Tigers are large mammalian predators of the cat family. In the biological classification, all species of the animal belong to the genus panther. According to paleontological studies, tigers appeared about 2 million years ago in Central Asia. About 10 thousand years ago, their habitat expanded significantly, capturing Malacca, Hindustan and part of the nearby islands.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, there was a massive extermination of the species by humans, which led to both a reduction in the range and a catastrophic decrease in the number of animals, some of the subspecies of which were completely destroyed. All species of tigers that have survived to this day are listed in the International Red Book with the status of “endangered species” and are protected.
Description
Tigers belong to the panther genus along with the lion, leopard and jaguar. The worldwide population numbers up to 6,500 individuals. It includes several subspecies of the tiger. In general, this is one of the largest predators living on land, but each subspecies has its own characteristics.
Cat family
Dimensions
Among the subspecies, mainland and island representatives are distinguished. Continental ones are larger and more massive. These include Bengal and Amur tigers. The body length of males is 2.3-2.5 m, sometimes the size reaches 2.9 m excluding the tail.
The height at the withers of an adult male is up to 1.15 m. Females of all subspecies are smaller in length and height.
Tiger growth
Body
Features of the body structure are one of the main advantages of the tiger. It looks large and massive, but at the same time, elongated and flexible. In the shoulder region the animal is higher than in the sacrum. At the same time, the front part is more developed compared to the back.
The long tail is characterized by evenly distributed hair. The front paws have 5 toes, the hind paws have 4. The claws of tigers are strong and retractable, like those of all cats. Males leave tracks 15-16 cm long and 13-14 cm wide. The tracks of females are 1-2 centimeters shorter and narrower.
Tiger retractable claws
The head is round in shape with a massive skull. The forehead is convex, the facial part prominently protrudes, on which the cheekbones are widely located. The ears are small and rounded.
Tiger head close up
A tiger's whiskers, called vibrissae, are arranged in several rows. Most often they are white, dense, and about 16 cm long. Vibrissae, like those of other mammals, perform a tactile function.
The vision of predators is well developed, including the ability to see in the dark. Tigers also see certain colors. An adult has 30 teeth. The fangs can reach 8 cm in length. They are well developed, as they help the predator hunt. The tiger's tongue has special tubercles that facilitate hygiene and food processing.
Eyes of a tiger
Interesting fact : the eyes of tigers can be yellow or blue. This depends on the color of the species, since one gene is responsible for eye and coat color. For example, white tigers have blue eyes, Bengal tigers have yellow eyes.
Color
The type of coat also depends on the subspecies of the tiger. Inhabitants of northern latitudes have tall, fluffy fur. The southern subspecies are distinguished by their short, sparse, but dense coat.
All tigers are striped, but their characteristics are determined by the subspecies. The fur of most animals is colored in shades of orange, rusty red, and brown. Light hair predominates on the belly, chest, inside of the paws, tail, neck and area around the eyes. The tip of the tail is always black.
Classic tiger color
Dark brown or black stripes are a characteristic feature of a tiger. They can be located at any distance from each other. In this case, the stripes have a certain shape - pointed at the end. As a rule, the stripes are less frequent in the upper part of the body, and denser in the lower part.
Otherwise, the stripes are unique to each individual. Experts often use this feature of animals to identify a particular individual. The original color is necessary for tigers to camouflage while hunting.
Interesting fact : tigers not only have striped fur, but also their skin itself. If you completely remove the hair, you can see an identical striped pattern. When the fur grows back, he will recover.
Tiger skin
Unusual color variations
In addition to the typical color, there are also more unusual options. Each of them is a specific mutation. These include white, golden tigers, as well as officially unconfirmed individuals with black and bluish-gray fur.
White tiger without stripes
White Bengal tigers are more common in captivity than in the wild. Approximately one in 10,000 tiger cubs may be born with this mutation. The white tiger has dark stripes and blue eyes.
White Bengal tigers
Golden tigers are considered rarer. About 30 of these individuals are kept in captivity. Scientists believe that such an unusual color appeared as a result of long-term reproduction of predators within one family group.
