Category: Mammals
While it is the most common subspecies of tiger, the Bengal Tiger is still endangered, ranging only in India, Nepal, Bangledesh, and Bhutan. These enormous striped cats can reach over 700lb and close to 11 feet in length from head to body, and are skilled hunters, unafraid of hunting animals that are even larger than themselves -- like the Gaur that can grow to be over 3,000lbs! Socially, Bengal Tigers are generally solitary, except for mothers living with offspring. Habitat loss and poaching pose a serious threat to the Bengal Tiger's survival as a species.
The age-defying Brandt’s bat
In most mammals, larger size correlates with longer lifespan, but that is not the case with the Brandt’s bat, who can live up to 41 years and weigh less than 0.28 ounces! These bats resemble larger, longer-lived mammals in that they mature slowly and have fewer offspring – but the size difference is dramatic: a female Bonobo lives for approximately 40 years as well, but she outweighs the Brandt’s bat by a factor of 3,771! Oddly enough, it is suspected that the mutated gene that causes the bat’s dwarfish size is the same one that leads to its long lifespan. Studying animals with unusual longevity like the Brandt’s bat does more than just satisfy our curiosity, it could lead to longer, healthier lifespans for humans and other animals!
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
