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

[peter]

ABOUT A MALE BROWN BEAR FOUND DEAD IN A NATURE RESERVE IN THE KHABAROVSKY KRAI IN NOVEMBER 2022 - III b

10 - Introduction

This post is about 2 videos I recently saw. Both will be discussed at length. The series will continue in a few weeks. I'm preparing a post based on Kucherenko's book 'Predatory animals of the forest' (Moscow, 1988). The videos about orphaned Himalayan black bear cubs in which Kolchin features will also be discussed. Same for the video in which Aramilev offers his view. 

View? Yes. An educated and interesting one without a shadow of doubt, as he has access to more reliable information than all others. In spite of that, any view is bound to be an opinion in the end. What I read, heard (referring to trainers in particular) and saw (in facilities and zoos) suggest things are not as straightforward as many seem to think. Members of forums heavily involved in tigers and bears tend to go for black and white statements and simplifications, but reality is complex and always a bit different from studies. When living organisms are involved, you just never know.   

Furthermore, one has to remember the region between the Amur and the Sea of Japan is extended, largely empty and covered with forest, meaning it's very likely many incidents between tigers and (brown) bears go unnoticed. The information available allows for, let's say, some trends, but that's about it. Nearly all of those considered to be 'in the know' concluded tigers win most battles, but the margins are small and details are often missing, meaning there's a lot of room for speculation (see -13-). 

What we need to know now, is Amur tigers, Himalayan black bears and Ussuri brown bears have co-existed for a long time in the Russian Far East. Reliable observations suggest bears, regardless of their size and age, visit tiger kills whenever possible. For this reason, Amur tigers, in contrast to all other tiger subspecies, learn to interact with bears at an early age. We're not talking about sun or sloth bears, but large bears that pose a very real danger to young, old and incapacitated tigers.
  
With 'large', I, weightwise, mean adults approaching (Himalayan black bears) or well exceeding (Ussuri brown bears) mature Amur tigers at the level of averages. That's without individual variation, which is pronounced in bears in general, and large subspecies in particular. There are, for instance, numerous reliable reports about adult male Himalayan black bears well exceeding 400 pounds. Large male brown bears can exceed 1,000 pounds and exceptional individuals (see -11b-) can approach and even exceed 1,200 pounds just before hibernation (...).

Anyhow. The videos discussed in this post are interesting. One is based on an interview with an experienced hunter, whereas the other is a short documentary first broadcasted in 1977. The documentary doesn't have information about tigers and bears, but it's the only one I know of in which S. Kucherenko features and it has footage of a tiger 'calling' a red deer.          

11 - Video based on an interview with an experienced hunter

11a - Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGaOg2QgujY (12:53)

11b - Summary of the video 

The video is largely based on an interview with a hunter. The Russian Far East has many hunting organisations. Their goal is diversification and protection of rare species. The 'hunting farm' or 'hunting estate' is their device to achieve this goal. Members of hunting organisations consider themselves to be 'true' hunters. This means they, like the one interviewed, despise those who hunt protected animals like tigers. 

The hunter interviewed had over 50 years of experience (...) and saw wild Amur tigers from close range more than once. He was both in Khasansky (extreme south) and in Krasnoarmeysky (extreme north of the Primorsky Krai). 

In 1978, he visited the Chugaev district (in the center of the Primorsky Krai), where he and a friend decided to build a winter cabin. They hunted sable and squirrels. On the Gazprom hunting farms, they also hunted for meat (01:10 - 01:50). Before they started building a winter cabin, they slept in the car. In November 1978, the hunter and his friend met with the legal owner of the district they had selected. That is to say, they met with his prints when he visited the car. Initially, he didn't show himself. He was just there to make himself known (02:10 - 03:00). 