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Golden Tiger
A tiger's hind legs are longer than its front legs
This physiological feature allows predators to jump forward at a distance of up to 10 meters. The bones of a tiger's front paws are strong and dense enough to support the large muscles needed to bring down large prey.
The bones in each paw are tightly connected by ligaments, which allows the animal to soften the landing after jumping. Tigers have large, soft paws that help them silently stalk prey in the Asian jungle.
How long do tigers live?
Among tigers there are real long-livers - the average life expectancy depends on the subspecies. In general, there is a general pattern: in captivity, animals can live approximately 5 years longer.
Amur predators live about 15 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity. Bengal tigers have the same average age, but in artificially created conditions they can live up to 50 years.
In the wild, Chinese, Indochinese and Sumatran tigers live up to about 18 years of age. The record holder among these felines is considered to be the Malayan tigers, which in the wild live up to almost 50 years, and in an artificial environment - 5 years longer.
Long-lived Malayan subspecies
The lifespan of tigers depends on many factors. In captivity, it is important to create the most suitable living conditions.
melkiy-tigrenok-afonasiy-bereda-18.jpg
Photo: Afanasy Bereda, courtesy of
Behavior and lifestyle:
Tigers are almost constantly on the move. Walking around their territory, they look for prey. Tigers, like other cats, mark the boundaries of their territory with odorous marks. They also scrape the ground or, standing on their hind legs, tear off the bark from trees. Such “bullies” can sometimes be found at a height of 2–2.5 meters above the ground.
Tigers are conservative - they use the same paths for years and, if there is enough food within their territory, they never leave them.
The sizes of tigers' habitats vary. They depend on the sex and age of the animal and on how many ungulates are found in the area. Tigresses with small cubs, for example, use a much smaller territory for living and hunting than solitary animals.
The Amur tiger has enormous strength and well-developed sense organs. At the same time, he has to devote a lot of time to hunting. Tigers hunt mainly large ungulates. To catch prey, a tiger crawls towards its prey, arching its back and resting its hind paws on the ground. Only one out of ten attempts is successful. And if the throw ends in failure, the tiger will prefer not to pursue the victim, but to look for a new one. When there is little game in the forests, Amur tigers sometimes attack large livestock and dogs.
Nutrition:
The tiger's diet mainly consists of wapiti, wild boar and sika deer. The tiger's daily food intake is 9-10 kilograms of meat. For the prosperous existence of one individual, about 50-70 ungulates per year are needed.
The Amur tiger can not only hunt, but also fish - during spawning, it catches fish on the rifts of mountain rivers.
How much does a tiger weigh?
Like its size, the weight of a tiger depends on its belonging to a particular subspecies. Amur males weigh 170-250 kg. Sometimes there are real giants - about 300 kg. Females weigh almost half as much - 100-167 kg.
Bengal tigers have some differences in weight even within their subspecies. For example, the average weight of males living in India is about 221 kg, and in Nepal - 235 kg. Only some individuals reach 300 kg or more. Females weigh on average 140 kg, but not more than 193.
Interesting fact : the absolute record holder among Bengal tigers and the entire species is a male weighing 388.7 kg.
Indochinese tigers are less massive. Males weigh 150-195 kg, females - 100-130 kg. As with other subspecies, there are also larger individuals.
Comparison of cat species
Malayan tigers are one of the smallest of all subspecies, along with Sumatran tigers. The weight of males is about 120 kg, and females - no more than 100. Scientists believe that these tigers are smaller than their relatives, as they are adapted to life in dense tropical forests.
The Chinese subspecies is also distinguished by its relatively small dimensions. Males weigh 127-177 kg, and females - from 100 kg to 118. It is noteworthy that these are probably the fastest tigers, as in a short distance they can accelerate to 56 km/h.
Indochinese, up to 200 kg
Lives in Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, etc. The Indochinese tiger can grow up to 2.55-2.85 m, weighing from 150 to 195 kg, but there are also some large specimens that weigh more than 250 kg. Females are slightly smaller, growing to 2.30-2.55 m and weighing from 100 to 130 kg. They have a dark color, shorter and narrower stripes.
