Interesting information about tigers

Reading for more interesting information about tigers facts

1. Tigers Hunt By Ambush

A tiger prefers to attack by surprise, if the tiger knows he or she has been spotted it is very unlikely it will attack. In some places in India the locals wear masks with a head facing behind to prevent tiger attacks.

2. Tigers cannot purr.

You might think that because it’s simply a big cat a tiger would be able to purr, right? Well, that’s actually not the case. Instead of purring to show happiness, a tiger will actually squint its eyes or even close them completely. Since losing vision lowers the tigers defenses, it will only do this if it feels very comfortable and safe. Closing its eyes around you translates to “I feel very happy when you’re here, so much so that I can relax for a bit!”

3. Tigers have been known to imitate the call of other animals to successfully attract prey.

Bears and tigers will typically cross paths with each other since their habitats can overlap. It would make sense, then, that tigers have developed a taste for bears and bear food. In order to lure a bear directly, tigers have been known to imitate the sound of a bear’s prey. Once the bear is close enough (thinking its found a meal for itself) the tiger attacks.

4. Most tigers have yellow eyes, but white tigers usually have blue eyes

Photo Credit: Tambako the Jaguar

The gene for blue eyes is usually linked to the gene for white fur, so white tigers are much more likely to have blue eyes, rather than the typical yellow kind. In addition to the blue-eyed gene being linked, the gene for being cross-eyed, or boss-eyed, is also linked, so many white tigers have crossed blue eyes. Darn! Gorgeous blue eyes have to come with a price, I guess.

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5. Tigers have spiked penises

Ouch. Just writing that sentence made me uncomfortable! Tigers are unable to become erect when aroused. Instead, males penises’ have a bone located inside (called a baculum) and are covered with barbs. Those prickly spikes aid in “keeping the connection” (no pun intended) between the male and female during copulation.

6. A backhand from a tiger can kill you

While tigers typically prefer to use their 10 cm long teeth to crush a victim’s jugular (lovely!), a single strike is enough to do some serious damage. One swipe from a tiger’s front paw is strong enough to smash a bear’s skull or even break its back. Tiger, please. 

7. Tigers can come in a variety of colors

Photo Credit: Tambako the Jaguar

Different hair color genes can cause a tiger to vary from its usual black and orange coloration. A tiger’s coat can be white, gold, black, and quite possibly even blue. While there have been reports of blue tigers, called Maltese Tigers, there have been no verified specimens with this unique coloration… though I have seen enough photoshopped pics to start believing there might have been.

7. A Tiger’s Stripes Are Also On Their Skin

If you shaved all the fur off a tiger you will still be able to see it’s stripes on the cat’s skin.

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