The
white Bengal tiger, a majestic animal practically exterminated by man,
is neither an albino nor a genetic mutant. This conclusion was made by
biologists at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
The
fur of Bengal tigers found in India, Nepal and Burma is usually light
yellow in color with black stripes. White Bengal tigers, like their
counterparts, have black stripes on their skin and blue eyes, and this
is only why they are not albinos, scientists say.
Cubs
are born in March-April. In one brood, most often there are 2-4 cubs,
less often offspring with one cub, even less often - 5-6 cubs. The birth
weight of cubs is 1.3-1.5 kg. Cubs are born blind, but after 6-8 days
they begin to see clearly.
For the first six weeks, cubs feed only on tigress milk.
The cubs grow only near the mother, the male tigresses are not allowed to the offspring, since the male can kill the born cubs.
After 8 weeks, the cubs become capable of walking behind their mother and leave the den.
The
new generation becomes capable of independent life only at the age of
about 18 months, but, as a rule, they stay with their mother until they
reach 2-3 years, in some cases - up to 5 years.
After young tigers start living on their own, females remain in close
proximity to matter. Males, in contrast to them, go to longer distances,
in search of their own unoccupied territory.
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