The national animal of India is the magnificent and charismatic Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris). It is the most common species of tiger and occurs only in the Indian subcontinent in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Bengal tigers have also been very rarely spotted in Tibet.
The Bengal tiger was adopted as India's national animal in 1972, after a meeting of the Indian Board for Wildlife.
Bengal tigers are among the world's largest big cats, reaching an impressive 3 metres nose to tail tip, and weighing over a whopping 250 kilograms. Like all tigers, the Bengal tiger is listed as endangered, and there are thought to be fewer than 2000 individuals left in the wild, hunting and human encroachment on their territories being the biggest threats to their survival.
Take a look at our tiger guide to learn all about these majestic big cats.
Main image © Getty Images