Indochinese tigers lead a secretive lifestyle. Most often they hunt ungulates. There are between 1200 and 1800 left, but most likely the first number is correct. A large group of tigers lives in Malaysia. There were once many of them in Vietnam, but most of them (three quarters) were destroyed in order to sell their organs for the production of Chinese traditional medicine.
What does it eat?
Tigers are predatory animals, but this does not prevent them from eating plant products (fruits, nuts, etc.) from time to time. The diet of a species depends on the conditions in which it lives.
In the wild, tigers actively hunt mainly ungulates. Amur - for deer, roe deer, wild boars; Bengal - on Indian sambars, nilgai; Sumatran - for tapirs, sambars. In other words, prey depends on habitat.
Sometimes the diet includes large herbivores (buffalo, elk, gaur), fish, reptiles and animals uncharacteristic of tigers: hares, pheasants, etc. Predators try to avoid larger animals, for example, elephants and rhinoceroses. Although there are known cases of successful hunting.
Tiger on the hunt
An adult predator needs about 60 ungulates per year to fully satisfy its food needs. At one time, an animal can eat no more than 40 kg of meat, but if the tiger has been starving for a long time, then all 50 kg. Having overtaken large prey, it, as a rule, feeds on it for several days.
Interesting fact : tigers can go without food for some time. Their body is provided with subcutaneous fatty tissue, through which energy and valuable substances are replenished. For example, in the Amur subspecies the thickness of the fiber layer is about 5 cm.
Natural habitat
The formation of tigers as a separate species took place in Asia, and unlike many animals that gradually populated other continents during migration, the natural range of striped predators remained limited to the Asian continent.
Tigers are exclusively Asian animals
Elena
Scientists have still not come to a consensus why tigers have not settled in Africa and Europe. Some experts believe that the huge cats, accustomed to the humid tropics, did not like the hot African climate and the cold European forests. Other experts put forward the version that tigers were prevented from conquering new lands by such large predators as lions, which dominate Africa, and bears, which have chosen the mountainous and forest regions of Europe.
These fascinating animals were once widespread throughout Asia, including the Russian Far East and the Sunda Islands archipelago. But literally over the past century, the natural habitats of tigers have decreased significantly, and their small populations have remained in the territories of only 16 countries, such as:
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- Bangladesh;
- Laos;
- Pakistan;
- India;
- Butane;
- China;
- Thailand;
- Cambodia;
- Vietnam;
- Malaysia;
- Burma;
- Nepal;
- Iran;
- Indonesia;
- Russia.
The last country on this list should have been the DPRK (North Korea), at least the Koreans themselves claim that several tigers remain in the wild. But zoologists suggest that striped cats have already been completely exterminated in this country, although they can neither confirm nor deny the version of the existence of tigers in North Korea, given the fact that access to it is closed to members of world natural organizations.
Range – where does the tiger live?
Tigers are Asian animals. The historical range was considered to be the territories of Iran, the eastern part of the Russian Federation, China, Afghanistan, India, and the countries of Southeast Asia. But various factors (mostly human activity, deliberate extermination of tigers, poaching) have significantly reduced the population and distribution of the species.
Tiger range
Full list of 16 countries where tigers are found:
- India;
- China;
- Bangladesh;
- Thailand;
- Russia;
- Malaysia;
- Nepal;
- Pakistan;
- Laos;
- Vietnam;
- Butane;
- Cambodia;
- Iran;
- Myanmar;
- Indonesia;
- DPRK (data not officially confirmed).
The largest tiger populations are in India and the Indochina Peninsula. In our country, a small number of the species has remained in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories.
Tigers do not have specific preferences in terms of natural conditions and landscapes. They can live in tropical forests, mangrove swamps, and bamboo thickets with high humidity. Animals can also often be found in arid zones: savannas, semi-deserts, taiga zones. Tigers also feel comfortable at an altitude of up to 3 km.