In the period they were building the winter cabin, the tiger paid his respects every 7-10 days. When they went out to hunt, however, the tiger kept a close eye on them. At times, he was only 20 yards away. He never threatened them or their two dogs, but wasn't afraid. After they shot an animal, the tiger waited for them take their share. After they left, he took care of the rest (03:01 - 04:37). 

The hunter got a close look at him when he was walking to the cabin on his own. It was a well-fed male with a 'heel width' of over 12,0 cm. They watched each other for a few minutes. The hunter said the tiger felt like an old friend (04:37 - 05:40). 

Apart from collecting his fair share from those visiting his ranch, the tiger hunted himself. The hunter found his victims, including quite a few 'moon' bears, more than once. Near the cabin, two tigresses hunted. They lured their victims by disturbing branches and leaves with their tails (...) and encouraged their cubs to follow their example (05:40 - 06:11).

The hunter and a few friends visited Hassan District in the extreme south of the Primorsky Krai. They used two cars to get there. When preparing diner, a rifle was fired. The shot attracted a tiger. It took a small dog right in front of them, ignoring them completely (06:11 - 06:40). 

Tigers only attack humans when they're hunted, even when they're wounded. They're not affected by wounds and lightning fast (06:40). 

When the hunter and his friends visited a rich hunting estate and built a cabin for the winter, they often saw tigers at close range. They tigers quickly decided the men were to be trusted. The old hunter said a tigress hunted close to the cabin with her two cubs (...). A large male, most probably the father of the cubs, hunted nearby (07:25).

In a district in the southern part of the Primorsky Krai, near a road, the hunter saw a tiger partly under the roots of a tree. The roots were covered with earth and branches. He started digging and pulled the bear out. The tiger, quite young and inexperienced, killed the medium-sized bear and ate part of him. The hunter said he had seen similar scenes many times (07:55 - 08:30).

In November 1978, brown bears began to appear near a river to prepare for the salmon run. One of them, with a print that overlapped the prints of two men with size 45 (...), learned to rob wild boars killed by a tiger. He surrendered his kill without a fight. The scene was repeated many times, until both animals suddenly disappeared. He was surprised, but added Ussuri brown bears can be as large as Kamsjatka brown bears. In a good year, a large seaside brown bear can be 600-700 kg (08:30 - 09:23). 

Tigers and brown bears try to avoid a fight, but the tiger guards his territory zealously. A guest from Denmark, after shooting a hazel grouse, was warned by a large tiger. Tigers often are close to hunting estates and hunters and seem to distinguish between hunters. Hunting farms often have wild boars and red deer. Tigers 'regulate' their population size (09:23 - 11:20). 

When food is scarce, tigers often visit villages and even large cities like Vladivostok (11:20).      
     
11c - Conclusions

In 'normal' conditions, adult wild Amur tigers do not pose a threat to humans. That, however, doesn't mean tigers fear them. Hunters entering the territory of an adult male for a prolonged period of time to hunt, say a few weeks, usually are 'informed' about the situation by the legal owner of the district they selected. This, depending on the size of the territory and the location of the owner, takes 7-10 days. After the tiger introduced himself, he will keep a close eye on them in order to make sure they understand a sitdown is needed before they can start hunting. When an agreement is reached and a hunting pass is granted, the legal owner gets a percentage of every kill. 

Not all hunters know about this rule. Some of those who don't, or don't care, will be warned when they start hunting. If the hunter and the tiger agreed on a deal, there will be no problems. If they didn't, anything is possible. In the video, the hunter said one tiger in a district in the extreme south of the Primorsky Krai was alerted by a rifle shot. He took a dog right in front of the men, meaning he didn't care about them at all. If one of them would have wounded the tiger, chances are the tiger would have retaliated. Most people killed by tigers in the Russian Far East were (and are) hunters. Hunters not interested in (the needs of) other hunters, that is to say. 

