Tiger Habitat

¤ Tiger Habitat

Scientific evidence suggests that the tigers first originated in Siberia. Fossil records dating from the Pleistocene period found in the Chigar caves of the New Siberian Islands indicate that the sabre-toothed tiger lived there some three million years ago.

The last tiger of this species became extinct just 10,000 years ago. and its descendents started expanding their horizons, shifting more southwards ultimately finding their best home in the Indian Subcontinent.

Today biologists identify eight subspecies – the Royal Bengal Tiger, the Siberian, the Caspian, the Javan, the Sumatran, the Chinese, the Indo-Chinese and the Balinese. Today the Caspian and the Balinese species are extinct while a lot of survival-pressure is still on the other six subspecies.

Indian Tigers are very rugged and can survive in a variety of environmental situations, ranging from dry and arid to high-altitude, cold and Himalayan regions. In India, the animal is found in the mangrove forest of Sunderbans, the hot and arid jungles of Rajasthan, the wet and evergreen northeast India and the swampy reedlands of the Terai.


¤ Tiger Population

According to an estimate there were at least 50,000 Bengal tigers in India alone in the 19th century. By the turn of the century 40,000 tigers were estimated in India, but the plight of this royal beast became evident when the All India Tiger census revealed that only 1800 members of the species were living in 1972.

Tiger once the symbol of Indian wilderness, and shooting (of course with guns from quite a safe distance) them was taken to be a symbol of heroism. Over a few centuries, the tiger was mercilessly slaughtered by all trying to prove their manhood. Documents show that more than 20,000 tigers were shot between 1860-1960.

The actual figures no doubt would be much more than this. To add to this, indiscriminate and insensitive development further took its toll on the King of the Jungle. An obvious change in the attitude of the people was also registered. Many tribes, for whom tiger was once symbol of life, force and justice, started working against it by helping shikaris and the fur-traders.

But before it was too late, the government under pressure from biologists and tiger lovers from all over the world pressed the panic button and Project Tiger was launched in India. India is now involved in a massive conservation effort covering over 300 national parks and sanctuaries and accounting for over 12% of India’s total forest cover. According to the 1984 census the tiger population was above 4,000.


¤ Tiger On The Hunt

Although labelled as the king of the jungle, life for the tiger is not easy, especially when all other species collectively work against it. Different species of deer have their own distinctive alarm calls forwarded further by all the prey species. Monkeys and langurs from their superior positions on the trees always keep a vigil on its movements.

Even in the area where there is plenty of prey, the tiger has to really work hard to fill his stomach. After thousands of years of its evolution the ungulates and the hoofed herbivores have developed the senses of sight and smell and other techniques to collectively defy any attack from this much feared beast. They constantly lift their snout to catch the smell of the predator.

On apprehension of danger, the matriarch first stumps her forefoot followed by a high pitched call, if the danger is real. The entire herd then immediately leave the area.


¤ The Tact's of Hunting

The tiger moves against the flow of the breeze in order to avoid detection by his body-odour. Very silently he treads towards his victim, stalking well behind cover. This is the most crucial part of the hunt, any mistake on his part and he may loose his meal of the day.

A study in Ranthambore indicates that only one in every ten hunting attempts is successful. At times, he may even take 30 minutes to cover just 20 yards. With a sudden flash he pounces on the hapless prey, usually taking it from behind, laying his chest on the back of the animal, and piercing the sharp canines into the neck of his quarry. Mostly the tiger tries to bring down the prey with his body weight, jerking the neck to break the spinal cord, killing it instantly.

Tigers start their meal from the rump and the hind legs. Very neatly he opens the stomach cavity, takes out the intestine and the stomach, and then starts feeding on the fleshy organs. He may feed upon his kill for 3-4 days without minding its smell or condition. It also eats the skin and the hair which act as roughage and help in the digestion.


¤ A La Carte

‘The bigger the better’ is a formula that the tiger believes in. In fact, it goes by the size of the prey rather than species. All deer and wild boars are hot favourites and with very large species, sub-adults and the cubs are on the priority list.

In the Sunderbans the tigers are also known to feed on fishes, turtles and water monitors. Occasionally, while training her cubs a tigress might kill langurs or monkeys.