Tigers are one of the world’s most beautiful and captivating big cats, yet one of its most threatened species.
Tigers have so much more to offer than just unique stripe patterns and an intimidating roar; here are 10 incredible facts about tigers that you might not know! Here are 10 amazing facts about them.
1. They can climb trees
One of the most striking facts about tigers is their ability to climb trees. This skill enables them to escape predators or seek refuge when feeling threatened, and provides them with a better view of their environment which allows for more efficient hunting of prey.
Tigers use their strong grip and large paws to climb trees with ease, using their claws as anchors against falls or slip-offs from branches.
Tigers may be accomplished climbers, but they still can fall from trees without proper caution. Therefore, it’s essential that when they are present in trees it is wise to avoid contact.
2. They love water
Tigers often get the reputation for disliking water, yet this is not true of these large cats; in fact, they enjoy and depend upon swimming to survive.
They possess powerful bodies with webbed paws that enable them to become excellent swimmers – some can cover as much as 18 miles each day!
Tigers prefer water for stealth hunting. By hiding in its depths and waiting until their prey comes near enough to attack, tigers can easily use this environment as cover before moving in on them with precision.
Tigers utilize water as a form of relief and fur washing, using it to immerse their heads into ponds and rivers to wash their fur clean. Their saliva contains enzymes which kill bacteria quickly making this an effective first aid treatment option.
3. They are good swimmers
Tigers are adept swimmers, often taking to rivers and lakes to cool off by taking a dip, which allows their body temperature to stabilize while also ridding itself of insects that might otherwise bother them.
Tigers use their swimming abilities to hunt prey that seek shelter in water bodies, making them adept stealth hunters even when in the water.
They can easily swim across rivers in their territory for hours at a time, thanks to large heart ventricles which enable them to quickly push blood back into their bodies from being exposed to the water. Furthermore, their long hind legs help them move swiftly across it; and often entering backwards allows them to avoid getting water in their eyes which sets them apart from other big cats.
4. They make loud roars
Tigers use their powerful roar to communicate, attract mates and defend their territories – it can travel up to two miles!
Lion roars are often accompanied by body language such as baring of teeth and flattened ears, as well as making an audible clicking sound known as “chuffing”, similar to that of cow mooing.
Tigers may not meow, but they do possess the ability to produce infrasounds which can both paralyze prey and disrupt human hearing, acting both as lures and scarers for potential prey. These signals can also be used as means to lure or scare off rival predators.
Tiger stripe patterns are distinct and can be used to easily identify individual animals. Unfortunately, however, they have become endangered; with only 5,600 remaining in the wild today. Please take action now to help save these beautiful beasts by supporting conservation organizations fighting to conserve tiger populations! Providing donations could be one way of doing just that!
5. They are territorial
Tigers are known for defending large territorial ranges with fierce determination. Communication among them takes place via scent marking and vocalisation such as roars that can be heard up to three miles away, hissing and purring when inspecting potential mates or any potential invaders.
These predators tend to hunt during the night as many of their prey animals are nocturnal animals. They hunt by ambushing prey before pouncing upon it with incredible speed and power; sinking their canine teeth into its neck in order to immobilise it before pouncing.
Although tigers tend to live solitary lives, they can sometimes show some social behavior in certain circumstances. Tigers will share food with one another including mothers and cubs; male tigers will allow female tigers with offspring first access to feeding stations.
6. They eat a lot of meat
Tigers may eat some plant-based food like grasses and fruits occasionally, but they are considered obligate carnivores as their bodies cannot digest these sources effectively; thus they require animal meat for nutrition.
Tigers typically choose young, weak, or old animals of larger herds for hunting purposes.
Tiger teeth are razor-sharp, while their claws can reach 12 cm long. Tigers also possess strong scent glands used to mark their territories and communicate with other tigers, as well as produce powerful vocalizations which they use to express different emotions such as grunting, growling, roaring, snarling moaning or chuffing to express various aspects of themselves – their roar can often be heard up to one mile away – making it one of nature’s most potency animal sounds ever heard by other species!
7. They are fierce hunters
Tigers are adept hunters that can bring down large prey such as deer and wild boar. Generally hunting at night using their senses to stalk, ambush and surprise their targets, these deadly hunters use stealth tactics as part of their approach.
Meat provides them with protein and fat in abundance, and these predators have even been known to scavenge and steal kills from other predators.
One of the most fascinating tiger facts is that each individual tiger possesses its own distinctive pattern of stripes – like our fingerprints! This helps researchers quickly and accurately identify individual tigers in the wild.
Tigers are vital components of ecosystems and must be protected by humans. Unfortunately, however, they have become highly endangered in the wild due to poaching, habitat loss and illegal trade; breeding tigers for meat and fur trade is unsustainable and leads to unimaginable cruelty.
8. They can be trained
Tigers can be trained to display various behaviors by applying reward and discipline techniques. Some trainers employ both these strategies simultaneously; while others opt for natural solutions like feeding their animal(s), socializing with them, and providing environmental enrichment.
Tigers in the wild often hunt by ambush and ambush hunting is their specialty; their night vision can even outstrip our own six times better! They use this stealth approach to strike down their prey.
Tiger stripes can be hard to distinguish, much like our fingerprints. However, cub tigers can be trained to follow their mother’s scent in order to avoid starvation and death due to territorial males or human-caused causes of mortality. Pulleys and bungees with carcasses have proven successful at encouraging active behaviour as well as decreasing stress.
9. They are endangered
Tigers are top predators that play an essential role in keeping ecosystems healthy. By controlling herbivore numbers, tigers help other plants and animals flourish as well as protecting soil from erosion.
Tigers are unfortunately one of the world’s most endangered species, with poaching, illegal trading of parts from them, habitat loss and human-wildlife conflicts all contributing to their decline.
Only five subspecies of tigers currently survive in the wild today and are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Their iconic big cats have provided inspiration in music videos and movies as well as logos and fashion – so now it is time to protect them through supporting wildlife conservation efforts – together we can save tigers!
10. They are beautiful
Tigers are powerful, fierce creatures that have inspired songs, stories and films over time. As symbols of strength, courage and power they play an integral role in culture – being used as team mascots, logos and fashion brands’ mascots among many other ways.
These animals use their stripes to camouflage themselves and hide behind bushes to surprise their prey. Plus, they possess antiseptic saliva that they can use to lick wounds faster.
There are six species of tigers found throughout the world, such as Bengal Tigers, Indochinese Tigers, Sumatran Tigers, Siberian Tigers and White Tigers. Bengals may breed with lions to produce hybrid offspring called Tigons.