Tigers are creatures with many fascinating facts and features, including using urine to mark their territories and saliva as antiseptic treatment, using facial expressions and scent markings to communicate among themselves and each other.
Siberian tigers are one of the world’s largest cat species, yet are endangered. There are ways we can help save them – from raising awareness to spreading news of their situation.
1. They are nocturnal
Tigers generally prefer hunting at night as this allows them to rest and recoup energy before hunting again, and allows them to avoid humans or other predators who might be present during the daytime hunts.
Nocturnal tiger behavior has evolved as an adaptation to their environment. Tigers hunt in various habitats such as forests, mountains, deserts and grasslands using their stripes and fur to conceal themselves among underbrush, tall grass or bamboo thickets while stalking its prey before attacking by biting the throat or grabbing their neck – even killing an animal twice their size in one bite!
An amazing trait of tigers is their ability to produce infrasounds below human hearing range, creating infrasounds through vocal chord vibrations which cause sound waves to resonate differently than our ears can detect. This technique allows them to communicate with other tigers when mating season or heat is near; also used as warning systems when nearby.
Tigers are skilled swimmers, spending much of their time lounging in ponds, rivers, lagoons and swamps. Some species have even been observed to cross rivers that span 6-8 km long! Being adept swimmers allows tigers access remote parts of their ecosystem that other predators cannot.
Tiger cubs born into the wild are born blind and only open their eyes around two weeks later. Before then, they must use other senses – like scent – to find their mothers and siblings within the den when they’re newborns without seeing. This serves as an effective survival strategy as newborn cubs must locate them to survive.
One of the most fascinating tiger facts is their incredible vision at night! Tigers possess high concentrations of rod cells in their retinas that are more sensitive to movement than color-related cone cells; this allows them to see in low light conditions about six times better than humans can!
2. They are omnivorous
Tigers are among the world’s most stunning animals and boast a strong presence. Unfortunately, though, they’re also threatened by habitat loss, poaching, and captivity – making education about these gorgeous beasts both important and necessary to ensure they find safe habitat in nature. It is therefore paramount to spread knowledge of them among us all and assist their natural survival in the wild.
Tiger facts indicate that they are omnivorous feeders, eating both plants and meat. Their primary food sources are antelope and wild bovines; however, smaller mammals and reptiles will also be consumed along with birds, roots, fruit or any other parts of plants that come their way.
Tiger diets account for as much as 90 percent of their caloric needs, due to a very slow metabolism; thus tigers require additional food sources in order to maintain weight.
Tiger stripes act like fingerprints, making them easy to identify individuals. Tigers communicate via scent communication; when urine spraying occurs it indicates an animal marking their territory and potentially mating season. You can even track them by their droppings; their chemical messengers provide information such as hormone levels or even key information on specific animals.
Tigers typically kill prey by biting the nape of the neck, which can sever spinal cords and major blood vessels as well as breaking bones. Their front paw can also be used to smash skulls or crush ribs.
Tigers contain saliva with antiseptic enzymes called lysozyme enzymes that attack cell walls to provide antiseptic protection against wounds and prevent infection, hence why tigers often lick themselves to clean off and disinfect any wounds on their bodies to reduce chances of infection.
The direct ancestor of today’s tiger is Smilodon, a carnivore which went extinct around 10,000 years ago. These predators could weigh up to 25 pounds and had sharp canine teeth over 20cm long! Unfortunately, today tiger populations are at their lowest ever and critically endangered; we can help save them by understanding their behavior and engaging in science-based conservation initiatives.
3. They are the largest cat in the world
Tigers are among the world’s largest cats and can weigh up to 300 kilograms. These majestic predators possess huge paws with razor-sharp teeth designed for hunting prey, incredibly fast running speeds of 65 km/h, and excellent swimming capabilities, so much so they are capable of swimming for hours at a time!
One of the fascinating characteristics of tigers is their social nature; they enjoy socializing among themselves but tend to avoid humans as much as possible. Being solitary animals, tigers usually prefer being left alone if possible.
Tiger cubs in the wild are generally cared for by their mother until they reach full growth and can take care of themselves, however some tigers will kill newborn cubs so as not to create competition with regard to food and mating partners – one of the more shocking facts regarding these magnificent creatures.
Tigers are fascinating animals with numerous fascinating characteristics. One such trait is their love for bathing in lakes and rivers as a form of cooling off. Thanks to wet fur and webbed feet, they make excellent swimmers. Additionally, their excellent vision underwater makes them great hunters.
Tigers are well known to hunt a wide array of hoofed animals, such as wild boar, deer, pigs, buffalo and monkeys – even leopards (another big cat) have been reported as victims.
If they can’t kill their prey with one bite, they will strangle it until it collapses from blood loss. They often target the neck in order to puncture major arteries and cut off blood flow.
Tigers generally feed on deer or other prey animals for about one week at a time. When hiding larger prey items or covering them with leaves to prevent other animals from taking them away from them. When feeling threatened they use their white spots on the backs of their ears to communicate, flattening out their ears in response.
Tigers may seem majestic and beautiful, but they should always be treated as dangerous creatures. A single strike from one’s paw could break your bones instantly; therefore, it would be wise not to engage them in physical conflict.
4. They are a carnivore
Tigers are carnivores, meaning they predominantly consume meat. Tigers are one of the top predators on Earth, capable of hunting prey larger than themselves with relative ease. Equipped with sharp claws and capable of running up to 50 miles per hour, these predators make excellent hunters. Furthermore, their Jacobson’s organ detects scent which allows them to track prey.
Another fascinating fact about tigers is their communication through vocalizations. They use grunts, growls, snarls, moans, and hisses to express emotions or indicate whether another animal has invaded their territory. Tigers also use saliva marking their territories or signal mating season.
As soon as a tiger detects its prey, they send signals to their Jacobson’s organ and begin hunting. Eating their prey, either burying it for later consumption or chewing up into smaller chunks for faster digestion. Tigers possess 30 teeth; large canines and incisors for shearing meat while special back teeth help crush bones and hides.
Though tigers are commonly perceived to be violent and deadly, they actually enjoy living in social groups with both males and females present. Female tigers care for their cubs until they reach approximately one and a half years of age before teaching them how to hunt and survive in the wild on their own.
Tigers’ natural enemies include other big cats, humans and elephants; poachers pose another risk as does habitat loss; these beasts can live for over 20 years in the wild!
Captive tigers must be fed regularly in order to prevent them from becoming too thin or obese, receiving food such as meat, bones and hides (typically 13 pounds daily) along with vitamins and mineral supplements for growth promotion. Unfortunately, even with all this care taken to feed these captive tigers properly they remain susceptible to overeating and malnutrition; raising awareness about this treatment of animals in captivity should not be overlooked.