Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 124, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1909 — How Tigers Kill Their Prey. [ARTICLE]

How Tigers Kill Their Prey.

I have taken considerable trouble to find out how tigers kill large game, writes -an assistant controller of ..forests- at I’erah to the London Field. Some rime ago I '"as asked to come and see a full grow n bullock that had been killed by a tiger. On examining it I found | the animal had its neck broken and there were claw’ marks on the nose and shoulder, but nowhere else. There was no doubt that the tiger had jumped at the bull and landed on the shoulder and when the bull turned his head to gore the tigei he must have ,put his claw’ out and with a sudden jerk broken its neck. On another occasion I went to see a young buffalo which had been Idled by a tiger and found the same thing had happened. There were similar marks on the nose and also on the near shoulder, which cleaily -indicated that this animal Ift d (been killed in the same way. Malays who have actually seen a tiger kill a bus falo told me they saw the same thing happen, also that in dragging off a heavy carcass such as buffalo or bull he gets most of the weight across his shoulder. This must be fairly correct as I have often followed a kill, and the marks left indicated that only a portion of the animal was trailing along the ground. t I have known a full grown bull which ten men could not move dragged for two miles by a tiger in heavy jungle, where roots and trees and swamp had* l to be gone through. In no case have 1 seen the pug marks facing the wrong way except when stopping to feed, which proves he must carry a portion of the animal over his. The old idea of a tiger killing large game by a blow from his paw Is nonsense; besides, in this country a tiger never faces his prey but attacks him on ibe flank, unless charged. Another curious fact that may scorn very like a fairy tale is that a tiger does not seem to mind a small lamp being tied over 'a. kill about wrirat will come and feed I have known •three occasions when this has been tried and each time a tiger hati come to feed upon the carcass.