Here's a bit more about humans, Amur tigers, problems, attacks, rules of conduct and exceptions. You'll quickly notice exceptions are not very few and far between. The main reason they (can) have serious results is a lack of good information about the situation of wild animals in a specific district and season. Not seldom, they face challenging conditions: 

https://factsanddetails.com/russia/Natur...-5082.html

This regarding the situation in more or less 'normal' conditions. The problem is 'normal' situations in the natural world tend to be volatile at the best of times, meaning they are quite a rarity. You just never know.   

Rumour has it (referring to an article published in the National Geographic in January 2022) wild Amur tigers are under siege once again. Most of us assume poachers kill 10-15 Amur tigers every year, but in the article it was concluded the real number is between 50-75 (...). A devastating conclusion. Although it was countered by Aramilev, the conclusion was based on two, quite lengthy, visits of an undercover journalist. A journalist with a degree in Biology at that. Meaning all bets are off once again. I'll discuss the article in my next post. 

Returning to the video. 

The hunter interviewed isn't the only one who said adult tigers in particular distinguish between people. Although biologists and rangers have been attacked by Amur tigers (read 'The Snare for Tiger'), not one of them was killed. Nearly all attacks were a result of what seems to have been a lack of knowledge, although I thought I saw something close to arrogance as well (referring to a biologist who took pictures of a wild male tiger captured with a footsnare for a prolonged period of time). Pavel Fomenko's case was different. In a rehabilitation facility, he suddenly found himself between a tigress and her cub. Both animals lived in different cages and Pavel ended up between them. The tigress considered him a threat, destroyed the fence (...) and told him to move. Although her decision (to protect her cub) resulted in a serious injury, she didn't kill him. After reading the article a few times, I concluded this also could have been the result of a decision. In all cases mentioned (referring to attacks on humans), the conditions were more or less 'unnatural'. Stress, both in humans and in wild animals, often results in unpredictable, and therefore, dangerous situations.  

In the Primorsky Krai, Amur tigers, including immature animals, often hunt bears, and 'moon bears' in particular. The hunter interviewed said he knew of many cases. He also saw a large male brown bear rob a tiger (gender unknown) for a prolonged period of time. Although he was surprised, he added some seaside male brown bears can reach a very large size. This observation made in November 1978 near a river close to what would have been the Sea of Japan, in my opinion, is as reliable as it gets. The hunter saw it himself and he saw it more than once for a prolonged period of time.

He was surprised the tiger abandoned his kill, meaning it's likely he heard, or, as likely, saw tigers defending their kill against male brown bears as well. It could be the size of the bear was a factor, but it has to be added the situation in that district in that period of the year was exceptional. Just before the salmon run, the abundance of food attracted many animals. Some tigers followed the wild boars and bears to the river.    

It's known Amur tigers attack adult male brown bears, but incidents of this nature are rare. Two of the incidents I know of happened in winter, meaning it's quite likely non-hibernating males ('Shatuns') were involved. Most 'Schatuns' are emaciated, often desperate, animals willing to take on anything. Another male brown bear, described as " ... very large ... " ('Der Tiger', V. Mazak, 1983, pp. 189), was killed in dense forest in summer near the Sungari river. His killer, at 11.6 in total length measured 'over curves' ('Der Tiger', 1983, pp. 186), was the longest wild Amur tiger I know of. It also was one of the most massive: 

*This image is copyright of its original author

 

These incidents happened in the forties and fifties of the last century. Apart from the young adult male tiger killed by a 'very large' male brown bear in 1960, there are no reliable reports about male brown bears killed by tigers or the other way round in the sixty odd years that followed. In 2017, however, male tiger 'Ochkarik', the favourite of Batalov (most probably) killed, and completely consumed, the large male brown bear that had harrassed tigress 'Rochelle' and her cubs for a long period of time. Not long after she had complained about the bear to the father of her cubs, the big male brown bear ('Chlamyda') suddenly disappeared, never to be seen again. In spite of the lack of solid evidence (Batalov only found a few heels), there's no reason to doubt the conclusion of a biologist who studied tigers and bears for many years. A man who knew 'Ochkarik' on top of that. 

