🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Tigers often cover carcasses with vegetation to conceal them from scavengers.
After a successful kill, a Malayan tiger may drag carcasses weighing more than its own body mass away from open areas. This behavior reduces risk of scavenger interference and human detection. Powerful forelimbs and shoulder muscles generate extraordinary pulling strength. Dragging can extend tens of meters across uneven terrain. Concealment allows the tiger to feed over multiple days. For a predator already under population pressure, every calorie secured matters. The physical capacity to move massive prey underscores their apex status.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Hauling large carcasses requires coordination and stamina in addition to strength. Energy expenditure during dragging is offset by prolonged feeding access. This efficiency is essential in ecosystems where hunts frequently fail.
However, when prey density declines due to poaching, even exceptional strength cannot compensate. Reduced food availability increases time spent hunting, elevating exposure to snares and conflict zones. Strength alone cannot stabilize a collapsing food web.
💬 Comments