2. ALL ABOUT STRIPES
MOST TIGERS HAVE OVER 100 STRIPES• NO TWO TIGERS HAVE THE SAME STRIPE PATTERN, THEY ARE AS UNIQUE AS HUMAN FINGERPRINTS. 1. A GROUP OF TIGERS IS CALLED A STREAK; THESE PATTERNS ARE FOUND ON BOTH THEIR COATS AND THEIR SKIN. THE BACKS OF THEIR EARS ARE BLACK WITH A WHITE SPOT WHICH IS CALLED AN OCELLUS. THESE SERVE A SOCIAL FUNCTION, BY COMMUNICATING THE ANIMAL’S MENTAL STATE TO OTHER TIGERS IN THE GLOOM OF DENSE FOREST OR IN TALL GRASS; THE ROUGH, RASPING TEXTURE IS DESIGNED TO HELP STRIP SKIN, FEATHERS, FUR AND MEAT OFF OF THEIR PREY
TIGERS HAVE ANTISEPTIC SALIVA; 3. TIGER TONGUES
A TIGERS TONGUE IS SO COURSE IT CAN LICK FLESH DOWN TO THE BONE, THIS IS DUE TO THE NUMEROUS SHARP, REAR FACING PROJECTIONS CALLED PAPILLAE THAT COVER THEIR TONGUES. 4. TIGER’S ROARS ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN A LIONS AND CAN BE HEARD UP TO A MILE AWAY; 5. A TIGERS LEGS ARE SO STRONG THEY CAN REMAIN STANDING EVEN AFTER DEATH; 6. UNLIKE MOST CATS TIGERS LIKE WATER AND ARE STRONG SWIMMERS AND CAN EVEN CARRY PREY THROUGH THE WATER; 7. TIGERS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO IMITATE THE CALL OF OTHER ANIMALS TO ATTRACT PREY; 8. ONE SWIPE FROM A TIGERS FRONT PAW IS STRONG ENOUGH TO SMASH A BEARS SKILL AND EVEN SNAP ITS NECK; 9. TIGERS SMELL OTHER TIGERS WITH A GRIMACE/SMILE CALLED THE 'FLEHMEN RESPONSE' (ABOVE); 10. TIGERS SQUINT TO SHOW HAPPINESS; 11. TIGER CUBS ARE BORN BLIND AND THIS CAN LAST UP TO 14 DAYS; 12. THE FEMALES REAR THE CUBS ALONE, SHELTERING THEM IN DENS SUCH AS THICKETS AND ROCKY CREVICES. THE FATHER OF THE CUBS GENERALLY TAKES NO PART IN REARING THEM. 13. THIS IS NOT A TIGER HUG! TIGERS STAND ON THEIR BACK LEGS AND SPLAY THEIR FRONT LEGS TO ASSERT DOMINANCE WHILST FIGHTING; 14. THEY ARE THE THIRD LARGEST LAND CARNIVORE (BEHIND THE POLAR BEAR AND THE BROWN BEAR); 15. A TIGERS BRAIN WEIGHS OVER 300G. THIS IS THE SECOND LARGEST BRAIN OF ALL CARNIVORES (THE LARGEST BEING A POLAR BEARS BRAIN); 16. CATS IN GENERAL HAVE A BETTER MEMORY THAN ANY OTHER ANIMALS, INCLUDING HUMANS. A TIGERS SHORT TERM MEMORY IS 30 TIMES LONGER THAN A HUMANS’ AND THEIR MEMORIES ARE MADE WITH STRONGER BRAIN SYNAPSES MEANING THEY REMEMBER FAR MORE THAN WE DO! 17. JUST LIKE DOMESTIC CATS, TIGERS CAN SPEND UP TO 20 HOURS A DAY SLEEPING OR RESTING; 18. ALL ABOUT THE DIET. TIGERS ARE THE LARGEST OF ALL BIG CATS, WEIGHING UP TO 700LB AND THEY CAN EAT UP TO 90LB OF MEAT IN ONE SITTING. UNLIKE LIONS WHO WILL FIGHT TO THE DEATH OVER A KILL, WHEN TIGERS CROSS PATHS WITH ANOTHER TIGER WHILE HUNTING, THEY WILL OFTEN SHARE THE MEAL TOGETHER; TIGERS ARE OBLIGATE CARNIVORES, MEANING THEY DEPEND SOLELY ON THE NUTRIENTS FOUND IN ANIMAL FLESH. WHEN SEVERAL TIGERS ARE PRESENT FOR A KILL THE MALE TIGERS WILL WAIT FOR THE CUBS AND FEMALES TO EAT FIRST, UNLIKE LIONS, WHICH DO THE OPPOSITE. 19. DID YOU KNOW THAT TIGERS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO EAT CROCODILES, RHINOS AND EVEN SMALL ELEPHANTS? EVERY CAT LIKES A CARDBOARD BOX!
