Tag: Tiger

LSU to have live Tiger in stadium for Alabama game

Should fans expect to see a live Tiger on LSU’s sideline Saturday night?

Per reports, a live Tiger is set to be inside the stadium when LSU faces Alabama on Saturday night.

Louisiana SportsNet broke the news on Thursday.

It would be the first time since 2015 that a live Tiger was present in Tiger Stadium for a game. However, don’t expect to see Mike, LSU’s live mascot, on Saturday night.

The reports indicate the animal will be brought from a wildlife refuge. Not many details are known outside of that.

In September, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry expressed a desire for Mike to return to the sideline. Brian Kelly was asked about Landry’s comments and didn’t have much to say.

“That is something that I just don’t have enough information on,” Kelly said.

LSU is hesitant to put its own Tiger in that environment. After all, a live big cat in the middle of 100,000 screaming fans doesn’t seem ideal.

LSU is yet to release a statement on the matter.

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Watch: Angry tiger reacts to ‘intrusive’ tourists in safari vehicle

Footage from India shows the agitated tiger charging an open-topped jeep full of tourists, including at least one child.

Wild animals exhibit remarkable restraint when tourists in vehicles violate their space. But occasionally, they lash out.

Video footage shared Sunday by a member of the Indian Forest Service shows an agitated tiger aggressively charging an open-topped vehicle before responding to loud sounds made by a guide and retreating into the forest.

(Click here to view the footage.)

“Sometimes, our ‘too much’ eagerness for ‘Tiger sighting’ is nothing but intrusion in their life,” Surender Mehra bemoaned via X.

Viewers might note that, with the vehicle just yards from the tiger, at least one infant can be heard in the audio.

The post brings to question the issue of responsible tourism, as in, how close is too close for the safety of wildlife and tourists? (In most regions of the world, any action that glaringly alters the behavior of a wild animal might be considered harassment.)

Reads one of the top comments: “But why [do] the visitors have to risk their life in an open jeep? One leap by the tiger can cause heart attacks to some of them sitting in the jeep. The thrill will vanish in a second.”

The top comment is from a follower who seemed to imply that had the tourists remained silent during the encounter, the tiger might not have felt compelled to lash out:

“Worst is the constant jabbering by tourists – they just won’t keep quiet!”

Tiger, cobra in standoff during rarely witnessed encounter; video

Footage shows the tiger pausing in its tracks and the cobra flaring its hood, but both critters appear to hold their ground.

Safari guests in India were treated recently to a rarely witnessed interaction between a tiger and cobra, which appeared to culminate in a standoff.

Several clips are being shared via social media but the accompanying footage is reported to have been captured in early August by Sudhir Charmode in the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve.

The first clip, shared by Ramesh Pandey of the Indian Forest Service, shows the young tiger pausing when it encounters the cobra in a muddy creek, and the cobra flaring its hood as a warning.

The tiger is wary of the venomous reptile and maintains a safe distance, but it does not flee.

The second clip, shared by the Mumbai-based media company Latest LY, shows the tiger resting while keeping a close eye on the cobra opposite the creek.

At this point the cat and snake are only yards apart.

Latest LY wrote: “The video, which has quickly gained attention on social media, depicts the tiger and snake facing each other, blocking each other’s path.

“Such incidents are seldom witnessed, making this encounter particularly extraordinary.”

The interaction occurred during a festival period when cobras and other snakes are worshipped by Hindus.

Watch: Tiger, bear square off in tense jungle encounter

Footage shows the tiger following the sloth bear, which at one point turns and charges the tiger.

Last month we shared rare footage showing a tiger chasing a sloth bear through an Indian jungle.

Tigers sometimes prey on sloth bears, but predation attempts are rarely witnessed.

The footage, credited to Siddharth Singh, was posted to X by Ramesh Pandey of the Indian Forest Service, who remarked: “Jungles never cease to amaze us.”

On Wednesday, Pandey shared the accompanying footage (also captured by Singh) showing a tiger and sloth bear squaring off on a remote path in a lowland jungle, as tourists in vehicles watched from opposite  locations.

This time, the tiger is wary and simply follows the bear, which at one point charges the tiger. The outcome of their encounter is unclear.

Although tigers occasionally prey on sloth bears, the two species typically thrive together in shared protected habitat, according to Wildlife SOS.

Footage showing safari tourists crowding tiger sparks outrage

Footage shows Indian safari vehicles crowding around the tiger in actions that appear to violate tourism and safety standards.

Video footage showing tourists crowding a tiger as the animal attempted to navigate a forest road in India has sparked outrage on social media.

The accompanying footage, shared this week by Parvenu Kaswan of the Indian Forest Service, shows tourists in safari vehicles shouting in excitement while surrounding the tiger and causing the animal to become wary.

“What [the] tiger must be thinking?” Kaswan stated via X.

The vehicle operators’ actions, which appear to violate tourism and safety standards, inspired several viewers to express their displeasure.

“Such horrible tourism,” one follower wrote.

“How can this be ever permitted?” another asked. “This is absolutely preposterous. Tigers are not for entertainment and they don’t exist to promote tourism. What is being done to stop this?”