In November 2022, an adult male brown bear with a pad width of 18 cm (front paw) was killed by a male tiger in the buffer zone of a nature reserve in the Chabarovsky Krai. Those who know think male tiger 'Odyr' was the one who killed the bear. Here he is:

*This image is copyright of its original author

 

The observation of the hunter in the video discussed above suggests the very large male brown bear that robbed wild boars from the tiger for a prolonged period of time in November 1978 could have used the situation to it's advantage. It could be the tiger, as a result of that situation (referring to the presence of many prey animals near the river), wasn't willing to defend his kills against an exceptional male brown bear. 

The male tiger that killed a very large male brown bear near the Sungari river in the summer of 1943 also could have used the local conditions to it's advantage. The bear was killed in dense forest (see the first photograph of this post), enabling the tiger to ambush, and quickly kill (Jankowski didn't find traces of a prolonged struggle), the bear. 

The photographs of the male bear that stalked and robbed tigress 'Rochelle' for a prolonged period of time in 2017 suggest he was a very large individual: 

*This image is copyright of its original author

Tiger 'Ochkarik', the father of the cubs of 'Rochelle', was a bit smaller than an average wild male Amur tiger. According to Batalov, who weighed many bears and tigers, he was 160-180 kg. In spite of the significant difference in weight, Batalov, as experienced as they come, is convinced 'Ochkarik' killed and completely consumed the large male brown bear. 

The male brown bear killed by male tiger 'Odyr' in November 2022 had a palm width of 18 cm, meaning he was a full-grown adult. The information I have suggests an adult male brown bear with a palm width of 18 cm in that region is at least 250 kg in good health (referring to recent tables). Tiger 'Odyr' has a 'heel width' of 11 cm, meaning he, like 'Ochkarik', is medium-sized male at best (there is a strong correlation between 'heel width' and weight in adult wild male Amur tigers). 

Using the incidents that happened in 2017 en 2022, one could conclude weight doesn't seem to be a significant factor in a clash between an adult male tiger and an adult male brown bear. It could be 'Chlamyda' was ambushed by 'Ochkarik', but the bear killed in November 2022 most certainly wasn't. Yuri Kya found evidence of a prolonged fight. Tigers ambush animals they consider as food. Animals considered as competitors are confronted. 

What I read, strongly suggests wild male tigers at times deliberately enter fights with dangerous animals like large wild boars, wild buffaloes and bears. The reasons are unknown, but it could be John Vaillant ('The tiger', 2010), who wrote " ... Amur tigers will occasionally kill bears solely on something that we might recognize as principle ... " ('The tiger', pp. 140), could have been close. 

In the Russian Far East, most adult bears are quite large animals that need a lot of energy. Not easy, as they largely depend on roots, insects, berries, salmon and small animals. In order to satisfy their needs, bears, therefore, need to invest a lot of time and energy. Another problem is most food items lack a vital ingredient: proteine. As a result of the ever present food problem, most bears are willing to take a risk in regions that have professional hunters. This is the main reason Amur tigers learn about bears at a young age. Big bears no doubt prevail in some clashes near kill sites, but tigers are intelligent animals able to distinguish between individuals. They also have a great memory. Those who know about them agree adult males in particular are vindictive animals. My guess is the 'principle' Vaillant referred to is related to food, or, more accurately, ownership.  

As the taiga had to let go of all courts, judges and laywers many years ago, tigers and bears meeting at a kill site have no option but to discuss problems related to legal ownership themselves. According to Kucherenko ('Predatory animals of the forest'), the exchange of arguments usually is a noisy, and quite bloody, affair.           

12 - S. Kucherenko

12a - Video 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2wbs8C2uNk (18:36)

12b - Summary of the video

Compared to the videos and documentaries I saw, and I saw quite a few over the years, this one, called 'Where the Amur tigers roam', stands out. At least, in my eyes. The quality isn't in the shots, the story or the commentary. It's a result of a combination of factors. How get there? 

