20 Facts About Tigers

1. Tigers are the largest big cat of them all. They’re also the third largest land carnivore, behind polar bears and brown bears. You do not want to find a tiger on a hiking trail. They’re not all as nice as Tigger.

2. Like a fingerprint, each tiger has their own stripes. They each have a unique pattern that is distinguishable if you look hard enough. Zebras have this as well! Don’t get caught on camera stealing something if you’re a tiger or a zebra.

3. A tiger’s tail isn’t just for aesthetics. It’s used for balance. When a tiger is running fast and makes a quick turn, it uses its three-foot-long tail to balance itself. Like a boat, or a Labrador retriever in the water.

4. A tiger can eat 88 pounds of meat in one sitting. That’s almost as much as I eat on one wing night. Even after eating this insanely large amount, the tiger will bury the rest of the carcass to save it for later. This way, it doesn’t have to hunt for days on end, but can feast like a king.

5. A tiger’s father is not involved in raising process. After a female tiger is impregnated, she carries the babies alone for three months. Then, she raises and protects them until they can leave on their own at two years old.

6. While many cats are afraid of water, tigers love to swim. They can swim long distances and cross dangerous rivers. Their powerful, muscular bodies are well equipped for such a task. Baby tigers will play in the water and adult tigers will lounge in water to stay cool.

7. Tigers will not approach their prey head on. Just like with velociraptors, if you see them, it’s often too late. They’ve probably been stalking you for a while without your knowledge. They will sneak up from behind and pounce to get the kill.

8. Tigers have white spots on the backs of their ears. There are two theories for this. One is so it looks like eyes in the back of their heads to ward off predators sneaking up on them. Another is that it helps the tiger cubs follow them in the long grass. Both make sense, and either way it’s useful.

9. Tigers are an apex predator. That means in the wild, they are at the top of the food chain. They are extremely important in keeping prey levels under control. This maintains proper vegetation and keeps the circle of life balanced.

10. White tigers are genetically almost the exact same as orange tigers. They aren’t a different breed, they just have a recessive gene that creates a different pigmentation. Just like having blue eyes. 

11. A tiger is a bit mismatched in terms of its legs. Its hindlegs are longer than its front legs! This is so it can jump like leapfrog onto prey. It can jump from 20-30 feet with one bound. Stay far away!

12. A tiger hunt is only successful 5-10% of the time. So, if you’re prey in the wild, you have a pretty high success rate. You have to be extra slow or extra unlucky to be killed by a tiger on the hunt. This honestly makes it even worse for the animals that get caught. They had such a high chance of survival.

13. If a tiger punches you in the face, you could die. There aren’t many lethal punches. But, one from a tiger could be so powerful it would break the bones in your face. Just never take money from a tiger and they’ll never have to get street-style revenge.

14. Tigers like to roam around at night. Many animals are asleep at night, which provides a great time for killing. Tigers have no shame. They will come into your house and eat you without a warning. There are also less humans around at night, which makes tigers feel safer.

15. Half of tiger cubs die. Have you ever heard a sadder fact? Most of the cubs will die of hunger or cold because they can’t keep up with their mother. She waits for no one. This is why they may need the white spots behind her ears for extra help following. They’re also born blind which sure doesn’t help at the beginning. Further, male tigers will kill the cubs to make the mother available for mating. How awful.

16. Tigers are solo creatures. However, if they were ever going to be together, they would be called a streak or an ambush. It’s probably called a streak because it’s so rare, you’d only see it for a second. Like a streak of lightning! Even a mother and her cubs are called an ambush or a streak when they’re together.

17. Ligers, or Tigons, are a rare but interesting mixed breed. They occur when a lion and tiger have a baby. When the father is a tiger, it’s called a tigon. These will grow bigger than a liger (lion father). They will actually grow bigger than a normal tiger. This cross-breeding is banned in Taiwan, but can happen in many other countries.

18. A tiger’s saliva can act as an antiseptic. They’re a walking bottle of medicine. This helps them self-heal in the wild. If they get hurt, they can lick themselves and limit deadly infections. Maybe this is why humans will suck their finger if they get a paper cut. Do they secretly think they’re tigers?

19. If you shave a tiger, the stripes are underneath as well. Their stripes aren’t just fluffy coats but are inked into their skin. You’d be able to identify your favorite tiger in the wild even if they were shaved! Thank God you can use this knowledge in your daily life now.

20. Unlike lions, tigers are gentlemanly. They will be humble, show grace, and allow the female tigers and cubs to eat first. Lionesses must hunt, only to let the male lions eat first. Tigers for president, am I right?