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The National Animal — Royal Bengal Tiger
बाघ
The striped lord of the jungle — Bhārat's national animal
Era
Declared 1973
Built by
The Government of Bhārat, Project Tiger
Location
Found across Bhārat's forests
Type
Patriotic Places
“The tiger is the soul of the forest of Bhārat — where it thrives, all thrives.”
— A tribute to Bhārat's national animal
The Story
In 1973, the government declared the tiger of Bhārat the national animal and launched Project Tiger, creating nine tiger reserves to protect a species pushed to the edge of extinction. It was one of the first great conservation movements in the world — and Bhārat chose the tiger to carry the nation's name.
The tiger stands for strength, power, and grace — qualities Bhārat has always admired. The Royal Bengal tiger is the largest cat species on Earth, an apex predator whose striped coat is as individual as a fingerprint. Its roar can be heard over two kilometres away.
Today Bhārat protects tigers in over fifty reserves — from Corbett in the foothills of the Himalaya to the Sundarbans in the east. The tiger's recovery is one of conservation's greatest success stories: from fewer than 1,500 in 2006 to nearly 4,000 today — more than two-thirds of the world's wild tigers live in Bhārat.
Core Ideas
National Animal, 1973
Declared the same year Project Tiger began.
Strength & Grace
The largest cat on Earth, with a unique striped coat.
Bhārat's Tiger Majority
About 70% of the world's wild tigers live in Bhārat.
50+ Reserves
From Corbett to the Sundarbans, tigers roam protected forests.
A Conservation Miracle
Numbers have more than doubled since 2006.
Why it matters today
The tiger is Bhārat's wild heart — the emblem on the nation's stamps, shields, and sports teams. Its comeback is proof that when a country decides to protect its soul, the soul comes back.