You start with the intention to produce something of value. And value, almost half a century after it was first broadcasted, it has. The main reason is it shows the natural world as it is, or more accurately, was. The producer takes his time to show you the beauty of the region between the Amur and the Sea of Japan. It speaks for itself, meaning there's no need for a barrage of comments. The voice fits and that's also true for the comments. They fit the shots like a glove. Same for the music. It's great and fits all shots. So much so, it seems as if it was composed for this documentary in particular. 

In between the shots and the comments, the one viewing the documentary is offered a lot of time to absorb the scenery and the information. Every now and then, the one leading him into a region of stunning beauty takes his hand to show him a few more things he didn't know about. Although well informed and as interested as the one watching, the guide isn't taking the credits for what he's offering the one viewing. In this documentary, the animals and the forest do the talking. What are they saying? Only someone able to connect to something many of us lost is able to understand. The problem is he's unable to inform others about the things he felt and sensed. Language is a great tool to communicate, but it's only a narrow path in a forest of sensations many never experienced, let alone understand.       

This, returning to the documentary, is how you do it. One could say the skill to convey a message isn't in a combination of spectaculair shots, interesting comments and a clear message at the end and be close. It's in something different. I'm not saying recent documentaires about the natural world don't compare (many are quite interesting), but the approach is different these days. Urgency and weight replaced peace, essence and quiet as the most vital ingredients, so it seems. 

Considering the current state of affairs (referring to the plight of the natural world just about everywhere), I understand. And yet. In my day, a good documentary of an interesting series about the natural world often attracted a crowd. Today, this is not the case anymore. Although still amazed at the beauty of our planet, many feel overwhelmed by the number of the problems deposited at their plate while watching. They feel helpless, lose interest in the big picture and focus on things they can do. It could make a difference in the end, but it will take time. Time we don't seem to have anymore (referring to pollution and climate change in particular).          

As to the content of the video.

In the seventies of the precious century, the region between the banks of the Amur to the Sea of Japan was largely empty. Like today, it had large tracts of untouched forest. In summer it's all but impossible to see, let alone study, those making their home in the forest, but when the snow starts to fall the situation changes. It's in this period biologists enter the forest. They never know what they're going to see, but experience told them some of their views will have to be adapted when spring starts again. The reason is the natural world changes all the time (00:00 - 01:50). 

Many of us think life in the natural world is tough, especially in regions that have large predators. It most definitely is. At times. For some animals. Adult large predators, however, are few. And, not seldom, far between. Prey animals know. They also know they'll be informed about their thereabouts well before they arrive at the scene. If a big cat, in spite of the information system in use, kills a deer or a wild boar, all animals living in that part of the forest know. The kill will alert them, meaning the cat has to invest more energy in hunting. If the investment, energywise, is too costly, the cat will move to greener pastures. This is the main reason the territory of, for example, an adult male tiger is quite large, especially in regions where prey animals are few. Meaning the threat, although very real, isn't constant. 

Wild animals, adults included, play a lot. They also interact with other species. The documentary has some nice shots of a youngish male brown bear and a mature male wild boar. They seem to chase each other. Are they testing their abilities, or are they playing (03:10 - 06:00)? 

In spite of the presence of tigers, the Russian Far East has other wild cats. The southern districts of the Primorsky Krai have leopards. In most other districts, lynxes are present. The ones living in the northeastern part of Siberia, at the level of averages, have the largest skull of all subspecies. Adults often hunt roe deer. The documentary has a few nice shots of lynxes (06:20 - 08:00), but it also shows red and spotted deer (08:00 - 12:00) and a lot of other small animals and birds. 

When you say deer, you say tiger. The documentary has nice footage of a tiger following spotted and red deer walking on a clearing. You have to pay attention though, as the footage only lasts a few seconds. The tiger moves through the forest like a ghost (10:50 - 10:55).

