The Tiger as a Father

Tigers as cubs definitely rate among the most adorable looking young of any animal species. It is difficult to imagine the same animal growing up to stake its claim as being the deadliest predator on the planet. Tiger cubs are born in litters mostly numbering between 3 and 6. These large litters are required as the infant mortality rate among tigers is unfortunately quite high and normally only around two manage to make it to adulthood. They are extremely vulnerable immediately after birth. Unlike some of the prey species whose young are capable of running at respecatble speeds only hours after birth to get away from predators like the tiger, these cubs are totally dependant on their mother for protection at this stage of their lives. They are actually dependant on their mother for food until they are able to hunt for themselves, which is normally by the age of 15 months. During the initial vulnerable months, they are shitfed frequently to avoid the danger from other carnivores in the area. They perfect the art of becoming totally still and silent at the slightest hint of danger while their mother is out hunting. They are not allowed to accompany her on her walks across her territory for the first 3 - 4 months. After that they follow her happily as she goes around on the look out for prey to feed her family. The distances they roam with her increases gradually as they grow in strength and size. During these walks they watch and learn while their mother stalks and hunts prey. They watch important techniques like the choke grip their mother employs with her canines as she delivers the final blow.

A tiger cub, still wet from a recent swim, taking the shortest route away from us and the frantic monkey calls. These were nervous times as we were obviously between the cub and its protective mother still at the river with the second cub

The cubs begin to roam more frequently and freely around their mother's territory with her around the age of 5 monhs. They are still relatively small and need her protection from other predators. Their diet at this stage still consists of their mother's milk to a large extent, even though the flesh content has by then begun to increase substantially. They continue to suckle sometimes until they are almost 8 months old, although the nourishment they receive from the kills provided by their mother, is more than sufficient. Till this age of 8 months, tiger cubs are surprisingly quite adept at climbing some trees. After this age however, much to the relief of the monkey population, their size and weight reduces and finally ends this ability of their's.

Even after cubs become the size of sub-adults, they still sometimes remain silent and under cover while their mother is out hunting to feed them

Tiger cubs are extremely playful children and are always testing the infinite patience of their mother to the very limit. They also play among themselves, often immitating their mother's movements while she is on a hunt. This play, without any set routine, builds their stalking and hunting abilities. During a later stage in their lives, when they are almost on the verge of venturing out into the jungle as independant tigers, their play begins to take on a slightly more aggressive tone. Their mother does not interfere on most such occassions as this rough play is a perfect training ground for the realities they will have to face later on their own.

When the cubs are around a year old, the mother starts their practical training in hunting. She provides them with smaller animals to practice and perfect their techniques on. By the time they are 15 months old, they start to try their hand at stalking and taking down small prey like fawn and young monkeys. Once they reach the age of around 18 months, they start exploring their mother's territory, keeping in touch with her through smell and sound. This parental care of cubs from the mother last between 18 to 30 months. After that the cubs move out to establish territories of their own. They sometimes move out together but even then soon split up to become solitary predators. Tigers have been documented returning to their mothers at a later stage in life but mostly over the sharing of a kill. This get together rarely lasts more than a couple of days.

Tigers, in an amazingly short period of approximately 24 months, go from being one of the most pampered living beings to being one of the most fiercely independant creatures to roam our wonderful planet.