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Made to kill. Structure and functions
The structure of all representatives of the cat family ideally corresponds to their hunting specialization. They are fluent in the art of covert pursuit, ambush and killing the victim. Different types of cats differ from each other mainly in coat color and size. Tigers, like other “big cats,” mainly hunt prey that is significantly larger than them; They are characterized by short front legs with well-developed muscles and long, sharp, retractable claws, with which they can grab and hold their prey. The skull is shortened, which enhances the leverage effect when working with powerful jaws. Tigers usually kill animals with a crushing bite to the back of the neck, although in some cases they strangle their prey by placing a death grip on its throat.
In order for the hunt to end in success, the tiger must first crawl as close to the prey as possible; then he straightens up to his full height and rushes to the attack, covering the remaining distance with several powerful leaps. Typically, a tiger attacks from behind, trying to grab onto the shoulder, neck or back of its prey. One in ten or even twenty attacks is successful.
These cats are unusually impressive in appearance: their orange-red and white fur is decorated with black stripes; The uniqueness of the color lies in the fact that each tiger can be identified by its unique arrangement of stripes. White tigers, which are quite widely represented in zoos (the stripes on their fur are most often chocolate-colored, so they cannot be considered full albinos), are descended from Mohan, a male Bengal tiger captured by the Maharajah of the Rewa district in India (now the state of Madhya Pradesh). Although the colors of tigers vary somewhat in different parts of their range (representatives of populations living in the rain forests of Southeast Asia are darker), the vertical arrangement of stripes, characteristic of all subspecies, provides these cats with excellent camouflage.
Behavior
Representatives of the cat family cannot be classified as nocturnal or diurnal animals - they can be active at any time of the day. But tigers still prefer to hunt in the morning, evening or night, and rest during the day.
Usually animals move in large steps, but they can also develop greater speed, especially in the process of chasing prey. Tigers love water and have proven themselves to be excellent swimmers, but they do not climb trees. A small exception is tiger cubs under 2 years old and weighing up to 60 kg.
Tiger in the water
For subspecies living in hot countries, swimming is a necessary activity that allows them to cool down. At the same time, predators are not afraid of low temperatures. They molt in spring and autumn.
Tigers rarely make any sounds except during the breeding season, during hunting, or in case of aggression. The animal has developed a habit of tracking down prey, moving along their tracks and trails.
It is extremely important for a tiger to mark its territory and protect it from strangers. Predators mark territories with an individual scent and this is the main method of communication between individuals.
Males occupy large territories - about 60-100 km2, and females occupy smaller territories - about 20 km2. Otherwise, the occupied area is determined by the habitat, the amount of food and the number of females (relative to males). Male tigers allow females (up to 4) into their territory, where each of them occupies its own area.
Animals move within their zone regularly along the same route, simultaneously marking the territory. They also provide several places for rest - a kind of den.
If another male violates the occupied territory, you can expect a serious fight, since this issue is extremely serious for tigers. Even walking through the designated area is unacceptable. Tigresses are not aggressive in this regard and often share their prey with other females.
Tiger fight
Felines do not hunt together. They single-handedly ambush prey in the winter or quietly sneak up on it (in the summer). When the distance between the predator and its target is reduced as much as possible, the tiger attacks sharply. He is able to jump 10 m in length and 5 m in height.
If the animal managed to escape, pursuit is possible, but not further than 150 m at high speed. The tiger can carry caught prey weighing up to 100 kg in its teeth. It will drag a larger animal along the ground.
Interesting fact : tigers do not know how to hunt from birth. In order for the predator to survive and provide itself with food, the mother tigress must teach her offspring hunting techniques.
Reproduction and care of offspring
Sexual maturity of male tigers occurs at the age of 4-5 years, females are ready to continue the race, reaching 3-4 years of age. These predators are polygamous; one male can have up to 3-5 partners during the mating season, while females mate with only one male.
Male and female meet only during the mating period
Tiger mating season
These predators can breed all year round, but the mating period usually falls in the winter months - December-January. Females signal their readiness to become mothers by leaving urine marks, which males use to find their chosen ones. If the tigress fails to become pregnant during the mating season, she will go into estrus again after a month or two.
Fights rarely arise between males for females, because they mate with tigresses living in their territory. But sometimes young tigers, who have not yet had time to acquire their own “harem,” lay claim to the female, and then the males, in a duel, find out which of them will get the striped lady.
