Tiger Food Consumption & Drinking Water

Tigers are carnivores and literally consume everything that is motile but most of their prey in India consists of deer, wild boar, bison or gaur, and antelope. They are voracious eaters and one fully grown male tiger weighing around 250 plus kg can consume 30 kg of meat in one go.  

The big cat makes a kill mostly by ambush or a small chase. The death is due to a fracture in the cervical region by impact as the tiger pounces and by the rupture of blood vessels in the neck by sharp canines. The big cats can hold the neck region for quite some time till the prey dies. They can hold the massive bison as well this way which is an amazing feat considering that the bull weighs over a ton in the wild. In the wild, there is no time to chew hence they clean the animal of fur and begin eating by gulping pieces of meat.  Once the meal is over they must drink and hence they approach a waterbody or a waterhole sit down on limbs and gulp water. They consume a lot of water in one go.  

As a routine, the predators drink once in the early morning and then at dusk and this is enough. This routine is maintained even during the hot summer. The animals with fur cannot perspire and they resort to expelling heated air from their body consistently. In summer you will find the tiger panting profusely in order to control its body temperature. Another way is to wallow or bathe in muddy pools or waterholes during the summer.   I have seen big cats literally rolling in a pool to cool themselves. In the summers tiger bathing in a pool or waterhole is a matter of routine. This is when they drink to satiate thirst as well.  A pool may be frequented by a number of predators and sometimes there can be a conflict. Guides and naturalists keep an eye on water sources to search for or track wild animals in National Parks or reserves. 

Unlike other wild animals especially the prey species these carnivores need not be cautious while approaching as waterbody. They walk at ease to approach the waterbody and relax for quite a time in the safety of the reserves. 

Sometimes one can see the whole family submerged in water male, female, and cubs all together to beat the heat. I have often seen male tigers drinking water or while sitting at the edge.

These predators are purely meat eaters or carnivores but on rare occasions, I have seen them eating grass or licking sand for minerals. This is nature's way of aiding digestion and consuming healthy nutrients like vitamins and minerals not available in animal meat.

In summer the tigers limit their range and keep a lookout on the precious water bodies and pools within their territories. Thus the sighting increase due to limited movement and prey congregation near the water sources. Photographers, filmmakers, and tourists find sightings easier in the hot months. 

============================================================
Uday Freelances as Naturalist in Central India. He is an avid birder and tiger enthusiast. He blogs on tigers, wildlife, and birds. He also writes about the environment and conservation.

Uday also provides SEO Services and Website Content in English. He teaches Digital Marketing in Jabalpur in Summer Holidays.
--------
Contact: pateluday90@hotmail.com
09755089323