Tiger Predation

[Apex Titan]

(09-21-2024, 06:27 PM)Bitishannah Wrote:

(09-18-2024, 06:11 PM)Apex Titan Wrote:

(09-17-2024, 11:03 PM)WildWarlord Wrote: Breaking news: August 23, 2024. Assam: Elephant carcass found in Kaziranga; officials suspect tiger attack. The forest guards in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve on Thursday said they found the carcass of an adult elephant. 


The carcass was found partially consumed, indicating a predatory attack.

“It was killed a few days ago, and a large part of the body is missing. It looks like some tiger-like carnivorous animal did this for meat,” said an official.

Officials denied chances of poaching as the tusks were not removed.

“The poachers kill the elephants for tusks…As per our view, no human was involved,” the official said.

Despite the incident, officials reported a positive trend in Kaziranga National Park, noting a decrease in poaching activities and an increase in the wildlife population.

“A large part of our forests was encroached upon in the past, but the state government conducted eviction drives, and as a result, animals returned,” explained another official. “These deaths are natural, which shows that the forests are getting their original status back.”  source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-new...48063.html

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Great account.

Just further confirmation that even adult elephants fall prey to tigers. Here's a 2nd report about this incident:

“It was killed a few days ago, and a large part of the body is missing. It looks like some tiger-like carnivorous animal did this for meat,” an official stated.

"Initial investigations ruled out poaching as a cause of death. Officials noted that the tusks were intact, which suggests that humans were not involved. “The poachers kill the elephants for tusks…As per our view, no human was involved,” the official added.

https://www.newsx.com/offbeat/assams-kaz...iger-kill/

The elephant carcass showed signs of a predatory attack by a tiger, the elephant was partially-eaten, and the tusks were completely intact. Forest officials also noted that there's been a decrease in poaching activities and an increase in wildlife populations in the Kaziranga National Park. Confirming that no poachers/humans were involved. This is a clear indication of a tiger kill.

Picture of the killed adult elephant:

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Was there ckaw or bite marks? I still can't comprehend how a tiger can kill an elephant when lions need a pride!.

The reports or forest officials never specified if the elephant carcass had claw or bite marks, but according to them (and their expertise & experience), the elephant carcass showed signs of a "predatory attack" by a tiger, with a large portion eaten.

There was no sign or evidence of human involvement at all, so officials ruled it out.

Throughout history there has been numerous cases, reported by renowned hunters and naturalists, of tigers attacking, badly mauling and injuring, and even killing adult elephants. To add further credence to those cases, there are several modern day reports, reported by forest officials, deputy director's and rangers, of tigers attacking, severely injuring and killing adult elephants, including bull tusker elephants. Even some renowned biologists have stated that tigers prey on adult elephants.

Now, shall we just arrogantly dismiss all these accounts and call all those experienced hunters, naturalists, biologists, forest officials, deputy directors, and rangers...liars?? Are they all making up fairy tales for fun? Or shall we accept these accounts reported by well-respected and experienced authorities?

Tigers are capable of killing prey as large as adult rhinos and elephants (Field biologist, researcher & big cat expert, Mel Sunquist):

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Some years ago, after killing a buffalo, a tiger attacked, badly mauled and fatally injured a bull elephant:

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-eas...cid/568603


From renowned zoologist & mammalogist, Reginald Pocock - Mammalia

Tigers prey on all types of game, even on adult female elephants:

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As massive, strong and tough skinned an adult elephant is, the tiger has the weaponry, skills, speed and agility to kill it. Most people get caught up in this false "size matters" notion too much. That doesn't necessarily matter when two animals of a different species clash. Now we look at physical attributes and predatory skill.

An adult elephant is substantially slower, less flexible and clumsier than a tiger, who is renowned for its tremendous agility, speed, reflexes, precision and power. A tiger's massive, sharp and robust canines and razor-sharp claws can easily tear through and penetrate an elephants tough skin.

Here's a saying from the War and strategy writer, Wilbur H. Morrison:

"If the tiger ever stands still, the elephant will crush him with his mighty tusks. But the tiger will not stand still. He will leap upon the back of the elephant, tearing huge chunks from his side, and then he will leap back into the dark jungle. And slowly the elephant will bleed to death."

That saying sums it up perfectly. It's very easy for a tiger to outmaneuver and evade an adult elephant's charge head-on and leap upon its back, and once a tiger leaps on the elephants back and starts mauling it, its very difficult for the elephant to get the tiger off of him. The elephant's enormous size, stiffness, and cumbersome anatomy can be a disadvantage in a fight against a tiger. A tiger, being much smaller, faster, more agile and skilled, can run circles around an adult elephant like nothing. Its not all about size. Look at the anatomy and attributes of the larger animal too. Huge size and weight can definitely be a disadvantage in many situations.

Here's an account, reported by game warden, tracker & hunter, Colonel Kesri Singh (over 50 years of field experience in the Indian jungles), in his book "The Tiger of Rajasthan" of a tiger that killed a bull tusker elephant in a fierce, prolonged fight. Although the tiger was assumed to have been fatally injured, he managed to kill and tear apart the large bull elephant.

Colonel Kesri Singh's accounts and observations have also been accepted and referenced by modern tiger biologists and leading tiger experts like Karanth and Valmik Thapar. 

This account is called "Death by a Thousand Cuts."

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*This image is copyright of its original author

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Taking all these factors into consideration, its not difficult at all to comprehend how a single tiger kills an adult elephant. Again, its been reported numerous times by very reliable sources and experts. Reply