Animals may live for up to two decades on average, but there are certain outliers where they can live for even longer. Few creatures are fortunate enough to be the oldest in their species. Meet the world’s oldest tiger, a 25-year-old Bengali tiger.
Since 2000, Bengali has resided at a wildlife refuge near Tyler, Texas. She will be 26 on August 31. In the wild, tigers usually live for 12 years. They live 15-20 years in captivity.
But this isn’t about a life-loving Bengali tiger.
The tiger is the focus of everyone’s attention. The staff at the sanctuary joke that they serve her meals on a silver platter. It’s actually stainless steel, but it seems to be silver because it’s Bengali. Because the species is endangered, animal enthusiasts go to great lengths to ensure its survival.
The female tiger was first shy at the refuge, but she has since become an integral part of it. Every Bengali’s birthday has been commemorated in a unique way.
This tiger, along with the rest of the sanctuary’s residents, is in good hands. They have the ideal living conditions: clean water, a pool to cool down in, toys, trees, climbing platforms, and so forth.
