How Do Tigers Adapt to Their Environment?
Tigers adapt to their environment by evolving camouflaged fur, stealthy hunting habits and very large size. Because they are only successful at about one out of 20 hunts, tigers consume very large prey to ensure they get enough food to eat. While wild tiger populations are dwindling, they thrive if they are provided with the resources they need, such as forests, water and ample prey.
The tiger’s stripes are an effective method of camouflage. The orange and black striped pattern blends seamlessly with the tall grasses and forests that they hunt. Tigers use stealth to get close to their prey and when they get close enough, they pounce on the hapless animal. The tiger pins the animal to the ground and delivers a lethal bite to finish it off.
The size of tigers allows them to hunt exceptionally large prey. Tigers routinely eat pigs, deer and, when they share the same habitat, wild cattle. Tigers are among the largest cats in the world, and the largest subspecies are the largest terrestrial carnivores in the world.
Tigers defend territories from other tigers of the same sex. The primary reason they engage in these behaviors is to reduce the presence of competitors.
