ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)

[Apex Titan]

Here's two videos I recently found about tigers and bears.

1st video: A large male Himalayan black bear avoids an encounter with a smaller tigress near a scent marking tree.

2nd video: A male brown bear that is unable to sleep in an area with tigers.

Although bears (both black & brown bears) are common prey for adult male tigers in particular, recent research (2015-2023) shows that even tigresses are quite active at hunting bears. The juvenile tigress Fillipa, at age only 2.5 years old, actively hunted and killed Himalayan black bears. David Attenborough's recent documentary 'Frozen Planet ll' captured footage of a tigress hunting for bears. The juvenile tigress Elena also hunted and killed a bear. There are also documented cases of tigresses killing adult male black bears, as well as many other cases of tigresses actively hunting and killing bears.

Biologist Bromlei found the partially eaten carcass of a 170 kg adult brown bear that was killed and eaten by a tigress. The bear was significantly heavier than its killer. We know the killed brown bear was an adult bear because Bromlei, the biologist who found the killed bear, reported this specific case in his 1965 publication on bears (Chapter: Parasites, Enemies and the Competitors) in which he talks about tigers being the enemy and predator of adult bears in the Russian Far East.

Bromlei states: "To the enemies of adult bears in the south of the Far East of the USSR one should add the essence of the tiger."...

In the same context/paragraph Bromlei adds: 

"In the beginning of May 1951 on the bank of Tatibe River (Iman tributary) based on the cry of crows was possible to find the brown bear (length of 158 cm, the weight of approximately 170 kg), slaughtered by a tigress. All the fatty body parts proved to be eaten: back, hams and the accumulation of fat in the inguinal region. Within 10 m besides the eaten corpse were the excrements, urinary trails, even three lairs of the tigress, that was being held here for approximately 3-4 days."

Also, the renowned zoologist Mazak in his book: 'Der Tiger' also mentioned that the 170 kg brown bear killed and eaten by the tigress, was a full-grown adult bear. In addition, in an international scientific peer-reviewed journal Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae it also reported that the 170 kg brown bear was an 'adult brown bear' killed by the tigress.

It is well known and observed that full-grown adult (both sexes) Himalayan black bears, due to active predation by tigers, are terrified of tigers and avoid encounters with them. But do large male black bears (which are significantly bigger than tigresses) fear and avoid the smaller tigresses?  This video and the comments from the Amur Tiger Center strongly suggest they do.

Usually adult bears, especially large males like this bear, will stay at scent marking trees and mark their scent, but this particular Himalayan bear very briefly sniffs the tree and decides to move on. Some days earlier, a tigress had marked her scent on this same tree. We know that even the largest male black bears, which weigh 200+kg, fall prey to tigers (Kerley, 2011, Kolchin, 2022), so it makes sense that this large male black bear avoided an encounter with the tigress - his natural predator. Thus avoids possibly getting killed and eaten.

Notice that this bear clearly looks significantly more massive and heavier than this tigress, and in spite of his larger size, he avoided her.

Amur Tiger Center states:

"A Himalayan bear next to the marking tree where the Amur tigress had marked nine days earlier."

"The white-breasted one decides not to stay long at the tree, in case the striped owner will return soon."

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

Nine days earlier, a tigress scent marked the same tree:

"An Amur tigress makes scent marks on a marking tree in the Call of the Tiger National Park in Primorsky Krai, October 2022."

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

Video of the large male Himalayan bear:

https://vk.com/amurtigercenter?w=wall-68726894_17422

Video of the tigress:

https://t.me/amurtigercenter/2495


This video shows a male brown bear in the Khingan Reserve (Amur region) that is unable to sleep. The Amur Tiger Center suggests that the bear may not be able to sleep because he's possibly thinking about a tiger walking somewhere nearby.

Amur Tiger Center states:

In the Khingan Reserve in the Amur Region, a brown bear decided to sleep, but something constantly interfered with him. This was in August 2022.

Everything started out perfect. The clubfoot found a secluded place next to a fallen tree, dug a small hole and comfortably lay down in it. The cool damp earth literally takes the form of his body and it seems that the beast begins to fall asleep.

But for some reason it did not work, and the male began to toss and turn. It is possible that he can’t sleep because he's thinking about a Amur tiger walking somewhere nearby. Or he remembered some very berry-filled place and thinks that he needs to get there before his competitors. There are many options that could discourage the bear from sleeping.

As a result, the bear's suffering continues for more than two hours, during which the bear changes several positions (the staff of the reserve counted 9) and, without falling asleep soundly, leaves.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Video of the male brown bear:

https://t.me/amurtigercenter/2647

A male brown bear sleeping out in the open like this, would be a sitting duck for a tiger. It's likely he couldn't sleep and moved on because he sensed the presence of tigers in the area. And sleeping out in the open in an area with tigers, makes the bear very vulnerable to tiger attacks. 

Note that this happened in the summer of August 2022, in a period where tigers primarily (and actively) hunt bears. Recent scientific studies show that Amur tigers mainly hunt bears during the summer and autumn months, and in some areas and regions, bears (both black & brown bears) are more important in the tigers diet than even wild boar or red deer. And adult bears are often killed and eaten. As to adult bears being hunted, the evidence, field observations made by various biologists and kill-sites confirm that tigers successfully prey on the largest and healthiest adult female brown bears, the largest male black bears, and at times, even large male brown bears are hunted and killed.

I've never heard of a bear not being able to fall asleep because he's thinking of some very "berry-filled place". That makes no sense. It makes much more sense that he was either thinking about or sensed the presence of his natural predator - Amur tigers in the area. Especially considering all the factors mentioned above. Reply