Tigers by Air Cmde (Retd) Pat Singh

Most of what is written about the habits and behavior of tigers is hearsay. That is because so many naturalists and wildlife experts have written about the tiger, over such a long period of time. This, coupled with the increasingly rare opportunities for us to observe this magnificent creature in its natural habitat, has forced us to rely on handed-down information. I was extremely fortunate to have got the opportunity to work in and around the Corbett Tiger Reserve for two years. During those two years, as part of my job, I tracked scores of tigers, and while doing so made some observations that were different or unusual. The observations are not those of an expert 'tigerman', rather they should be treated for what they are, random observations of a layman.

Off the beaten track Observations can prove invaluable for a better understanding of the secret lives of tigers

Tigers have adapted to a high human density thanks to Lantana bushes

Habitats - Tigers started their survival journey in the cold northern latitudes and traveled south. In the process they were forced to adapt themselves to diverse climatic and environmental conditions. In the Indian sub-continent they have adapted to sub-tropical forests, arid landscapes and mangrove swamps. The main requirements are sufficient prey base, adequate cover and minimum human inter-action. It is not a necessity that all these ingredients are present in every tiger range. For example, the tigers of the Sunderban mangrove swamps in India have a poor prey base so they have included humans in their menu!

Similarly, the tigers of Rajasthan have adapted themselves to arid conditions and minimum cover and the tigers living along the Siwalik hill range and Himalayan foothills, have adapted to a high human density thanks to the dense cover provided by the Lantana* bushes.

Habits - Jim Corbett described the tiger as a large hearted gentleman. That he surely is under normal conditions. Women who frequently enter the forests to gather forest produce told me that when they inadvertently got close to a tiger they were given a warning in the form of a low growl. On the other hand when they suddenly came face to face with a tiger they quickly moved off the path and stood with folded hands chanting a silent prayer! The tiger would pass them without a glance in their direction. My own experience is that a tiger that sees or hears you first will conceal itself and observe you.

Tigers prefer to use well trodden tracks or dry riverbeds-the best way to locate pugmarks is to look on the route you would follow

If the tiger realises he has been seen it will ignore you and continue what it is doing. When it does not want to leave its location it will give a warning growl. I have heard three different types of aggressive growls; the first is a very deep low growl (almost like a purr) that one may miss in the background of any other sort of noise such as clothes brushing against bushes or the sound of footsteps. The second growl emitted when the intruder is closer is an unmistakably audible growl. The third is a mighty roar accompanied by a charge! To my mind it is debatable as to which is more frightening, the sight of the charging tiger or the soul- shattering sound of its roar? Another gentlemanly trait of the tiger is its method of patrolling its domain. It prefers to use well-trodden tracks or dry riverbeds. Infact if you want to locate tiger pugmarks, the best way is to look on the route that you would follow.

A kill made by a mature tiger is relatively clean with injuries confined mostly to the neck

Tigers on the `Kill' - Virtually all the experience of this author in regards to `kills' has been derived from studying domestic animals (buffaloes and cows) that have fallen prey to tigers. The way a tiger kills its prey has been well documented. However, young animals make many more attempts to bring down their prey than mature ones (who have a success rate of about 10% with wild prey). I have come across innumerable domestic animals that have been mauled by young tigers. The most common form of attack in these cases was from the rear. In a few cases the tiger got onto the back of the prey and was shaken off. All this was evident from the location and type of wounds inflicted by the claws and teeth. In such cases of mauling the unfortunate owners cauterized the wound with a hot iron or stuffed red chilies into the wound. The chances of the animal surviving even a mild mauling are minimal, but this was mainly due to a lack of proper medical treatment.

On the other hand a kill made by a mature male or female tiger is relatively clean, with injuries confined to the back of the neck or through the wind pipe, the latter being the classic method of killing its prey. In both cases the neck is very often broken.In one amazing incident I came across four large buffaloes with their necks broken. This is what happened - A young cowherd was grazing his buffaloes on a remote hill. A very large male tiger appeared and brought down a calf and started dragging it into the forest. The mother of the calf charged the tiger and butted him. The tiger retaliated by attacking the buffalo. While the tiger was engaged with the mother buffaloes three more buffaloes came charging towards him. What happened next was a free for all with the buffaloes bellowing and the tiger roaring. One by one the tiger managed to kill the buffaloes over the next fifteen minutes. Each one died with a broken neck caused by a mighty swipe of the tiger's paw. The tiger then picked up the carcass of the calf, ignored the cowherd, and ambled off. I was unable to establish whether or not the tiger suffered any injuries. The poor cowherd remained deaf for a week after the attack.

