Tigers!: Foraging Habits

As solitary animals, tigers generally hunt alone rather than in groups. They are carnivorous animals who prefer to live in areas with dense vegetation to aid in their hunting as well as for their own protection. Tigers do most of their hunting at night, where they primarily rely on their hearing and eyesight to locate their prey. They crouch and quietly stalk their prey until they can situate themselves near enough to launch an ambush. This stalking approach seems to be a way to save energy, since chasing down an animal is a much greater exertion. They kill their prey with a bite to the neck or throat.

Tigers like to drag their kill to an at least semi-covered area before they begin to eat. With each kill, tigers eat an excessive amount and can then go for days without eating again. This is beneficial because attacks are usually successful only once every 10-20 times. This seems to be the trade-off for hunting alone. Tigers get to eat their heart's content when they do get a kill, but they can't rely on a meal every day. Interestingly, once tigers are finished with their meal, they cover up the remains in an attempt to hide it from other animals who may benefit from the leftovers.

Female tigers with cubs must hunt more often to keep their cubs fed. Though it isn't a regular occurrence, male tigers have been documented sharing their kill with a female and her cubs. It doesn't seem to be clear why some males do this at certain times, but it is likely only in times of abundant resources.