Tiger Holidays: The Perfect Wild Adventure For Cat Lovers

The power of the natural world is all too often forgotten in our busy modern lives, but wildlife watching expeditions are one way that we can remind ourselves of the might and beauty of our planet’s natural forces and fellow living species. Many nature lovers will have their favourites, and wild cats are particularly beloved by many – as well as being one of the most impressive mammal families on Earth, they are one of the most diverse. Tiger holidays to India may not be the only wildlife travel options for cat lovers, but they are among the best for sheer range of feline species. The magnificent Bengal Tiger shares its habitat with an impressive array of other cats, ranging from the largest living cat species, the aforementioned Tiger, to the smallest recorded species, the Rusty Spotted Cat. Read on to find out more about these amazing creatures.

How Many Cat Species?

In total, there are 15 members of the Felidae family that can be found in India, not counting the domestic cat, a fact that may surprise those who visit the country on Tiger holidays. The species are: the Bengal Tiger, the Leopard, the Asiatic Lion, the Snow Leopard, the Clouded Leopard, the Lynx, the Caracal, the Golden Cat, the Asiatic Wildcat, the Leopard Cat, the Marbled Cat, the Fishing Cat, the Jungle Cat, the Rusty Spotted Cat, and the Pallas’ Cat. There is one other extant species that has been known to live in India, which is the Asiatic Cheetah – however, it is currently only found in Pakistan and Iran. This incredible diversity is testament to India’s natural fertility and biodiversity.

Big Cats

An especially noteworthy fact about India’s cats is that some of the world’s most powerful and fiercely territorial feline species are able to coexist. While seeking the country’s famous national animal, participants on Tiger holidays may also be lucky enough to witness a Leopard in the wild, as the forest habitats of these two mighty hunters have considerable overlap. Both big cats need vast areas to maintain healthy breeding populations, as each individual animal needs an extensive home range – which is why protecting large areas of wild land is such a central part of India’s conservation programme. Even more elusive than the Leopard, the Asiatic Lion is found only in Gir Forest National Park, while the country’s other two big cats – the Snow Leopard and Clouded Leopard – are mainly found in the Himalayan regions.

Small Cats

With the wide range of species of small wild cats living in India’s forests and mountains, those who take part in Tiger holidays have reported sightings of several, including: the lynx-like Jungle Cat and the water-loving Fishing Cat, which both favour similar habitats.