A tiger is a large striped cat. It usually lives alone and hunts by stalking and ambushing prey.
It ambushes animals such as deer and pigs. It is a strong swimmer and may rest in water.
Tigers rest in water and can swim across rivers. On land, they approach quietly and ambush prey such as deer and pigs. A study of reintroduced tigers examined their use of wild prey and livestock in a landscape shared with people.
A study of kill records from ten reintroduced tigers and their offspring (six females and four males) at Panna Tiger Reserve in central India in 2009–2014 recorded wild prey including sambar, nilgai and chital, as well as cattle and domestic water buffalo.
Scratches and scent marks communicate a tiger’s presence. Mothers and cubs also exchange friendly chuffing sounds.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Poaching and habitat loss and fragmentation threaten tigers. Work in Sumatra uses tracks, droppings, cameras and GPS to understand habitat use.