by Christine Hogg
It’s rare to see a photo of a wild animal, especially a tiger, unless it’s from behind the bars of a cage in a zoo. There are nine species of tigers, but in the last 100 years alone, more than 93 per cent of their range has shrunk, which means that many today are bred in captivity. Those that are left in the wild roam only through the sweltering jungles of Asia, and in small parts of Europe, in Siberia’s frigid mountains and forests. Here are the 20 most striking images of tigers in the wild that you need to see.
Tiger territory is shrinking
Siberian tigers are the largest feline in the world, but there are only about 550 of them left. Economic threats like wars and hunting have pushed Siberian tigers out of Korea, China, and Mongolia. Now, they can only be found in the Sikhote-Alin mountain ranges of Far East Russia.
Eye of the tiger
Tigers rely on the element of surprise for a successful hunt. In fact, a tiger is less likely to attack if you make eye contact. When looking for food, a tiger will conceal itself in tall grasses or bushes and lie in wait for the perfect opportunity.
Tiger play fight or territory brawl?
Unlike lions, which have a serious social circle, tigers are solitary animals. When they are small cubs, they’ve been known to frolic and play fight with one another. But come adulthood, playing is rare, and when two big male cats go up against one another, it usually ends in bloodshed.
Tiger roaring explained
Despite what movies have shown us, tigers don’t roar to scare away predators, or while attacking — that would give away the sneak attack. Tigers roar to communicate with other tigers, and can be heard up to two miles away! If a tiger is threatened, it will let out a terrifying growl or a hiss, as a warning.
A tiger submarine
Able to run at speeds exceeding 60 kilometres an hour (37 miles an hour) and clear a distance of five metres (16 feet) in a single bound, tigers can catch their prey in the air, on land, and even underwater. A tiger’s powerful back legs make for aggressive swimming, and enable them to easily catch unsuspecting prey, like fish or animals drinking at the water’s edge.
A tiger’s stomach has no bounds
Despite their frightening nature, when it comes to big cats, tigers are the least successful hunters in the feline world. Lions hunt in packs and share their kills, but tigers hunt alone, which means the attack has to be extremely planned. Tigers have been known to prey on just about anything, including wild bears, deer, fish, and even crocodiles.
Fear of man-eating tigers hurts conservation efforts
While it’s extremely rare, unfortunately, some wild tigers do develop a taste for human flesh. The causes behind this correlate directly with shrinking ecosystems and human interference. Most documented attacks were the result of humans encroaching on tiger territory, where the animal naturally defends its range and acts on instinct. In rare cases, tigers enter villages in search of food, and urban legends create fear amongst civilians.
Sleepy tigers make for hungry tigers
Tigers have been known to sleep upwards of 16 hours a day. It’s extremely rare to see any action, which is why many photographs of tigers show them in a relaxed manner. If a tiger is roaming around midday, it’s likely looking for prey, or planning an attack.
A tiger’s tone says everything
Tigers cannot purr, and so they communicate by roaring with one another. Depending on the range, the roar can serve to alert rival tigers that a particular territory is in use, to attract a new mate, or in a tigress, to communicate with her cubs if they stray from the den.
Tiger patrols are common in the animal kingdom
Male tigers have a larger territory than female tigers, and they are incredibly protective of it. Tigers constantly patrol their territory to make sure other tigers do not approach, and reassert dominance by spraying or rubbing their scent, so that others know to stay away.
Tigers are strategic hunters
It’s normal for tigers to go a few days without eating, because after a kill, they have enough sustenance. However, given that only one in ten hunts is generally a success, sometimes tigers have been known to have no food for up to two weeks. A well-planned attack is crucial to securing enough food, and a hungry tiger stops at nothing to feed.
Say ahh: a deeper look inside a tiger’s mouth
A healthy tiger has 30 teeth in total, including four sharp canines for biting, and molars for chewing. A tiger’s jaw is so flexible and powerful that they often catch prey much larger than themselves. The space between the sharp canines allows a tiger to hold onto its prey better.
Tiger stripes are ‘furever’
A Siberian tiger’s coat changes colours in winter and summer, to help with hunting techniques. The winter coat is always thicker and warmer, but also less bright in colouring. The reddish-brown markings of a tiger allow it to blend into the underbrush, and spring out and attack unsuspecting grassland prey.
Russian tigers brave the coldest place on earth
Siberian tigers have developed thicker fur coats than Bengal tigers, to keep warm in Siberia’s freezing arctic temperatures. Siberia is vast and cold, and the tigers who live there must compete with wolves and bears for their food source, and have been known to attack and kill both species if food sources become too low.
Tiger cubs get fresh meat from Mom
Tiger cubs are only about the size of a dog by four months of age. By six months, they can weigh up to 100 pounds, but are still not ready for a hunt. Only after one year are young tigers ready to hunt on their own, and until then, they rely on food from their mother.
Tigers can kill with a single bite
Upon attack, a tiger will attempt to kill its prey with a single bite to the neck. If the victim doesn’t die instantly, the tiger will hold on and the prey will suffocate. A tiger’s jaws are so powerful that a single bite can shatter bone, muscle, and gristle with one chomp.
Swimming tigers capture more than relaxation
Contrary to popular beliefs, tigers enjoy a cool dip every now and then. These big cats are excellent swimmers, and the tepid rivers provide much relief in the hot jungles of Asia. Tigers don’t test their aquatic feats for fun, though — they’re known to stalk through the depths in search of underwater prey, too.
Two-faced tiger
A tiger’s facial markings and stripes are completely individual, and no two tigers have the same patterns. It’s been said that the facial markings on a tiger closely resemble the Chinese character for “king”, which ties in beautifully with the tiger being known as the king of the jungle.
These tigers are rare, but real
White tigers are a rare breed, but they do exist in the wild. Only about one in ten thousand tigers carry this genetic trait, and unlike the characteristic gold eyes of their orange-furred counterparts, white tigers keep their piercing blue eyes straight through adulthood.
Nature is a tiger’s playground
Young Bengal tigers are not climbers by nature, but that doesn’t mean they don’t like to try. Their long, retractable claws help them scale tall trees in search of food. As these cubs get older, their increased weight makes it harder for branches, especially dry and dead underbrush, to hold their weight, so the majority of hunting takes place on the ground.
