As reported by the official WWF website, the number of tiger populations has decreased by more than 95% since the beginning of the 20th century. Currently, there are only about 3,900 tigers left in the wild. Apart from natural factors, the decline in tiger populations is also due to rampant poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and conflicts with humans.
To increase public awareness and concern for tiger conservation efforts, the idea emerged to make July 29 World Tiger Day. This annual celebration was initiated for the first time at the International Tiger Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2010.
So, so that you get to know the big cat better, consider 5 false facts about tigers that often misunderstand.
1. Living in Groups
Unlike lions who live in groups, tigers are solitary animals that tend to live alone. Although you often see several tigers kept in one cage in zoos, the fact is that in the wild tigers are almost never seen living in groups.
The male will only meet the female during the mating season. Tigers mark their territory by using urine and clawing at objects around them. Male tigers cannot share territory with other male tigers, so tigers need large ranges to survive.
2. Fear of Water
Some types of cats are known to be afraid of water. However, unlike tigers, they are reliable swimmers and are not afraid of water. Tigers that live in climates that tend to be hot, will usually cool their bodies by soaking in water.
Tigers even have the ability to hunt in water. Not infrequently they chase their prey into the water and are able to swim up to several kilometers to hunt.
3 Roars at its prey
If you think a tiger will roar at its prey, then you are wrong! Because tigers tend to use their roars to communicate or repel anyone who disturbs their territory.
Known as the silent killer, tigers will not make conspicuous movements when hunting. They will sneak slowly to approach their prey. When it feels close enough, the tiger will jump to pounce on the back of the neck of the prey target. By utilizing its physical strength, the tiger is able to kill the prey animal in an instant.
4. The white tiger is an albino animal
The white tiger is not an albino tiger, they are a subspecies of the Bengal tiger. The white color of the Bengal tiger is caused by a recessive gene that makes its skin color lighter.
Currently, white tigers are very rarely found in their natural habitat. However, this type of tiger can still be found in various captivity and zoos. Although classified as rare, the white tiger has not been considered a distinct species from the Bengal tiger.
5. Often prey on humans
It is undeniable that there have been many cases of killing humans by tigers. However, this cannot be seen from a single point of view. Instinctively, tigers do not see humans as prey. They tend to stay away from when they meet humans. Tigers will only attack humans if they feel threatened.
Several cases of tigers that enter human settlements are caused by the disruption of the ecosystem in their natural habitat. The rampant poaching disrupts the food chain system, making it difficult for tigers to find food. As a result, some tigers prey on anything they encounter, including humans.
Those are 5 false facts about tigers that are not widely known. By getting to know them better, hopefully, we can become more concerned about this big cat conservation effort. Let’s preserve the tiger habitat so that it can survive for generations to come!