Scientists Share Chilling Footage of Siberian Tigers Hunting Bears
Camera traps set up in China to help monitor and protect Siberian tigers, an endangered species, captured a startling discovery: Siberian tigers hunting and eating bears.
Most bear species in China are considered apex predators. Until recently, it was believed that their only threat would be humans hunting them or habitat loss. However, footage from China shows Siberian tigers hunting multiple species of bears, putting bears’ place on the totem pole into question.
Scientists followed up on the sightings with expert trackers to learn more about this unique situation. By analyzing the scat of the tigers, scientists determined that almost ten percent of their diet now consists of bears.
Siberian Tiger Conservation
Siberian tigers, also known as Amur tigers (P. t. tigris), are the largest cat in the world. They display a trait called sexual dimorphism, where the females and males differ in size and weight. Males can weigh up to 675 pounds (306 kilograms), while females top out at around 370 pounds (167 kilograms).
As for their surprising prey, China is home to numerous bear species beyond the famous panda bear. Asiatic black bears and brown bears are found throughout much of China, and although Asiatic black bears aren’t as heavy as the largest Siberian tigers, brown bears can be much more imposing.
Scientists believe that there are only 400 Siberian tigers left in the wild. Poaching and habitat loss are their primary challenges. While extensive conservation efforts have stabilized the population over the years, the tigers are still critically endangered.
These conservation efforts led to researchers placing trail cameras to keep track of the tigers. Instead, they captured this stunning footage of Siberian tigers stalking, chasing, and ambushing both brown (Ursus arctos) and Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus).
Powerful Conflict
The question of how the tigers win over the bears is how the animals’ hunting styles vary. While bears rely on brute strength to win over their prey, tigers have a completely different approach. They use their stripes as camouflage to ambush and strike their target with speed and a precise bite of deadly force.
Over 10% of the scat found included bear remains, which reflects the tigers’ changing predation habits in China.
“The idea of a tiger attacking a bear and winning in the fight is nothing but extraordinary. So, when your research sort of reveals these relationships, how this ecosystem is operating. It’s just so exciting. It’s powerful,” The Wild podcast host, Chris Morgan, shared with CBC News.
Video credits: CCTV / CBC News
