Where to Stalk a Tiger in the Woods

Overview

With all this talk about tigers and action, let’s all remember where the best spots in the world are to see a tiger in his native habitat. I’m talking, of course, about the green woods and densely vegetated jungles where a tiger can get a good lie to sit and wait for his prey. In order to be victorious, and to make a good shot at survival, a tiger must be aggressive, methodical, and avoid costly mistakes, both in the green and back at the den.

The male tiger is often solitary, and long-term paired relationships between adults are rare, and are frequently to end poorly. Tigers are notoriously territorial, although the size of their range varies wildly, depending almost entirely on access to females. Additionally, the male tiger will have nothing to do with his kittens, being easily bored, and shirking this responsibility entirely.

In the wild, the tiger has no true equal. The male tiger is incredibly dominant and a fierce competitor, going so far as to kill rivals like crocodiles, bears, and other large cats. Some tigers not only do not fear humans, but become man-eaters. Naturally, this behavior has driven a wedge between the tiger and human communities, with locals often pitching a fit about tiger conservation efforts.

Traditionally, tigers were hunted on foot, as the human rivals of this mighty beast walked silently through the green grass. Modern times have seen people no longer walking the woods, but driving through them in carts or other vehicles. Clubs are ineffective against all but the most weakened tiger. Minor lacerations serve no purpose but to anger the tiger; tigers prove to be very resilient.

A final note about tigers is that they do not fare well in captivity. Captive tigers (many of which are in the US) may eventually turn on those that love them most. At heart, the tiger is a majestic, wild beast, and will refuse to be domesticated. Tigers are also quite intelligent, and many people who live with them have been deceived into a false sense of security, only to be attacked when they least expect it. Despite this, it is well noted that the tiger will breed very well in captivity; many sources note that the population in the United States may be nearly the same as the population in the wild.

As far as diet is concerned, the male tiger will typically scorn smaller game, such as eagles or other birds, much preferring to take a shot at one big animal. Excellent climbers, tigers love to gain elevation in order to see the forest from the trees, preferring to get a good lie of the landscape. Although they are good swimmers, tigers show a strong aversion to water, and similarly to sand, feeling most comfortable in the rough, green grass that is their natural habitat.

Ok, serious face now. No more golf.

India

When people think of tigers, the first place that comes to mind is naturally India, and its famous Bengal tigers. Parks like Bandhavgarh National Park in the district of Umaria, or Ranthambore national park in Rajasthan are prime locations to visit. Ranthambore was once the Maharajah of Jaipur’s private hunting grounds. It is a good place to see these majestic jungle predators.

Tibet

Tibet has long been home to a fair amount of tigers. Unfortunately, the fur and skin of tigers is highly prized and used in a wide array of religious ceremonies. There is also an underground trade of dead tigers to China, as traditional Eastern medicine ascribes great power to tiger products, including supposed marked sexual prowess. The Dalai Lama made an official decree recently to try and stop the tiger trade, but only time will tell.

Russia

Russia is home to the Siberian tiger, one of the world’s most elusive, rare, and critically endangered species. There are only around 500 or so in the wild, yet this is actually a success story…. Numbers were said to be as low as only 40 animals in the earlier part of this century. The Iron Curtain halted the illegal poaching trade to China, but with the collapse of communism and the economic uncertainties of the early 1990s, the tigers faced poaching once again.

China

Tigers are found throughout Southeast Asia, but China makes the list over Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, and others because of the sheer number of tigers in captivity (very few exist in the wild, but they are out there.) This is because of the large numbers of tiger farms that exist in China, were the big cats will be bred for profit. China made it illegal to trade and sell tiger parts in the mid 1990s, but these farms do still exist, and are responsible for roughly 5000 captive tigers in the land.

Texas

Tigers are not native to the USA (duh.) That said, rules concerning exotic species are notoriously lax, depending on the state, and have been for decades. As a result of this, and of the human obsession with the tiger (it is an amazing beast), many figures point to nearly 12,000 captive tigers in the United States, with the state of Texas being the prime culprit. As this is in a legal grey area, no one can be entirely sure of the numbers: the figure could be substantially higher. However, it is fair to say that there are more captive tigers in the US than the entire world wild population.

Tasmania

Many species or subspecies of tiger have either gone extinct or are critically, seriously endangered. One that deserves special mention, however, is the Tasmanian Tiger (proper name: Thylacine).

Ok, so it wasn’t even properly a tiger, or even related to one. Its other name was the Tasmanian Wolf, but it wasn’t part of the dog family, either. It is (was) a marsupial tiger, a large marsupial carnivore. It is thought to have gone extinct sometime in the mid 20th century, with 1936 being the official date, and the last one in the wild having been killed by a farmer in 1930. Truly, an entirely bizarre animal, but then again, anything counting its closest relatives as the Numbat and the Tasmanian Devil is pretty much far out from the get-go. Many pictures, and even some grainy videos exist, so this extinct animal can still continue on in our imaginations.