The cat that hunts alone

Tigers are usually solitary animals except when breeding, when a female is rearing cubs, or when a group of young stay together for a short while after their mother has left them to fend for themselves.

Home ground
Male tigers have territories which they fiercely defend against other males. These territories could also cover the home ranges of several females. Both males and females mark the boundaries of their areas by spraying a mixture of urine and scent on the trees, bushes and grass. Claw marking of tree trunks is also used to mark boundaries. 

Ready for the hunt
Tigers sleep and rest under cover for much of the day. Unlike most other cats, tigers enjoy water and when temperatures rise, they bathe to cool off. In the evening, they are ready for the hunt.

Stalks
A tiger's sharp eyesight and keen hearing help it find its prey. Once it sights its quarry, the tiger begins a slow silent stalk.

Chase and pounce
When it gets close enough, it leaps forward in long bounds and pounces on its victim. A tiger kills large prey such as deer once every 5 to 7 days. A tigress with cubs needs to kill more often.

A tiger kills small prey with a quick bite at the nape of the neck. It tackles larger animals by lunging at the throat and hanging on until the animal suffocates. Once a tiger has eaten its fill, it hides the remains of its meal under foliage, branches, twigs or grass for its next meal.

Better luck next time?
In spite of its stealth, speed and strength, the tiger has to work hard for a meal. Their prey have highly evolved systems of self-preservation. Deer have keen eyesight and hearing. To beat their vigilance, the tiger stalks behind cover, often approaching against the breeze so that the deer cannot smell it. Nine times out of 10, the tiger is not successful in its hunt.

Tigers prefer a big kill - the bigger the better. Hoofed mammals (ungulates) such as deer, pigs, and buffaloes form the bulk of their diet but sometimes birds are also eaten. Tigers are excellent swimmers and also feed on fish and sometimes even on crocodiles.

When tigers were common in India, they occasionally attacked and killed people. But, as humans are the tiger’s only predator, it instinctively avoids humans. Only old, sick or injured tigers are likely to attack humans as they are unable to catch their preferred prey.