What Do Tigers Eat?

Majestic in their orange, black and white stripes tigers command attention and awe with their beauty. Tigers, like any other animal, eat things that are available in their habitat. Depending on what location they live in, they will find food based on what is available. There are six species of tigers still in existence in the wild, but sadly, three species have pasted into extinction.

Depending on the other animals that live in the area that a tiger inhabits, the tiger primarily hunts for medium size animals. These include buffalo, antelope, deer, wild horses, wild boar and monkeys. Obviously these do not all exist in every location of the world that has tigers, but there are some medium size animals within each tiger habit. Deer and wild boar seem to be the favorite food for tigers. 

The habitat of the tiger will determine what it chooses to eat. The Siberian tiger, for example, lives in the northern regions the far Eastern Siberia near the Korean peninsula. This species has the ability to choose moose as one of its preferred food sources. In contrast, the now extinct Caspian tiger was known to feast on camels. The Sumatran tiger has the benefit of having several species of tapir from which to choose. The tapir is similar in size to the wild boar.

Tigers are very opportunistic hunters. They can leap into the air to a height of 10 feet if required, although five-foot jumps are more common. This allows them to go after some treed prey. They also have been observed fishing in lakes, and are believed to have about a 20 percent success rate in the hunt. They also, when available, will eat crabs, crocodiles and hare.

Other Tiger Foods

Grass, fruit and berries are also eaten by tigers but are not their staple sources of food. At times, tigers will eat vegetables and fruits to add fiber to their diet. This helps keep their body and digestive tract working well.

Old and injured tigers that can’t catch their normal prey have been known to turn into man-eaters. They will prey on villagers that roam the forests in search of forest products and fishermen.

Living Close to the Food Source

As a general rule of thumb, tigers live in areas that have a good source of fresh water and good forest cover. The tiger is a carnivore and does eat meat as its primary nutrition source. Living near a fresh water supply draws other animals in the area to drink. This provides an opportunity for tigers to catch prey for their required food supply.

The closeness of good forest cover allows the tiger to lay in wait for animals heading to or from the water. The tiger can then spring upon its prey and make the kill. A tiger’s method of killing its prey is to use bursts of speed and then strike the killing blow by biting the neck. Their powerful jaws can snap the neck and rip out the throat.

Domesticated Tigers

While tigers can develop a taste for red meat and blood in their diets, there has been some remarkable work done by a group of Buddhist monks in Thailand that suggests the animals can thrive on a different diet.

The monks have taken in tiger cubs that have been left behind by poachers in the area around their monastery. They have raised the cubs and cared for them on a diet of dog food. There is no blood or red meat in their food and the tigers have grown into adulthood without the aggressiveness of wild tigers. They live in the monastery without cages and have free run of the place.

The Tiger Temple is located in western Thailand. Other abandoned animals are also cared for by the monks, but the tiger population has risen to over 50 tigers. They have developed into a tourist attraction where people can come, see the tigers, and even pet them. With the right protocols, even wild animals can be tamed.