Siberian tigers are on the scene! The "king of the jungle" is not just a saying

Review expert: Wang Lei, National Park and Nature Reserve Researcher, PhD in Ecology

On November 18, a surveillance camera in a farmer's home in Changtai Village, Jixing Township, Boli County, Qitaihe City, Heilongjiang Province, recorded a video of what appeared to be a wild Siberian tiger running by. The tiger also tried to crash into the farmer's large iron gate. In addition, an old man in the village was bitten on the left arm by a tiger.

Siberian tigers are introverted, suspicious, ferocious, and agile. They appear and disappear in the jungle at random, and it is difficult for ordinary people to see wild Siberian tigers. So why do wild Siberian tigers appear in villages? How strong is the Siberian tiger, known as the "king of the jungle"? How to protect yourself if you encounter one?

**King of the Jungle - Siberian Tiger! ** The largest carnivorous cat in existence

The Siberian tiger, a subspecies of tiger, is also known as the Siberian tiger. It is a member of the genus Panthera of the family Felidae. The Siberian tiger is the largest existing carnivorous cat, with a male body length of about 2.8 meters, a tail length of about 1 meter, and a maximum weight of more than 350 kilograms. It is distributed in northeastern Asia and is a first-class protected animal in China. It is listed as an endangered (EN) species by the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

The wild Siberian tiger has brownish-yellow fur in summer and light yellow fur in winter. It has many narrow black stripes on its back and sides, usually two of which are close together and shaped like willow leaves. It has a large and round head, with several black horizontal stripes on its forehead, which are often connected in the middle, resembling the Chinese character "王", so it is known as the "king of the jungle".

Solitary, sneak attacks

The Siberian tiger is a solitary animal that often appears at night. It has sharp senses, moves quickly, and rarely attacks humans. The Siberian tiger has no special requirements or preferences for habitats. It only needs dense vegetation for ambush and the terrain is not too steep. Its choice of habitat is more based on the choice of habitat for its prey.

Siberian tigers prey on wild boars, as well as ungulates such as red deer, sambar deer, roe deer, musk deer, and muntjacs. They also prey on small mammals and birds, and in autumn they also eat berries and large insects. Bears also account for 2-3% of the Siberian tiger's diet; Siberian tigers often prey on black bears and even attack hibernating brown bears. The hunting method is to lie in wait or sneak to a certain distance, then suddenly attack, pounce, bite the neck of the captured animal, and make it impossible for the prey to escape.

One of the largest cats in existence!

Ceiling of living cats

How terrifying is the Siberian tiger? An adult Siberian tiger is about 3 meters long and weighs more than 500 kilograms. When an adult Siberian tiger uses its claws to hit an object, its force can reach about 1,000 kilograms, which is equivalent to a 200-kilogram boulder falling freely from a height of 5 meters and hitting a person. There is basically no chance of survival for humans.

The Siberian tiger has an extremely strong bite force, which can reach about 600 kilograms when it bursts out at full force. Its teeth are as sharp as knives, and it can crush a wild wolf's skull with one bite. The maximum speed of the Siberian tiger when running is about 80 kilometers per hour, which is equivalent to a normal fast-moving car. The Siberian tiger can jump to a height of 5 meters, and the impact force is comparable to that of a small tank. The fastest short-distance sprint speed far exceeds the running speed of a wolf pack.

Top predator of cold climates

In the deep snow distribution area, the main habitat of the Siberian tiger is covered with 30-50 cm deep snow for four months of the year, and the temperature can drop to -40°C. In order to survive these cold winters, the Siberian tiger's fur is thicker than that of the southern tiger subspecies, especially around their paws and necks. Their fur color ranges from orange to brown and changes with the seasons.

Their thick fur turns pale in the winter to blend in with the snow and nearly doubles in length to help them better camouflage themselves in the snow and keep warm. In the summer, their fur becomes thinner and darker, making them excellent ambushes in dense woods.

Why did the king of the jungle appear in a human village?

Since it is known as the "king of the jungle", shouldn't the Siberian tiger live in the forest? Why do they frequently appear in human villages?

Human production and living space gradually expands

From prehistoric times to modern times, humans have been competing with Siberian tigers for space. Over the past few hundred years, humans have encroached on the Siberian tigers' territories, gradually expanded their production and living space, and settled deep into the "tiger's den", overlapping with the Siberian tiger's distribution area. The number of Siberian tigers has increased . Previously, due to human destruction, the Siberian tiger was once in danger of extinction. In recent years, the ecological environment has recovered well, and the number of Siberian tigers has gradually increased. Their respective territories are getting smaller and smaller, and food is in short supply. Therefore, even if wild tigers have their own inherent living environment, they will actively expand their range of activities when faced with food shortages.

Food shortages in winter

As winter approaches, the habitat of the wild Siberian tiger is covered with heavy snow. After the snow, wild rabbits, wild boars and other animals on the mountain will lie motionless in the snow and move less, making it more difficult for the tiger to hunt and find food. As their food is scarce, they can only come down the mountain frequently to harass villages and eat livestock.

How can humans protect themselves against the Siberian tiger?

Human power is nothing compared to the Siberian tiger. We should try to avoid entering the Siberian tiger's habitat and potential habitat alone. Once we come face to face with the Siberian tiger, we can do the following:

1. Don't turn your back to the tiger, don't run fast, and don't turn around and run. These actions will stimulate its desire to attack. We should face the Siberian tiger head-on, slowly back away, and quickly evacuate after leaving its sight.

2. If a Siberian tiger approaches or attacks humans, if conditions permit, it can enter houses, vehicles, etc. to avoid harm, or it can be driven away by setting fire.

3. Once you are pounced on by a Siberian tiger, you should first protect your neck and use all available tools to fight back.