Reproduction
Tigers are polygamous. Females become reproductively capable at the age of 3-4 years. Mating occurs in winter, but fertilization is possible only a few days a year.
Tigresses give birth every couple of years. Gestation lasts an average of 103 days. Females prefer to set up a den in closed, hard-to-reach places and not leave it for several years in a row.
Newborn tiger cubs
The birth of tiger cubs occurs in the spring. The brood most often consists of 2-4 individuals. One tiger cub or more than 4 do happen, but very rarely. Babies are born fully formed, but cannot take care of themselves.
Grown up tiger cub
The tigress fully provides them with everything they need for up to 18 months: she feeds them with milk, then takes them out of the den, and teaches them to hunt. Males do not participate in this process. Often, tiger cubs stay with their mother for up to 2-3 years or longer. Then they leave the habitat. The females remain nearby, while the males seek their own territory.
Conditions for keeping
Keeping brindle cats is not burdensome. Short-haired animals are combed once a week with a rubber mitten. Scottish and British cats have a thick undercoat that actively sheds twice a year, so the animals need to be brushed more often. A furminator can handle this task. The same rule applies to Siberian cats. Their luxurious fluffy coat sheds profusely in the spring and during the heating season. Tools such as a slicker and the same furminator will come to the rescue.
Breeders recommend giving the cat its own corner in the house, placing a house or bed there, as well as a scratching post. In addition, animals are given a place to litter and eat.
Bath days are organized twice a year. However, you should also remember that most cats are not happy about bathing. For example, the Scots and British are afraid of water like fire, but toygers and begals, on the contrary, love to swim. Therefore, it is important to take into account the characteristics of each breed and not force your pet.
The diet is selected depending on the breed, taking into account the recommendations of veterinarians.
Toygers inherited good health from their ancestors and experts do not give any special recommendations on nutrition.
Bengals should be fed natural high-protein foods or premium dry and wet food.
Tender Sokoke require a balanced diet fortified with taurine and vitamin E due to heart problems and metabolic disorders.
Mau are prone to allergies, asthma and heart disease, so they need special fortified food. Pet stores have lines of dry and wet food with a balanced composition that can maintain animal health.
It is recommended to feed Savannah with natural products: beef, poultry, ocean white fish, and give dry food as an addition to the main diet.
American Shorthairs, Scottish Shorthairs and British Shorthairs love to eat and are prone to weight gain. Therefore, animals need to be fed twice a day, and periodically pampered with boiled chicken breast.
Siberian cats need a balanced diet. For 1 kg of weight they give 30-60 g of feed. To maintain the beauty of their coat, cats under 3 years of age are given food containing 70% protein.
Enemies
The tiger is at the top of the food chain in its range, so it has few natural enemies. These include representatives of the canine family, other cats, brown, Himalayan and Malayan bears, and crocodiles. The main reason for hostility between predators is the fight for food. In addition, tigers sometimes deliberately hunt these animals.
Bears are the main enemies of tigers
Facts 16-20
16. The tiger's penis does not stand straight when it is aroused, it is covered with bone and special teeth that help it remain connected to its partner during copulation.
17. Tigers prefer to hunt large prey from ambush. If you look a tiger in the eyes, it is unlikely to attack, as the element of surprise will be lost. In India, many people traditionally wear masks on the back of their heads while walking in the forest to prevent attacks from behind.
18. Tigers do not usually view humans as prey, but will attack if they are threatened. In most cases, a tiger will deliberately attack a person only when there is no other prey available or when habitat is lost.
19. A small number of tigers developed a taste for human flesh and became man-eaters. One tigress, having once protected her cubs from humans, began to feed exclusively on people. She is believed to be responsible for the deaths of 430 people.
20. Thanks to their instinctive characteristics of ambush hunting, even man-eating tigers do not attack entire human settlements; they approach from the outskirts and attack lonely people. They tend to hunt at night, when people are less likely to see him sneaking around.
Subspecies of tigers
There are currently 6 subspecies of tiger:
- Amur;
- Bengal;
- Indo-Chinese;
- Chinese;
- Malay;
- Sumatran.
