This gene decreases melanin production during hair growth, leading to golden or blonde fur.
Golden tigers are often larger than regular orange tigers and have softer fur due to this gene. Male tigers usually measure 270 to 310 cm (110 to 120 in) long, including the tail, while females are about 240 to 265 cm (94 to 104 in). Their tails are 85 to 110 cm (33 to 43 in) long and 90 to 110 cm (35 to 43 in) high at the shoulders. Males weigh around 221.2 kg (488 lb), and females about 139.7 kg (308 lb).
The lifespan of golden tigers in captivity is approximately 18 years, and the lifespan in the wild is 8 to 10 years.
A rare golden tiger, a colour variant of the Bengal tiger due to a recessive “wideband” gene, was recently sighted in Kaziranga National Park. This gene reduces melanin, resulting in pale golden fur and red-brown stripes. Golden tigers are genetically normal but larger than average Bengal tigers with softer fur. Their lifespan is around 18 years in captivity, but shorter in the wild. The sighting highlights India’s rich biodiversity and the ongoing importance of wildlife conservation efforts. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
