Can Tigers Climb Trees?

Tigers are one of the most ferocious and famous cats in the world. But can tigers climb trees? Here, we’ll find the answer to that question, and more. With some subspecies growing larger than lions, it’s no wonder so many people wonder about the tree-climbing habits of these striped big cats.

Unlike cheetahs, which live primarily in open savannahs, tigers around the world live in densely forested areas. They are much larger than leopards, mountain lions, bobcats, or bobcats, but not as large as polar bears or grizzlies. However, regardless of size or where they live, all tigers share many of the same behaviors.

Let’s learn more about these mighty top predators and answer the question: Can tigers climb trees?

Species Profile: Tiger

Tigers are one of the largest big cats. They are famously orange with pale bellies and black vertical stripes marking their entire body. Unlike lions, they lead a solitary life, with males and females coming together only to mate. Like a domestic cat, tigers have large, round ears, long whiskers, and teeth designed for chopping up meat. Tigers can make a variety of sounds, including roars, but they don’t purr.

Let’s learn more about these incredible animals.

Where does the tiger live?

Today, tigers have less than 5 percent of their original range. Population increases and human activity over the past few hundred years have reduced the number of wild tigers to fewer than 5,000 individuals. Tigers once lived from Turkey to the Russian Far East and as far south as the Sunda Islands in Indonesia. Today, due to their extremely fragmented habitat, they only live in isolated ranges within their former territories.

Tigers are forest cats. Some, such as the Bengal tigers of India, Nepal and Bhutan, actually live exclusively in mangrove swamps or mountains. But for most tigers, dense forests are their home. Tigers don’t mind water, and they hunt best when they have a lot of cover, which helps with their ambush-style hunting.

How many kinds of tigers are there?

Officially, there are only two subspecies of tigers: the continental tiger (such as the Amur or Siberian tiger, the Malayan tiger, the Bengal tiger and the Indochinese tiger) and the Sunda Island tiger. Previously, scientists actually divided tigers into nine different subspecies, three of which are extinct today. But can tigers climb trees? All native types of tigers — such as Siberian, Sumatran and Malayan tigers — have the same set of teeth and claws. So, if one person can climb trees, they probably can both.

But why do tigers climb trees? This can be a useful hunting or feeding tactic — before finding out whether tigers climb trees, let’s learn a little more about what tigers eat.

What do tigers eat?

Tigers are both top predators and keystone species. No matter what environment they live in, they are at the top of the food web. This means that adult tigers basically have a choice of food sources. Adult animals have no natural enemies other than humans. Tiger cubs feed on smaller prey such as fish, monkeys and wild boars. Adult tigers can kill adult deer, impala, buffalo, and any other medium to large mammal in their path.

Can tigers climb trees?

So, can tigers climb trees? We all know that certain felines, like the African leopard, spend most of their time safely in the trees, but what about tigers?

Well, the answer is yes! Tigers can and do often climb trees, especially when young. Trees provide a safe place to eat, sleep, and even hide from threats, such as big male tigers, or even humans. They also provide a potential ambush point – can you imagine a tiger lunging at you from a tree?

Although they do not use trees as frequently as leopards, tigers are very good at climbing. So, if a tiger is chasing you, just to be safe, don’t climb the tree; it won’t work.

Are tigers endangered?

Today, there are fewer than 5,000 tigers left in the wild. Recently, the population of the Indian subcontinent has stabilized and even started to grow slowly. Elsewhere, however, tiger populations continue to decline. This is especially true for the critically endangered Siberian and Sumatran tigers, both of which have fewer than 600 surviving members.

Unfortunately for tigers, they have been hunted relentlessly for centuries. On top of that, they have lost more than 90% of their habitat due to human activities. Tigers rely on large territories with plenty of prey. Without these things, coupled with the threat of poaching, their survival is uncertain.

what you can do to help a tiger

Tiger conservation relies on protecting tiger habitat and prey in suitable locations. Today, zoos like the San Diego Zoo are active in tiger conservation efforts. One of the easiest ways to protect tigers is to avoid buying anything that is said to be from tigers. That could be fur, teeth, bones or ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine. You can further support tigers by standing up against private ownership and the irresponsible keeping of these incredible wild animals.

Ian Warkentin

I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.

Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.