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Courtship and Breeding in Panthera tigris

Kayla Souza. Courtship and Breeding in Panthera tigris. Information is typically based on Siberian and Bengal tigers alone; in the wild and in captivity. Focus. Panthera tigris. Courtship Copulation rates Breeding Behaviors General Territory Hunting. Courtship .

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Courtship and Breeding in Panthera tigris

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  1. Kayla Souza Courtship and Breeding in Panthera tigris

  2. Information is typically based on Siberian and Bengal tigers alone; in the wild and in captivity. Focus

  3. Panthera tigris • Courtship • Copulation rates • Breeding • Behaviors • General • Territory • Hunting

  4. Courtship • Female is vocal when she is estrus(ovulating)‏ • Male replies with a sharp deep call • When a female decides that a male is suitable for mating. The following occurs: • The two tigers come into contact by touching each others whiskers • Female presents herself to the male by lying down • Male mounts female and bites back of her neck during copulation.

  5. Courtship • It is most likely that the female lashes out towards the male right after copulation because the male actually has small spines on its sexual organ to help stimulate ovulation. • Females are very defensive toward males; especially those that are newly introduced. A change is behavior from the female is highly obvious. • Sometimes the female will refuse to eat.

  6. Copulation and Courtship • After copulation occurs tigers are often seen cooling off in large bodies of water together. • Sometimes two breeding tigers will catch prey and feed before their mating begins.

  7. Copulation & Breeding Behavior • Panthera Tigris copulation periods occur within a few days when the female is fertile.(usually 2-3 days)‏ • The two tigers will attempt to reproduce 15-20 times a day within the time frame of estrus. • When the female has completed her period of heat, the male tiger usually leaves after 20-80 days and returns to his territory. • It is very rare for the male tiger to be living and sharing meals with the female and her cubs and is only temporary.

  8. Breeding and Statistics • Most tigers mate in the Spring. However wild and captive tigers have different peak periods for cub births. • Females can come into estrus every three to nine weeks. • Wild tigers have a peak from March to June and then again from December to January. • Captive tigers have a peak from March to May and then again from August to September. • The average number of cubs that survive in captivity is greater than those that survive in the wild.

  9. Gestation • The average gestation period for Panthera tigris is 103 days. • One cub out of the whole litter usually dies at birth.

  10. Tiger Cub Statistics

  11. Tiger Cubs

  12. Tiger Cubs • In the wild, two cubs per litter is more common whereas in captivity three cubs per litter is most common. • Privacy for pregnant mothers is important. Just like some other mammals, they are very fragile and temperamental during pregnancy. • The mothers more aggressive behavior is caused by her need to protect her cubs.

  13. Mother and Cub • The mother carries her cubs around with their neck and/or skin of the neck from point to point to keep track of them.

  14. Behaviors • The female tiger does little to prepare for the birth and care of her cubs unlike lions who are very social animals. • When the female lion feels she will give birth soon, she makes a home in a cave and prepares to stay for several weeks after the birth.

  15. Conditions • In captivity, certain conditions are required for a mother and her cubs. • Varieties of food and much fresh air is needed to complete the upbringing of a healthy litter of cubs. • Human contact should be kept minimal.

  16. General Information • Bengal tigers are highly populated in India and its bordering countries. • The territory of Panthera tigris can be from 25-300 square miles. • These tigers can live up to 15 years. • Generally, males are larger than the females.

  17. General Information • Male tigers are from 9-10 feet long and generally weigh around 400-575 lbs. • Females are no more than 8 feet long and weigh around 220-375 lbs.

  18. Territory • Panthera tigris mark their territory by stripping bark from trees and expelling strong smelling urine to alert other animals that they are on their grounds. • Size of the tigers territory depends on the amount of prey in that area.

  19. Eating & Hunting • Tigers like to hide in tall grasslands and stay out of open fields. • Usual prey for wild tigers is cattle, pig and deer. • After catching their prey, they drag the animal to a safe place to eat over a course of several days.

  20. Hunting • In some instances tigers will hunt for prey under water. • In this case the tiger has been thrown fresh meat underwater and therefore dives to catch it.

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