The Bali, Transcaucasian and Javan tigers are considered extinct.
Transcaucasian (Turanian tiger)
The Amur or Ussuri tiger is found primarily in Russia, but is also found in China and North Korea. Population – from 450 to 540 individuals. The largest subspecies, as well as a representative of felines in general. It is distinguished by fluffy, long, dense wool of a duller color compared to other subspecies and fewer stripes on the body.
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Amur tiger
The Bengal tiger is found in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Unpretentious to natural living conditions. Population – from 1300 to 2000 individuals. Often suffers from poaching. The most well-known mutation is white with or without dark stripes.
Bengal tiger
Interesting fact : the roar that the Bengal tiger makes is so loud that it can be heard at a distance of about 3 km.
The Indochinese subspecies is distributed in Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia (the largest population) and southern China. Another name is Corbet's tiger.
Indochinese tiger
Number - from 600 to 1200 individuals. Differs in smaller dimensions than previous subspecies and darker wool. It behaves secretly in the wild, so its lifestyle has been little studied.
Chinese or South Chinese is the rarest subspecies. It will probably no longer be found in the wild. Number - from 20 to 30 individuals. These are the fastest tigers, reaching speeds of more than 50 km/h over short distances. Previously they lived in the mountainous forested areas of China. The subspecies is in danger of extinction in the near future.
Chinese tiger
The Malayan subspecies is found only on the Malacca Peninsula, which is part of three countries at the same time: Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar. Tigers are common in the southern Malaysian part of the peninsula. Population from 600 to 650 individuals. This is one of the smallest representatives of the species, which is similar in appearance to the Indochinese.
Interesting fact : the Malayan tiger is the national symbol of Malaysia, depicted on the country's coat of arms and various emblems.
Malayan tiger
The Sumatran tiger is found on the island of Sumatra (Indonesia). Population of 400 to 500 individuals. The smallest subspecies, particularly aggressive. It is capable of making even long runs in pursuit of prey thanks to its powerful paws and light weight.
Sumatran tiger
Sumatran, up to 130 kg
Found only on the island of Sumatra. It is considered one of the smallest species, but is also one of the most aggressive. It is orange or slightly reddish in color, with black stripes, they are even on the paws. The length of females is from 1.8 to 2.2 m, and that of males is from 2.2 to 2.7 m, females weigh from 70 to 90 kg, males are slightly larger - from 110 to 130 kg.
It chooses jungles, mountain forests, and savannas to live, giving preference to areas with rich vegetation.
The Sumatran tiger does not like to sit in ambush. Having sniffed out the prey, he first sneaks up to it, and then jumps out on it from his hiding place and begins the chase. Their small size and powerful paws are adapted for long pursuits; they can cover enormous distances, sometimes without leaving their prey for several days.
The Sumatran game is on the verge of extinction, currently there are no more than 300-500 species left. The Indonesian authorities are doing everything possible to preserve it; they created a reserve for these animals back in 2011.
Tiger menace
Tigers are included in the International Red Book - hunting them has been prohibited since 1947. Also, some subspecies are included in national and regional CCs, including the Amur tiger, which is included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.
Three subspecies are considered extinct, the rest are endangered. For example, there are only a few dozen South Chinese tigers left in the world.
Types of the Ussuri Nature Reserve (Primorsky Territory)
The main reason for the decline in animal populations is hunting and human economic activity. Currently, the problem of poaching is pressing.
However, in order to preserve the species, protected areas are created. In an artificial environment, specialists are working to renew the population - new offspring are released into nature within nature reserves.
Enemies of a tiger in the wild
The main enemy of the tiger has been and remains man, through whose fault these magnificent creatures are in danger of extinction. But striped cats have no serious opponents among representatives of the animal world that share their habitat with the tiger. Most animals, including such large predators as leopards and bears, avoid the tiger's territory and try not to even catch their eye.
Few animals would risk messing with such a ferocious beast as a tiger
In fairness, it is worth noting that Asian tigers have practically no competitors. But the Amur tigers are less fortunate, because next door to them lives a dangerous and formidable enemy - the Ussuri brown bear. And meetings of these two predators often develop into fierce fights for life and death.
