Black Tigers are a rare colour variant of the tiger and are not a distinct species or geographic subspecies. Reports suggest an estimated 37% of Panthera tigris in the Simplipal Tiger Reserve are pseudomelanistic, characterised by wide, merged stripes. This is the result of the rare mutation in one gene, Transmembrane Aminopeptidase Q. If you pick any tiger from Similipal, the chance that it carries the mutant gene is almost 60%.
The mystery behind these Black Tigers has lasted for almost half a century now since it was first spotted in Simplipal Tiger Reserve. It is said to be the only tiger habitat in the world this gene of tigers that have broad black stripes running across their bodies, thicker than those seen on normal tigers.
(Information Source: The Hindu)
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