2023-09-30 by Khushi Goel
Why doesn't the tiger attack in a group?
Recognized by their reddish-orange coat with dark stripes, tigers are one of the most fascinating wild cats. They live in a variety of habitats but are mostly found in grasslands and forests. Tigers are the largest terrestrial mammal whose diet consists entirely of meat. They are powerful hunters with sharp teeth, strong jaws and agile bodies.
Tigers are said to be solitary and territorial animals. This means that they prefer to live alone in a specified space. When a tiger cub turns one and a half years old, they leave the mother-tiger and start hunting alone.
Tigers roam and hunt in large areas, known as ‘home ranges’ or ‘territories’. Based on the number of tigers and availability of food in the area, the forest-space is divided into multiple territories. Tigers do not patrol their range but they do mark their home range with urine and/or feces over a period of time to let the other tigers know that the space is occupied. These markings act as a mode of communication among tigers. Like the human population has name-plates in front of homes? Tigers leave these signs. They even scratch the trees sometimes to mark their presence in the region surrounding the trees. A tiger remains confined in its own territory and hunts within its boundaries.
Spotting two tigers living and hunting together is extremely rare. Wildlife scientists believe that tigers hunt alone and in designated spaces to avoid competition for food, mates and other resources. Their striped coats help them blend into their surroundings where they hide waiting for the prey to pass by. When they spot a prey, they sprint to attack, usually pulling the prey off its feet with their teeth and claws. If the prey animal is large, the tiger bites its throat to kill it; smaller prey is usually killed when the tiger breaks its neck.
Recently, two tigers were spotted running after a deer. Wildlife scientists were troubled with this rare occurrence and thought of possible reasons for the behavior. Can you think of a reason for this?
Do you know why tigers have stripes? Tune in to our podcast episode 4 from season 1 to know all about it!
References:
- https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/tiger
- https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/tiger
- https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/tiger/behavior/
- https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/where-do-tigers-live-and-other-tiger-facts#:~:text=Individual%20tigers%20roam%20across%20large,that%20the%20space%20is%20occupied
- https://www.tigersafariindia.co.uk/unleashing-the-secrets-of-bengal-tiger-territory-marking/