January 12, 2022 2 min read
How intelligent are the tigers? Of all the big cats, the tiger is by far the most intelligent. You see, its brain size exceeds that of the African lion by at least 16% (about 300 grams), also the tiger has a bigger cranial volume - thus, the striped fawn has physically larger brain cavities, indicating its biological mastery of a far more supreme intelligence than any other felid; furthermore, its brain is probably the largest of all carnivores, making it almost comparable to that of chimpanzees.
How intelligent are the tigers?: a necessary intelligence for hunting
Such intelligence occurs especially when the tiger adopts strategies when hunting. Indeed, it does not chase its prey in a disorderly manner; on the contrary, it waits for the right moment to attack, a period during which it can remain motionless for quite a long time, or even go back and forth between bushes while lying in wait, silent... In the process, its vertical black stripes make it quite invisible to unsuspecting prey.
An incredible ability to adapt
The tiger's intelligence comes alongside superior adaptability - hence, this magnificent beast never misses an opportunity to analyze the best method to kill its prey, no matter how big or dangerous it is (buffaloes, wild boars, even bears, and crocodiles!), instead of blindly attacking it as lions do. Let's not forget: because it leads a solitary life unlike its cousin lion, the tiger always needs to do better to survive on its own, and subsequently acquires far more skills without the support of a group.
For example a tiger having been introduced into Africa was seen hunting an antelope (a blesbok). At first, the stalking failed, as the antelope in question took its position, listening only to its courage, and its horns ready to disembowel the predator. Except that the predator was seen to stop and then walk for a while - apparently looking for the right moment to shoot the blesbok; one is almost tempted to say that it was meticulously studying plan B after plan A had failed, or simply deceiving its prey before going on the attack. In the end, after a time of exhaustive reflection, the tiger killed the antelope and earned himself a free meal.
The tiger has a phenomenal memory
Moreover, tigers have an infallible memory, as their short-term memory lasts about thirty times longer than ours, and their recollection is made up of much more powerful brain synapses, which means that these felines do not forget as easily as humans.
This is why it is often said that the tiger is easier to tame than the lion. In fact, it has been established that some individuals in captivity display friendly behavior not only towards their keepers but towards strangers as well! This is not a joke: these same tigers have been seen greeting any human by snorting and emitting their famous prusten, a non-threatening vocalization intended to say hello or show good intentions...
And this is how the tiger's supreme intelligence is shown - a quality that undoubtedly makes it, along with its great size and omnipotence, the most feared predator in the jungle.
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