NDTV in India reported that the tourists were “making an uneasy situation for the tiger” and described their behavior as “disturbing.”

Wild animals are supposed to be observed from a distance that’s safe for the animals and tourists. Actions that alter a wild animal’s behavior, such as those shown in the video, could be deemed harassment.

Safari vehicles crowd tiger in ‘unwarranted’ behavior in India

Footage showing safari vehicles packed with tourists following closely behind a large tiger has drawn criticism for an obvious reason.

Footage showing safari vehicles packed with tourists following closely behind a large tiger has drawn criticism for an obvious reason.

“The great Indian tiger show. Please maintain some sense & distance,” Susanta Nanda of the Indian Forest Service stated in a tweet.

The footage (posted below) was captured by Swati Yardi from a vehicle in front of the tiger as the majestic animal strolled casually on a dirt path.

Yardi shot back: “These vehicles or crowd you see in back are not unnecessary vehicles but allowed ones in the zone as per department.”

Nanda: “The vehicles are allowed not to chase the wild. The behavior is unwarranted. Don’t forget that the guidelines say to maintain minimum distance of at least half-a-kilometer between two safari vehicles when they are ferrying people in a tiger reserve.”

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Yardi: “Agree sir with you. I just hope this is been followed in all forests because as I have done safaris since more than half decade in different parts of Indian forests, and never seen distance of half km. Sad reality everywhere. I only wanted to mention there was no disturbance to the tiger.”

Some in the comments criticized the Indian government for not enforcing regulations.

Tigers are endangered, but staunch conservation efforts have enabled the tiger population in India to increase from a record low of 1,411 animals in 2006 to more than 3,000 animals.

–Image and video courtesy of Swati Yardi

Watch: Prowling tiger bows to ‘titan herd’ of elephants

A large tiger was captured on video recently crouching in the grass to hide from massive elephants crossing a trail just feet away in India.

A large tiger was captured on video recently crouching in the grass to hide from massive elephants crossing a trail just feet away in India.

The footage, captured by naturalist Vijetha Simha, begins with one of the elephants trumpeting as if to announce the detection of the tiger just to their left.

The tiger crouches and almost becomes invisible as the first of three elephants – including a youngster – begin to cross the trail in the rain.

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The footage (posted below) was shared by Susanta Nanda of the Indian Forest Service.

Susanta stated via Twitter: “This is how animals communicate & maintain harmony… Elephant trumpets on smelling the tiger. The king gives way to the titan herd.”

Several seconds after the three elephants cross and disappear into the brush, the tiger stands and begins to follow, only to be chased away by a larger, trumpeting elephant that was bringing up the rear.

Whatever the tiger had hoped to gain from this encounter did not materialize.

Wrote the Times of India: “These creatures are so large that one can do nothing except bow down to their majesty. Now that the tiger has paid his respects to the ‘god of the jungle,’ they can go about their business.”

Tiger’s ambush attack on deer ‘will leave you surprised’

A journalist in India has shared footage showing an ambush attack by a tiger that didn’t go quite as planned.

A journalist in India has shared footage showing an ambush attack by a tiger that didn’t go quite as planned.

“This stunning video of a Royal Bengal Tiger chasing a deer in West Bengal’s Sunderbans will leave you surprised,” Piyali Mitra wrote on Twitter.

The footage, credited to Anup Kayal, shows the tiger crouched at the left, waiting for an opportunity to strike, as three unsuspecting deer browse just yards away.

However, as the tiger pounces, the deer scatter, and the tiger chases one into the water.

Susanta Nanda of the India Forest Service observed: “Tigers of Sunderbans mangroves are [adapted] to catch the prey even in water. But here is one that dodged the big cat.”

In the footage the tiger appears to be on top of the deer. But the deer changed direction underwater and surfaced well out of reach, signifying the end of the hunt.

Tigers, quite often, are not successful in catching prey. On average, however, they kill about one large animal per week.

–Bengal tiger image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Watch: Tiger takes on giant cardboard box full of zoo treats

A Malayan tiger at the Tulsa Zoo has entertained thousands of fans on social media by acting like an enormous house cat when presented with a giant cardboard box full of treats.

A Malayan tiger at the Tulsa Zoo has entertained thousands of social-media followers by acting like an enormous house cat when presented with a giant cardboard box full of treats.

The accompanying footage shows Tahan, an adult male tiger, almost fully inside the box while playfully trying to open smaller boxes to access items placed inside by keepers.

“What happens when you give a tiger a box?” the zoo asked in its Facebook description, under the title, “Tahan VS Box.”

The zoo added: “Enrichment helps to encourage natural behavior and keep animals mentally and physically healthy. It can include things like toys, smells, or in this case, boxes filled with food!”

Tahan seems to enjoy his time inside the makeshift tent-box while savoring his next moves. At one point, he rolls onto his back, paws up, and ultimately breaks out of the box, whereupon he signals the end of the game and walks past the camera.

“Super fun enrichment,” reads one comment.

“All cats love boxes,” reads another.

As of the time of this post, the video had garnered nearly 45,000 views.