There is a type of tiger with a distinctive blackish-blue coat and dark black stripes; it's called the blue tiger, also known as the black tiger or black-blue tiger. Historically, records indicate that the mysterious blue tiger was distributed in Fujian, Hubei, Hebei, Sichuan, and other places, and it has been spotted more than once in Miyun, Beijing. However, due to the lack of photographic evidence, most people question whether the mysterious blue tiger truly exists.
However, blue tigers have indeed been spotted in India! So far, only six blue tigers have been found in India, making them extremely rare.
The blue tiger is a rare tiger species in China, shrouded in legend. The first Chinese dictionary, the *Shuowen Jiezi* (a dictionary of Chinese characters), defines it as: "The unicorn is a black tiger." It is said that blue tigers were discovered in Hebei Province during the Qing Dynasty. Furthermore, blue tigers were hunted twice in Hebei, in 1905 and 1912.
In 1924, an American claimed to have discovered a blue tiger in Fujian and wrote a book called "The Blue Tiger" to record his discovery of the blue tiger and its appearance. He described the tiger as having "very beautiful markings, with a blue-gray base and distinct stripes."
In 1951, a pair of small blue tigers were discovered in Miyun, Beijing.
In 1957, again in Miyun, Beijing, a mysterious blue tiger appeared. Witnesses described it as robust, with dark black stripes on its light black fur, and nocturnal. Locals recounted that since the presence of the ferocious blue tiger in the mountains, wolves had never been seen again. This demonstrates the blue tiger's dominance over the forests; wolves dared not approach within a ten-mile radius, lest they compete with the tiger for food.
In the 1970s, staff at the Silipal Tiger Reserve discovered two adult blue tigers, but there is no photographic evidence.
In 2007, infrared cameras captured images of three blue tigers at the Silipal Tiger Reserve, causing a sensation. Since then, sightings of blue tigers have been reported on numerous occasions.
In November 2020, a photographer inadvertently captured images of two robust blue tigers at the Silipal Tiger Reserve, saying, "I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw blue tigers." The tigers in the photos have the same body shape as ordinary tigers, but their thick black stripes are impossible to ignore. The black is most concentrated on their backs, which appear as black as ink, with yellow fur interspersed on their sides. Their limbs are mostly yellow, while their tails are almost entirely black, and the black stripes on their foreheads are also very prominent. The white spots on their ears are even more noticeable against the black background, somewhat resembling two "large eyes." Judging solely from their coat coloration, they differ somewhat from the blue tigers described in Chinese historical records.
Two blue tigers were strolling leisurely. After a while, they simply squatted down and lazily yawned. A moment later, they got up and went into the woods, wandering freely within the forest.
Currently, blue tigers have only been found in the Silipal Tiger Reserve, and there are only six individuals in total. Of course, previous reports of blue tigers are questionable due to a lack of evidence in the wild, but this does not mean that eyewitnesses fabricated the existence of blue tigers.
According to the reserve's monitoring, blue tigers go out and about day and night, but they are very leisurely during the day. Sometimes they lie down to rest, as lazy as a cat, and sometimes they wander around, unhurried, as if they are on vacation.
But at night, the lazy big cat, Blue Tiger, transforms into an excellent hunter. Its jet-black coat blends seamlessly with the darkness of the night, and when it dashes through the forest, it is as mysterious and swift as a phantom.
The blue tiger's main prey consists of wild boar and deer, with a particular fondness for the meaty wild boar. One night, the blue tiger fiercely pursued a wild boar weighing approximately 300 pounds. Upon catching up, it struck with deadly force, but the boar, with its thick hide and tough flesh, proved difficult to subdue, charging and ramming the blue tiger with brute strength. The blue tiger leaped aside, skillfully dodging the boar's charges, and circled around to attack from behind, engaging in a prolonged struggle before finally subduing the boar. After a hearty meal, it can go five days without eating.
When blue tigers are lazy, they may not seem very intimidating, but when hunting, they are incredibly fierce, agile, and wild, possessing formidable fighting power. At this time, a blue tiger will attack any herbivore it encounters, sparing even monkeys with little flesh on their bodies.
The tigers living in the Silipal Nature Reserve are Bengal tigers, and the blue tiger is a variant of the Bengal tiger, caused by a genetic mutation, just like the white and golden tigers. The reason it turns black is similar to that of the black panther, resulting from severe melanin deposition in its skin or fur.
Human activities have fragmented tiger habitats. Geographical isolation has isolated tiger populations, resulting in very limited gene exchange and severe inbreeding, which in turn makes them prone to genetic mutations.
Currently, the blue tiger is on the verge of extinction. We hope to protect it well so that it can continue to thrive and allow future generations to witness the true appearance of this mysterious tiger.
