There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
What we do know is that the 600 lb (272 kg) scale was bottomed with either Sauraha M105 and M026 male tigers and that we will never know their exact weights. Therefore the weight of the animals as they were (captured, narcotized and weighed after a whole night, 12 hours or so, more then likely spent feeding at a baited kill) together with the equipment necessary to weigh them was more then 272 kg.
I am not aware of what sort of scale they used. I assume it was either using a spring system or an electronic one. In any case the weight of the equipment must be taken into account either if it was not possible to zero the system once everything was settled to weigh the animal either it was not. Should zero the system be possible, generally the capacity of the scale is reduced accordingly and therefore in that case it would have not been feasible for the scale to read 272 kg any more but a bit less. However I tend to assume that it was not possible to zero the scale and that therefore the weight of the equipment contributed to bottom the scale reading just the maximum 272 kg. Either way it does not make a difference in the concept.