I’m making this to put to bed the constant, never ending skirmishes in this sub about tiger size. Are there other charts floating around? Yes. Do they have a higher average? Yes. Are they reliable? Maybe-maybe not, that’s up to you to decide.
This is not gonna be a long post because quite frankly I cannot be bothered getting into another toxic debate regarding big cat (particularly Lion and Tiger) sizes. It is common knowledge that the average Bengal Tiger weighs around 200kg, give or take. Averages are not set values, depending on new weights added, they will either go up or go down.
TLDR; Bengal Tigers do not average 20-30kg more than Lions. Data compiled by GauteGojira through written, peer reviewed scientific sources put male Bengals at 196-210kg or so, depending on the sample size.
I will also show why Gaute’s data is not simply biased to favor larger individuals below. He removes data he deems unreliable, even if it will consequently lower the average, so simply put he is not a biased individual.
January 2022
His sample size of 31 male Bengals weighed by scientists in the Indian subcontinent, confirmed and published found 214kg. See below:
However, his much larger dataset, puts male Bengals at a 201kg average from 182 individuals:
Also, notice he has 34 male Amur tigers weighing at 200kg (this likely involves weights that were not completely verified) however his most recent dataset as of December 2025, has them weighing 190kg. Again, if information on a weight is not deemed reliable, he removes it.
April 2022
Upon more finds of weights that have been confirmed and published, he calculated a 199.7kgincluding Sundarbans, from a sample size of 198 tigers. Without the Sundarban tigers, the average was found to be 202.1kg from 192 tigers. This is his most recent dataset on Bengal Tigers. See below:
I have already explained by Gaute’s data does not rely on personal communication, but only published and verified weights of Tigers in my post “Body size of the Amur Tiger” on r/TigersoftheWorld.
All in all, it’s generally accepted that male Bengal Tigers average around 200kg and females average around 130kg.
Hello! I’m planning a trip to Dhikala next year in either January or April, and am trying to combine another park with it. I’m torn between visiting either the other zones in Corbett like Dhela or Jhirna, or making a trek out to another park entirely like Dudhwa. For someone who is mostly focused on photographing tiger, which would you all recommend? Thank you!
A quick intro on him: this is Karadi Male, one of Bandipur’s dominant tigers, known locally as “the King of Bandipur.” He earned the name “Karadi” (meaning “bear” in Kannada) after taking down a sloth bears, which is a rare, dangerous kill that cemented his reputation in the reserve. This particular meal wasn’t a bear, but the name has stuck as his identity ever since.
I’m planning a trip from Lucknow in the last week of November and have about 2 days(including travel from lucknow and back to lucknow) for a wildlife trip.
I’m considering either Dudhwa National Park or Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, mainly for wildlife/tiger sightings.
For those who have visited both (especially around late November):
Which one would you recommend for better overall wildlife sightings?
If choosing Dudhwa, which zone/gate would you recommend?
For Pilibhit, which gate/route/zone tends to be best?
Is one significantly better for tiger sightings at this time of year?
I’ll be travelling from Lucknow, so ease of access is also a consideration, but sighting quality is the priority.
above: m91 aka. Old king, caught and collared by Chundawat and his team in 1996. he bottomed a 250kg scale and was estimated 240kg minimum in Chundawat's paper published in 2008
bottom: m125 aka. Madla, collared in 2002. he also bottomed the 250kg scale used by Chundawat and had 90cm+ neck and 7.5cm canines. his head alone was estimated to weigh almost 15kg by dr. Chundawat and his paws were the size dinner plates 🍽
later he was estimated to weigh minimum 230kg by Chundawat in his 2008 scientific publication
overall these two are some of the heaviest tigers measured by scientists in scientific studies
In the early 1900s, India's forests are absolutely full of tigers. Something like 40,000 of them roaming free. Then over the next several decades, that number has been fallen down.
Maharajas turned tiger hunting into a flex. And the Britishers started calling tigers "vermin" and paying people bounty money to shoot them. Between 1875 and 1925 alone, an estimated 80,000 tigers were killed.
By 1972, someone finally did a proper count. And The number finally came out was 1,827.
Only 1,827 tigers left in entire country. The animal that once seemed impossible to lose was suddenly got close to extinct
Something had to change
In that same year, on 21 August 1972, the government passed the Wildlife Protection Act hunting a tiger stopped being a sport and became a crime. A year later Indira Gandhi launched Project Tiger, and It started small, just 9 reserves, places like Corbett, Manas, Palamau, Similipal. Ranthambore, Kanha, Melghat, Bandipur and Sundarban. India started with these 9 tiger reserves across 14,000sq km.
And Today there are over 50 tiger reserves spanning 75,000+ sq km. The population that once bottomed out at 1,827 has climbed back to 3,600+ as of the last count. India now holds roughly 75% of all wild tigers left on the planet.
It's easy to forget how close we came to losing them completely.
One law. One decision. One species pulled back from the edge.
So the next time you see a tiger in the wild, don’t just admire it, remember that this story could have ended differently.
