In this short article, we will answer the question “What animals do tigers eat?” and discuss the dietary habits of the tigers.
Being a carnivorous species that mostly eat animals, tigers need to consume large amounts of protein and fat.
The tiger consumes animal meat for every meal in order to maintain its health, preserve its energy, and maintain its muscle mass so that it can continue to search for other foods and ensure its survival in the wild.
The tiger mostly preys on deer and wild boar, which are medium-sized prey weighing between 50 and 200 kilograms. Shall we discover now what are the most common animals that tigers eat?
What animals do tigers eat?
The tiger’s food varies depending on its environment and subspecies. The most popular foods include:
- buffalo,
- sambar,
- chital,
- gauro,
- monkey,
- lynx,
- fox,
- and others.
In addition to larger prey like:
- bears,
- rhinos,
- leopards,
- small elephants,
- and even crocodiles,
- it occasionally consumes spiky animals like porcupines.
The tiger occasionally attacks bears, most frequently brown bears but very occasionally black bears. Hunting is challenging since the two elements of nature are so close in size and weight. It occasionally consumes fish and birds among other creatures.
Small animals that tigers eat:
When he can’t find his preferred prey, he could choose smaller prey like:
- Rodents;
- Fish\slizards
- Hares (beavers, mice and squirrels)
- frogs, snakes and birds
- A tiger will even eat fruit or grass if it is extremely hungry and it has no food.
What are tigers’ food habits?
Although it can hunt throughout the day as well, the tiger is a predator that likes to seek its prey around dawn and dusk.
It rarely uses its sense of smell for this activity instead of preferring to locate its prey by sight and hearing. The tiger prefers to hunt smaller, less-resistant prey that is younger or older than it is.
Tigers hunt their prey with their excellent vision.
The tiger can study its prey in complete darkness thanks to its ability to see even the slightest beam of light.
Additionally, due to vision, its success rate rises when hunting at night because of how well it can adapt to darkness according to its morphology and eye design, unlike other species that cannot see in the dark.
How do tigers catch their prey animals?
Tigers approach their prey and attack it from behind or the side. The tiger prefers to hunt from the back when its prey is tiny, and from the neck when it is huge. The throat bite keeps its prey from rising up by avoiding their horns and hooves.
After killing its prey, the tiger drags the carcass into the bushes so it can eat in stealth. It can even conceal the food with dirt or leaves. Although the tiger is a solitary creature, it occasionally engages in group hunting.
Depending on the individual and the habitat in which it lives, a hunt’s success rate varies. However, it typically ranges between 10% and 5%.
Tigers can swim well, unlike many other cats. Only the jaguar has a similar preference for water among the big cats. They have the ability to transport or engulf prey in the water.
Where do tigers like to eat?
The tiger favours eating in dense vegetation. Because of its colouring and striped pattern, which provide great camouflage, tigers may more easily be hidden in areas with dense vegetation.
The tiger is constantly vigilant and careful to avoid leaving its food in the presence of other carnivorous creatures. After capture, it drags the prey to a hidden location, such as a patch of tall grass, a tree with leaves, a natural cave, or even deep within a thicket.
Therefore, you should use any location that allows you to conceal your meal as a hiding option. Because any captured animal is likely to become a meal for other carnivores, it is thought that this behaviour helps to avoid any confrontation that their food might draw.
What do tigers drink?
Tigers drink water and frequent rivers or other bodies of water where they enjoy swimming or even hunting for food. These creatures enjoy the water greatly and will use every opportunity to bathe and have fun in it.
Conclusion:
In this short article, we have answered the question “What animals do tigers eat?” and discussed the dietary habits of the tigers.