Removing and Hiding the Carcass - In most cases the killed prey is either dragged or lifted (by large males) to a safe location before the feeding begins. The reasons for this are varied. It may be to avoid interference, hide the prey from scavengers, or as in the case of tigresses with cubs, to keep the meal closer to her lair. I once came across a tigress that had dragged her kill for over two kilometers through thick forest. More often than not, tigers disembowel their victim before carrying it off. This is done very surgically without puncturing the stomach or intestines. I also noticed on many occasions that in the case of a pregnant animal the foetus was also cast aside un-eaten. It is very easy to track a tiger that has dragged its prey due to the presence of the drag marks on the ground. In the rare case when the carcass is carried instead of dragged, it is more difficult to track, especially over hard ground. The proximity of the carcass is indicated either by a growling tiger, the presence of vultures on tree tops, the cawing of crows or even the loud buzzing of flies accompanied by a foul smell. A favorite place to hide the carcass is under the lantana bushes. Following a drag mark under the bushes is very difficult and hazardous. One has to get down on all fours or move forward on ones haunches. Under the thorny bushes it is impossible to move quietly. The visibility is reduced to a few feet and in case the tiger decides to hold its ground instead of withdrawing, you are dead meat!

Due to a poor prey base in the swamps of the Sunderbans, man too features on the menu of the tigers there !

The Tiger's Diet - A tiger will eat anything that it can hunt. It prefers large prey because the resulting meal lasts many days, or in the case of a tigress with cubs, feeds more mouths. Sambar deer or a buffalo will last for three to five days. During this time the tiger will remain close to the kill and consume about fifteen to twenty kilograms of the carcass per day. Where there is a shortage of natural prey, or where domestic animals are easily available, tigers occasionally prey on the latter. With the help of the victim's owner, such kills are easy to locate.

Very often poachers poison such carcasses. There is therefore a strong case to keep domestic animals out of the sanctuaries. Unlike leopards, tigers will seldom go into a village to hunt its prey (man-eaters being the exception). Young tigers often kill small animals and birds such as wild fowl and peacocks. Tigers are partial to elephant calves and sometimes spend days tracking a herd of elephants in order to get to the calves. On one occasion I heard a fight being waged between a tiger and a herd of elephants that lasted for twenty minutes. I was a kilometer away separated from the scene by a river. The next morning I went to the scene of the battle but found no evidence of blood -apparently the fight was a draw. The most risky item on the tiger's menu is the porcupine. This addiction can sometimes prove lethal for the tiger. A porcupine quill that gets imbedded in a paw, nostril or mouth can sometimes incapacitate the tiger preventing it from hunting its natural prey. In such cases the tiger can turn into a man-eater. (A man-eater is an animal that predominately preys on human beings. There seems to be little proof of the belief that once a tiger has tasted human flesh it becomes addicted to it and becomes a man-eater). Tigers hate the presence of leopards in their territory and will kill them when possible. There are recorded cases of tigers devouring leopards.

Tiger Protection. The time has come when nothing short of "hands-on" protection against poaching can save the tiger from extinction. Any lesser measures are meaningless. In India the Wildlife Act is too weak, the system of justice is too slow and the implementation of law is erratic. Under these conditions the tiger doesn't have a chance of survival because its time on earth, as a species, is limited. It is the time factor that is critical and the Indian Government has to act now. The consequences of losing the tiger will go much further than the loss of a single species.

Under the present conditions, the tiger does not stand any chance of survival. The time has come for "hands-on" protection

The chain reaction will effect such diverse areas as India's remaining wildlife, her fresh water supply, her rich tropical gene bank, bio-diversity, national economy etc., the study of which would fill a book. In short, there are many other areas in which the country will suffer irreversible damage and we Indians will have to have to live with the guilt of being the people that let it happen. The world is rapidly moving towards a more environmentally friendly regime, which is increasingly encompassing all aspects of international relations. India cannot afford to be a party to any act that diminishes its international image. On the other hand India has the ability, means and expertise to tackle the problem promptly and effectively, only the political will is lacking.

* The lantana bush is a dense, thorny, multi-coloured flowering bush that was introduced by the British during the mid nineteenth century in the tea gardens of Assam. From there it spread to the rest of northern India and has been detrimental to the bio-diversity of the forest since it spreads rapidly and at the expense of herbs and saplings. It is also believed that it attracts mosquitoes. However, it provides excellent cover for tigers, wild boar and wild fowl.