In an ominous sign for big cat protection efforts, a gigantic Royal Bengal tiger skin and over 200 pieces of skeletal bones were seized while being smuggled across the vulnerable Assam-Arunachal border on Saturday. Later, it was uncovered to be the skin of a fully-grown up Royal Bengal tiger, about 15 years of age and complete with the head, paws, nails and tail. STRING OF TIGER POACHING CASESNotably, this is only one in a string of cases of tiger poaching which has come to the notice of law enforcement agencies in the East. "The Royal Bengal tigers are spread across Assam, Arunachal and West Bengal. LARGEST AMONG THE BIG CATSThe Royal Bengal tiger (Panthera Tigris Tigris) is known to be the largest and most powerful sub-species of the cat family.

Source: India Today March 27, 2017 23:37 UTC