The Golden Tiger of Kaziranga
Explore the extremely rare Royal Bengal Tigers with light golden color fur & the National Park
Yesterday, I saw the news ‘Golden Tiger Kaziranga National Park’ trending on my feed. “Golden Tiger, what’s that?” is the instant thought that came to mind. As a child, I saw a White Tiger at a zoological park. Last year, I also wrote about the very rare Melanistic Tigers. How different could a golden tiger be?
What is a Golden Tiger?
The Golden Tiger Kaziranga was spotted among the Royal Bengal Tiger species at the National Park. It grabbed the attention of wildlife lovers because of the lighter yellow or pale golden color of the skin. It is noteworthy that they are not a subspecies.
The variation in skin color is due to pigmentation. Often, the black stripes are missing or too faded to be seen. The difference in patterns or color is attributed to a rare recessive trait found among Royal Bengal Tigers. This trait prevents black hair growth.
It was not the first time spotting, though. Golden tigers were seen at the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve before as well. But that was three years ago. Since then, they have become elusive. Until now.
Though pigmentation and different colors are not uncommon among various species, the existence of the golden tiger is actually very rare. Their origin is traced to white tigers. People also claim inbreeding is the result of the change in skin color among golden tigers, but the evidence in support of this idea is limited.
Explore Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve, Assam
With the mighty Brahmaputra river flowing through it, the Kaziranga National Park comprises an area of 430 sq. km. The park is spread over the Nagaon and Golaghat districts of the North-Eastern state of Assam. If you ask me ‘Kaziranga National Park is famous for which animal?’ I will have to list the following:
- One-horned rhino
- Royal Bengal Tiger
- Asian Elephant
- Wild Water Buffalo
- Swamp Deer
Altogether, they form the Big 5 of Kaziranga NPTR. Other important fauna found here include Chinese Pangolin, Indian Pangolin, Sloth Bear, Small Indian Civet, etc. With the river on one side and the grand Karbi Anglong hills in the background, you will find nature’s best in this semi-evergreen forest.
Two-thirds of the vulnerable (VU) one-horned rhino is found here. UNESCO recognizes Kaziranga as a World Heritage Site. The National Park is also an important bird area, with migratory birds flocking in.
The best time to visit Kaziranga National Park is from November to April. It is the only time of the year when the park remains open.
Read more about year-round Kaziranga Temperature here.
How to reach Kaziranga National Park?
The nearest airports are Guwahati International Airport (217 km) and Jorhat Airport (97km). After your flight lands here, you will have to travel by road to reach your destination. Opt for a cab or take the state transport (bus) to make your journey affordable. This is the quickest way.
Taking a train will be much more affordable. However, it is more time-consuming. Read in detail about how to reach Kaziranga here.
End Note
If you love nature, wildlife, photography, and spending time with locals to learn something new, Kaziranga is the place you should visit. Apart from these 4 things to do in Kaziranga, you can also buy handicrafts and go for jungle safari.
