In Rare Behavior, Male Tiger Cares for Cubs After Mother’s Death

Male Tiger’s Unusual Treatment

Panna Tiger Reserve

Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh has been caring for tigers for years now. Now, the team has witnessed one of the rarest tiger situations of all time. At the beginning of June, a male tiger, named P243, showed his fatherly instincts for one of the few times in animal history.

Sadly, the male tiger’s mate died a few weeks ago. However, soon enough, the male tiger killed a cow and left it near his cubs. The PTR team could not believe their eyes. Male tigers very rarely care for their babies, especially after the mother passes. For better or worse, the law of nature means that most tigers only fend for themselves. The tigresses also teach babies how to hunt, survive, and mark their territory. Meanwhile, the fathers hunt for and protect the family. Strangely, though, P243 has been acting quite differently!

“Yes, the circumstances indicate that the male tiger is taking care of its cubs. We are monitoring the behavior of the tiger and the cubs,” said Field Director of PTR, U.K. Sharma. “We found that the tiger visits these cubs regularly, and his behaviour shows that he is not a threat to the cubs,” Sharma said. However, P243 has gone much further than any male tiger before…

Closely Monitored

Panna Tiger Reserve

Now, P243 has started playing with his cubs and even sharing his food, which the PTR team says is a great sign. The scientists think it might have something to do with the relationship: he spent more than two years with tigress P213-32. “He was not seen with any other tigress,” the administration stated. “He was also seen at the cremation site of P213-32 within an hour of the cremation on the evening of May 15. The next day on May 16, he was found sitting for long hours at the place where P213-32 died. The cubs were also assumed to be located in and around that place.” Incredibly, the PTR team also shared that P243 gave out cub calls, trying to gather them!

For the time being, PTR will keep a close look on the cubs, for their safety and upbringing. Tiger cubs will start hunting after the age of 12-13 months, so the management team will keep an eye on them until then. However, it’s hard to keep an eye on such tiny tigers! “Male tiger P243 has been successfully collared. As cubs could not be located in a suitable location, no cub could be collared,” said the PTR report.

Of course, since the mom’s death, no zoologist can predict how their life will develop. If the male tiger finds a new tigress, the management will see how she treats the cubs! We hope for the best!