Weatherwise, autumn is the best season in the far eastern taiga. In that season, many animals are at their best. Red deer in particular feature in the last minutes of the documentary. In autumn, males challenge each other for mating rights. In that season, they often pay less attention to threats. Tigers know. Many hunters think tigers are able to lure some of the animals they hunt. Animals like red deer. True? 

Kucherenko knew about the observations of hunters. His students can be seen blowing a horn developed to attract male red deer. Does it have an effect? Yes. Are tigers aware of the call of the red  deer? They are. Are they, as many think, able to 'call' a male red deer? The answer is affirmative again. Watch the footage showing a tiger practising his abilities in this department (15:50 - 16:20). I'm not saying the call is flawless, but it's not bad. Not bad at all.   

Why do tigers 'call' red deer? The answer is red deer are large animals. If a tiger is able to kill one, it will feed him for about a week. Energywise (referring to investment and return), it doesn't get much better. The problem is every forest has clearings. In autumn, male red deer mainly operate on them. As long as they stay there, tigers are at a disadvantage. In order to get close to a deer, they need cover. By calling, and 'challenging', an adult male deer, they try to lure him to the edge of the forest. 

So it's true tigers are able to copy the 'call' of wild deer? Yes. If you want to know more about tigers with a degree in calling, read 'Dersu the trapper'. Arseniev's classic was first published in 1941, but there's a McPherson & Company reprint (1996). Buy it if you can. Great book.  

Tigers are also able to call other animals. Animals like the wild buffalo. George Hogan Knowles ('In the grip of the jungles', 1932 - there's a Natraj reprint published in 2007) can tell you all about it. His stories were discussed in the tiger extinction thread some years ago. 

The documentary, to wind it up, is interesting from start to finish. Watch it if you have time, as it's a glimpse into the past. Allthough the Russian Far East now has more tigers than in 1977, something changed in these 46 years. Back then (1977), life often was slow at best. I know, as I was there. Today, local overpopulation, severe pollution, new technological developments, a lack of fundamental choices and a loss of gatekeepers resulted in a situation I would describe as speedy, volatile and threatening (referring to pollution and climate change in particular). We're very close to all kinds of edges, but most people apparently still don't see a bad moon rising. 

13 - To finish the post

In the introduction (see -10-), I said things between Amur tigers and (brown) bears are not as straightforward as many seem to think. Those who have reliable information about clashes between these two giants, as that's what they are in their prime, think tigers win most. By about 2:1, so it seems (referring to recent information). 

This means tigers, in spite of the advantage they have (referring to their ability to leave a fight not going their way), have been killed in fights with brown bears. Although it's likely most of them were adult females, young adults and immature animals, adult males have been killed as well. I know of three cases, but it's quite likely there are more. My guess is they were killed by adult male brown bears. The reason is I never heard of a male tiger killed by a female brown bear. According to those who followed tigers in the snow, all female brown bears attacked were killed:

*This image is copyright of its original author

 

There's no need to discuss a fight between a male tiger and a male bear resulting in the death of the tiger. The reason is a male brown bear often has a (significant) weight advantage. Furthermore, they're as robust as they come and that's still apart from their legendary strength. Discussing a fight in which the bear is killed, however, is quite a challenge. The reason is most find find it hard to believe a male Amur tiger of, say, 400 pounds, is able to kill a male bear of, say, 650 pounds.  

I understand. Nearly every adult male brown bear is an impressive animal. Weaponwise, however, an adult tiger, to put it mildly, compares. 

