A very rare Golden Tabby tiger has been spotted in Kaziranga National Park in Assam. The tigress has been photographed by Mayuresh Hendre who works as a Naturalist with the luxury cruise ship. This is the only sighting of a Golden tiger in India. This female Golden tiger is believed to be the only recorded individual in the wild in the 21st century. Though there are earlier records of sightings in different parts of India from the 1900s, no photographic records exist in the wild, said Mayuresh Hendr.

The Golden Tiger or Golden Tabby Tiger is a very rare morph of a Royal Bengal tiger. This occurrence is believed to be caused due to recessive genes in individuals, as a result of inbreeding. In the wild, this is caused due to excessive inbreeding with a fragmented population, caused by habitat destruction and loss of connectivity. It has been learnt that the spotted Golden tigress is of reproductive age and has been seen marking her territory in the Eastern Range of National Park, thrice.