Amur tigers and Ussuri bears have always been at enmity with each other
Most often, conflicts arise between a tiger and a bear over prey, but sometimes huge cats deliberately attack the clubfooted inhabitants of the taiga, and this happens if there are few herbivores in the forests, and the tigers have to starve. Typically, striped predators hunt small bear cubs or young, immature individuals, but they can also choose an adult bear as their prey. And although the brown “master of the taiga” is more powerful and larger, in 7 out of 10 cases he loses to the more dexterous, cunning and resourceful tiger, which patiently waits in ambush and then in one jump overtakes the prey and inflicts a mortal wound in the throat, or grabs the bear in the scruff, breaking his spine with one blow.
Interesting fact: in the wild, tigers and bears are enemies, but in captivity they can become true friends. This is what happened in the US state of Georgia, when animal activists found three emaciated creatures in a poacher’s basement: a tiger cub, a lion cub and a bear cub. Volunteers settled the foundlings in one of the enclosures of the local zoo, and the young animals immediately found a common language with each other. Moreover, as they grew older, the warm friendship between the lion, tiger and bear became stronger, and for 13 years now they have remained inseparable friends.
Inseparable friends: the tiger Sherkhan, the bear Baloo and the lion Leo.
Tigers and people
The relationship between people and tigers is not easy. There are quite a lot of people who want to save this species, people who are working to restore the tiger population. At the same time, predators pose a serious danger. This is especially true for some countries and certain territories.
Very rarely, tigers attack people specifically for the purpose of obtaining prey. In most cases, they confuse a person with an animal. Or the female rushes to protect her offspring.
Tiger in the Indian Sundarbans
It happens that tigers, weakened, wounded, expelled from their territory, also begin to attack people, as well as livestock, because they cannot get other food for themselves. It is known that in the Sundarbans Nature Reserve (India) there are frequent cases of tiger attacks, since the predators there are accustomed to people and are not afraid of them.
Tigers have the largest fangs of any big cat species
The fangs range in size from 6.4 to 7.6 centimeters in length. The fangs have numerous pressure-sensitive nerves that allow the tiger to determine the location needed to cut the neck of its prey.
The back teeth allow the predator to remove meat from prey, like a knife blade. Small incisors located at the front of the mouth (between the two upper and lower canines) help the animal tear meat and feathers from its prey. Tigers swallow large pieces of meat that are torn off whole.
All cats have primary teeth, which appear within a week or two after birth. These teeth are called baby teeth, similar to human baby teeth. Baby teeth are eventually replaced by permanent teeth. Interestingly, tigers have fewer teeth than other carnivores. They grow 30 teeth, dogs grow 42 teeth.
Who is stronger: a lion or a tiger?
There is no official scientific answer to this question, since in nature lions and tigers rarely engage in fights. Also, the clenching force of the jaws of predators is approximately the same. In terms of endurance, they also remain equal - they are able to cover long distances at high speed.
But some facts speak in favor of tigers. They are heavier than lions (the average weight of a lion is about 180 kg), therefore they are capable of delivering more powerful blows with their paws and the whole body. Felines hunt in the same way. But lifestyle plays a big role here.
Lion and tiger
If lions are used to living in a large flock, then tigers are loners, especially when it comes to hunting. Lions rely on each other, but the tiger relies only on its own strength, so it is better adapted to survival.
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Facts 6-10
6. Male tigers “capture” larger territories than females, so their areas often overlap and tigers mate in this way. The territories of adult females never intersect at all, and the same situation is with the territories of adult males.
7. Tigers usually do not roar at other animals, however, they communicate with each other using roars. When a tiger is about to attack, it does not growl, but, as a rule, hisses or snorts.
8. When several tigers are catching one large prey, the males will almost always wait for the females and cubs to eat first, unlike lions who do the opposite. Tigers rarely argue or fight over prey, they simply wait their turn.
9. Each tiger's stripes are as unique as a person's fingerprint.
10. The markings on the tiger's forehead resemble the Chinese character for "king", giving the tiger cultural status as a royal animal.