Big cats kill with their teeth. To be more accurate, they kill with their canines. A set of four is great, but most wild males will readily sign for three. Compared to those of a mature male brown bear, the upper canines of a mature male Amur tiger are (quite a bit) longer and more robust. The 'snout' of a tiger is shorter and, therefore, less vulnarable. The zygomatic arches are wider. Their 'gape' is impressive. The upper skull is much more vaulted. The design of the skull, to keep it short, enables a male tiger to exercise a lot of force at the tip of the canines and quickly kill a large animal:

*This image is copyright of its original author

 

Here's the skull of an adult male Ussuri brown bear (first posted by 'Warsaw') for comparison. The skull of the bear is longer (referring to greatest total length), but narrower at the arches: 

*This image is copyright of its original author

Apart from that, a tiger is more agile and faster. Last but not least is the big cat is a professional hunter. Tigers have been apex predators for a very long time. The information collected in many thousands of years is present in every adult tiger, captive or wild. A wild tiger is an observing and intelligent animal able to develop and adapt it's behaviour over time. Not seldom, adults develop into specialists. In some regions, tigers are deer killers. Those in the Caspian region, however, were wild boar specialists. In the Russian Far East, adult males not seldom develop into wild boar or bear specialists. Brown bear specialists, that is. For a tiger, a brown bear is more 'in reach' than a Himalayan black bear. Himalayan black bears can climb trees, whereas adult brown bears can not. These bear specialists, to be sure, do not, as many seem to assume, specialize on hibernating bears. Recent information says they hunt them in summer and autumn. In fact, they thrive on them. So much so, they often lose weight in winter, when most brown bears hibernate. 

And what about the difference in weight at the level of averages? Well, mature male brown bears in the Russian Far East are significantly heavier than mature male Amur tigers. In spite of that, they only very seldom, if ever, challenge a male tiger.  

Recent research says male brown bears displace Amur tigresses, but it doesn't happen very often. Biologists didn't find evidence of male Amur tigers displaced by male brown bears. It no doubt happens (see -11c-), but it's something out of the ordinary. Remember these remarks are based on recent research. Research conducted in the Russian Far East, not Bulgaria. 

And what about tigers displacing male brown bears? There's no information available, but we do know adult male brown bears only seldom hunt. Tigers, in contrast, are professional hunters. In the Russian Far East, many hunt bears. Most focus on Himalayan black bears, but male tigers, and bear specialists in particular, hunt adult female brown bears. Not very often, but more often than 'every now and then'. Are adult male brown bears immune? Apparently (referring to the two incidents discussed above) not, but those who know agree adult male Amur tigers and adult male Ussuri brown bears avoid each other.       

As to strength. There's no need to discuss the strength of an adult male brown bear, as nearly all adults are massive animals: 

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

And what about tigers in this respect? Most adult males are powerful animals able to quickly overpower herbivores at times well exceeding their own weight. Compared to their captive relatives, wild Amur tigers (referring to recent photographs and videos) seem more muscular and more stocky: 

*This image is copyright of its original author

  

*This image is copyright of its original author

I'm not saying mature wild male Amur tigers, strengthwise, compare to a mature wild male Ussuri brown bears, but the differences between both species (referring to adult males) could be more limited than we assume. Also meaning a clash could go both ways. Not a conclusion to the liking of those involved in simplifications, but it seems the most plausible considering all facts. 

As to some of these facts.  

Brown bears are known for their endurance. True? Our member 'Apex' recently posted a video showing a fight between two large male brown bears in Alaska in the brown bear thread. Less than a minute after the clash erupts, the one filming the encounter (an experienced guide) says it's the longest fight he saw by a margin (...). 

Like male tigers, male bears engage for short periods of time, say 30 seconds. Not that different from well-trained human athletes, so it seems. Why is that? The reason is it is very difficult to exercise maximum strength for a prolonged period of time when you have a large and muscular body. Even a 'long' fight (referring to male brown bears) seldom exceeds a few minutes.  

And what about tigers in this respect? Not a few members of animal forums are convinced big cat like tigers quickly exhaust themselves in a fight. Their 'well-known' (referring to statements of quite a few posters) bursts of energy can even result in 'overheating'. True? 

