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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Bengal tigers and their awesome facts

Here are some amazing news and facts tigers for kids about Bengal tigers:

From head to tail, males can measure from two to three meters. The height of his withers (neck) is of 91 cm. The males weights about 250 kg. He can live up to 25 years. He lives in the south of the Sundarbans delta, the largest mangrove forest in the world, which lies in India, and spreads across areas of Bangladesh.

Bengal tigers can also be found in north and central India, as well as in Birmania and in Nepal.

In 1900, they were about 40.000 – 50.000. Around 1972, there remained 1.850. In 1984, thanks to a program of protection, they were numbered approximately 4.000.
Related to: elephant facts for kids

Tigers hunt at night. They assault their preys on the side or at the back. They bit to death at the nape of the neck small preys; they bit at the throat bigger preys and let them suffocate to death. The Bengal tiger hunts the “yaur” (kind of wild bull), the buffalo, the (wild) boar, monkeys and lizards. When hungry, a tiger can kill up to 30 buffaloes per annum. He can also eat 31 kg of meat within a night. It takes between 2 or 3 days for a tiger to eat its prey. Between two meals, he covers its prey with leaves.

The Bengal tiger usually breeds in the springtime. A male from a neighbouring field comes on the female's field. About 15 weeks later, the tigress brings between 2 and “babies” into the world, sightless during the first ten weeks. After eight weeks, the latter will be able to start eating the little preys brought by their mother. The tiger is a night hunter and lonesome. He does not like sharing his territory with other tigers. Tigers mark their territory by urinating and secreting which smell strongly and indicate their presence. They can also savage to pieces the bark of a tree. He can run up to 45 km per hour.

A tiger print can measure 13 cm of diameter that is to say the equivalent to your two hands placed side by side. A forefoot has five fingers, and a hind foot has four fingers. Thanks to the cushions under his feet, the tiger can approach a prey without making any noise and absorb the choc of his gigantic leaps.

During the warm hours of the day, the tiger stays in one of his cool hiding places. His strong smell is so dread that not one single animal dares to disturb him while he's resting. He tiger has a fur striped with black, white and reddish-brown. He becomes invisible when he hides away in the long grass of the jungle. Thanks to his camouflage, he can approach his preys without been noticed. A tiger inspects is territory everyday. It takes him three days to go round and visit all his hiding-places. Intruders: beware! The anger of the master of this place can be violent!
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