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

[peter]

BORNEAN TIGER

Comment and scan of Mr. Prater's letter published in the JBNHS appreciated. As to the points made.

Black tigers

White tigers have been shot in some parts in India, but reports about black tigers are few and far between. The information I found suggest both white and black tigers have been seen in a few regions only. It can't be excluded that the tigress shot by Mr. Limouzin had enlarged and very dark stripes, but those who found her remains a few days after the event, skinwise, didn't see anything out of the ordinary.    

The impression of Mr. Limouzin could have been a result of the circumstances. The tigress was shot just before dark. Those who hunted wild big cats often wrote about the, misleading, effects of fading light. Also remember Mr. Limouzin had seen a large male leopard close to the spot where the tigress was shot.

Big cat skulls

Although skulls of different big cat species, apart from differences in size, may seem similar to most, others have a different opinion. Those who measured hundreds agree there are distinct, and quite consistent, differences between skulls of wild lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards. These differences often stand out when skulls are similar in size. 

In skulls of captive big cats, things are more complicated. Compared to skulls of their wild relatives, they're not as elevated at the orbit. Not seldom, they're significantly wider at the arches. Skulls of captive big cats often are asymmetrical. They also often have superfluous bone growths. Not seldom, the occiput is affected. I could continue for some time. I could also say captivity has a profound impact on big cats and be close. To a degree, species-related characters often evaporate.      

The skull of Mr. Limouzin, however, belonged to a wild tigress. The photograph published in the JBNHS is as clear as it gets.

Follow-up

The post on Mr. Limouzin's skull you responded to is an introduction to a new series on the differences between skulls of different big cat species. I'll post new tables with measurements (originals for Wildfact) and will add photographs when I'm ready. Reply