Every serious fight between two well-matched large predators (referring to bears and big cats in particular) will result in quick exhaustion. This is why the animals involved often need breaks to recover their breath. That, however, doesn't mean the fight quickly ends in all cases. At least, not in tigers. There are many reliable reports about serious fights between male tigers lasting for hours.

So most assumptions about strength and endurance of brown bears are just that? Far from it. An adult male brown bear can destroy a decent car or a heavy wooden front door of a well built cabin in seconds. He can run in the snow in hill country for quite some time and that's not even half of it. But a male Amur tiger compares in many respects. It's not as clear-cut as many assume. 

All of those who know say adult male Ussuri bears and adult male Amur tigers avoid each other. For very good reasons. A fight, like Vaillant said, hurts. Furthermore, it's dangerous. A tiger can kill a brown bear and a brown bear can kill a tiger and both know. 

And what about the alleged advantages of a tiger in a fight? Most of those who know seem to agree, but the margins are small. In a fight anything is possible. The outcome isn't a result of adding up advantages. It could be about experience and, in particular, motivation in the end, but circumstances and coincidence need to be considered as well. You just never know. 

Here's two more photographs of an Ussuri male brown bear (pay attention to the man holding the head of the bear) and a male Amur tiger. Judging from the teeth, the bear seems quite old. The male tiger was a young adult:    

*This image is copyright of its original author

 

*This image is copyright of its original author

        

What I'm really saying is it's imperative to find, and evaluate, good information before starting a discussion and taking a stand. Not a few arguments used by those involved in discussions about the abilities of tigers and, in particular, bears in a fight seem to be far-fetched, if not invalid or incorrect. One could say a poster deliberately going for simplifications is misinforming the public and be close.   

Are we, to wind up the post, to conclude Amur tigers are different from other subspecies in the bear department? 

Yes. No doubt about that one. All wild Amur tigers that made it to adulthood graduated in bears. When young Amur tigers, at 18-22 months of age, become more independent, chances are their first kills will be contested. We know, because some youngsters were radio-collared. Tiger 'Boris' was one. Well before he reached adulthood, he killed at least 2 (young) bears interested in his kill. Other young tigers, however, leave when a big bear approaches. My guess is most young Amur tigers learn about brown bears the hard way. The first thing they need to learn is to leave a fight not going their way in time. 

Indian tigers compare to Amur tigers for size and weight, but not in the bear department for the reasons discussed in this post. Some individuals hunt bears occasionally, but most do not. Remember the posts in the tiger extinction thread about tigers caught in 'rings' in Nepal in the twenties and thirties of the last century? More often than not, they tried to avoid bears also caught in the 'ring'. With 'bears', I don't mean brown bears, but Himalayan black bears. Not big males, but, in most cases, females with cubs. Read 'Big game shooting in Nepal'' (E.A. Smythies, 1942) to find out more. In the Russian Far East, Amur tigers don't try to avoid Himalayan black bears. Not seldom, they hunt them. Although they often select small bears, adult males, at times able to reach 440 pounds or a bit more, are also hunted.  

Brown bears are a very different ball game. As far as I know, only Amur tigers deliberately hunt brown bears. Most tigers involved in brown bears are experienced males. They hunt bears up to about their own size. Although a large (150-200 kg) female can oppose a male tiger for some time, all females attacked by male tigers were killed (referring to recent information). Fights between adult male Amur tigers and adult male Ussuri brown bears, as was stated above, are very uncommon, but they happen.        

Linda Kerley knows a few things about tigers and bears. Her opinion was discussed more than once. Kucherenko is 'in the know' as well. In his book 'Predatory animals of the forest', he's quite explicit about confrontations between tigers and bears. My proposal is to have a closer look.  

Before discussing his book, however, I'll post the link to the article in the National Geographic I referred to above. It was published in January 2022 and needs to be discussed. Reply