↓ Continue Reading To See This Amazing Video
Key Points:
- This article covers a video showing two men trying to scare a large wild cat away from them.
- While there is a body of water between the wild cat and the men, the men are still not safe.
- Most may not realize that tigers are actually fantastic swimmers and will swim to attack prey.
The largest and most recognizable of the big cats, tigers are nocturnal carnivores. They can be found in a variety of environments around Asia, with most of them being in India, but they can also be found in China, Russia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Orange fur, dark vertical markings, and a white belly make tigers easy to identify.
They are nighttime ambush predators that silently scout their prey before pouncing! The vocalizations they use to communicate include growling, grunting, hissing, and even miaowing like a house cat. They also leave scent marks. According to experts, each vocalization conveys a different message.
Termites and elephant calves are only two examples of the wide range of prey that tigers consume. Yes, these jungle giants will eat just about anything, no matter its size. Nevertheless, large-bodied animals weighing 45 pounds or more, such as elk, deer species, swine, cows, horses, bison, and goats, form an essential part of their diet.
Tigers are defensive and frequently live alone. Tigers are typically solitary animals, only briefly engaging with one another during mating and infrequently sharing a kill. Yet, there have been a few confirmed cases of tigers working together on a hunt, much like the pride of lions. There aren’t many predators of adult tigers.
The primary predators of these cats are people. However, because of the enormous size and strength of these beasts, they are also at risk from elephants and huge buffalo. Agility, long claws, and sharp teeth are all protective traits of these huge cats.
A Close Call
A group of men was trying to shoo off a wild tiger from their village by standing on a boat. Instead of being scared off by the loud sounds, including fireworks and banging on wood, the tiger leaps towards the men.
Most tigers won’t attack a person unless they can physically satiate their wants without doing so. Tigers are often scared of people and don’t frequently express a taste for human flesh. Despite being relatively simple prey, humans are not a preferred source of food.
©Gerckens-Photo-Hamburg/Shutterstock.com
Some might think people will be safe from these big cats if a body of water is between them. Unfortunately for people, tigers are incredible swimmers. While your average house cat may cringe at just the thought of water, tigers don’t let it get in their way.
They have powerful bodies and big webbed paws, which help them swim well. Tigers have been observed swimming up to 18 miles across rivers. Thankfully, this feline didn’t want to fight the humans. Although it was outnumbered, a single tiger can easily take down multiple men.
The tiger swims to the water’s edge and quickly camouflages into the tall grass. It’s not common for tigers to walk into villages unless they’re looking for food. They could be stalking a pig that may live in a village or be so hungry that people start to look appetizing.
Up Next:
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.
