Mammals
White Bengal tiger
Panthera tigris tigris
The white tiger is neither a species nor a subspecies of its own: it is a Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) with a rare recessive genetic mutation that removes the orange pigment, leaving a white coat with dark stripes and blue eyes.
from€85,40
In short
The white Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is a species with IUCN conservation status EN (Endangered). The Bengal tiger lives in forests, mangroves and grasslands of the Indian subcontinent. Animals in Black offers a fine-art portrait of it on a black background, available as a print on Hahnemühle paper: view the print.
Habitat & conservation
Where does the white Bengal tiger live?
The Bengal tiger lives in forests, mangroves and grasslands of the Indian subcontinent. In the wild the white coat is a hunting disadvantage: today's individuals come almost entirely from captive breeding, often inbred.
Is the white Bengal tiger endangered?
The IUCN Red List rates the tiger Endangered (EN) with a declining population, due to poaching, habitat loss and prey depletion. The white variant has no conservation value: its selective breeding is in fact criticised for the problems linked to inbreeding.
Facts about the white Bengal tiger
- It is a Bengal tiger with a mutation, not a separate species.
- It almost always has blue eyes.
- It is extremely rare in the wild; nearly all individuals live in captivity.
Data source: IUCN Red List — Panthera tigris (Endangered) · variante di colore della tigre del Bengala
RED List
Conservation status codes
- EX Extinct No individuals survive.
- EW Extinct in the wild Survives only in captivity.
- CR Critically endangered Extremely high risk of extinction.
- EN Endangered Very high risk of extinction.
- VU Vulnerable High risk of extinction.
- NT Near threatened Likely to become threatened soon.
- LC Least concern Low risk of extinction.
- DD Data deficient Not enough data to assess.
- NE Not evaluated Not yet assessed by the IUCN.