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Why do tigers have stripes? – Vidit M., age 8, New Delhi, India

When tigers stalk their prey, normally within the murky gentle of nightfall or daybreak, they’re practically invisible. Whether or not they stay in grasslands, forests or jungles, wild tigers have deep orange coats with darkish stripes. So how does such a brightly coloured animal keep hid nicely sufficient to hunt efficiently?

The reply: camouflage!

Inexperienced tigers?

In my work as a zoological veterinarian, I’ve seen up shut how numerous animals’ coats, feathers, colours, spots and stripes have advanced to both assist them appeal to a mate or disguise them. Camouflage – or “cryptic coloration” – permits them to cover, undetected.

Since tigers are apex predators on the high of the meals chain, they don’t want to cover from animals which may eat them. They’re carnivores – they eat meat – they usually depend on stealth to hunt efficiently.

The human eye can course of pink, inexperienced and blue, so to us, a tiger appears to be like orange (proper). Deer can course of solely inexperienced and blue, which makes them colorblind (left).

J. G. Fennell et al, Journal of The Royal Society Interface, CC BY

They’re helped by the restricted imaginative and prescient of their most well-liked prey. Deer and different hoofed animals can’t see the complete vary of colours, very like a colorblind human.

It helps them see higher in dim gentle, nevertheless it additionally makes them susceptible. To their eyes, the tiger’s fur isn’t shiny orange: it appears to be like inexperienced and matches the background.

Hidden in plain sight

The tiger’s markings additionally play an essential function. Their vertical stripes, which vary from brown to black, are an instance of what biologists name disruptive coloration. They assist break up the cat’s form and measurement so it blends in with timber and tall grasses.

That’s essential as a result of these predators don’t hunt in teams, like a lion, or have the velocity of a cheetah. Tigers are solitary cats that depend on stealth and camouflage to outlive.

A Bengal tiger camouflaged amongst timber and foliage in India’s Kanha Nationwide Park.

Kailash Kumbhkar/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

Stripes even range among the many six tiger subspecies. The Sumatran tiger subspecies has a lot narrower stripes than the others and has extra of them. This helps it keep hidden in its dense jungle dwelling.

Distinctive as a fingerprint

While you have a look at totally different tigers up shut, as I do in my work, you’ll see that every of their stripe patterns is exclusive, identical to a zebra’s. No two are the identical. They’re as distinct as human fingerprints.

Each tiger has its personal distinctive stripe sample – they usually aren’t the identical on each side!

Mathias Appel/Wikimedia Commons

This permits researchers who research them within the wild to determine and depend particular person tigers. They use distant cameras to take footage of the animals after they stroll by. Utilizing this technique, tiger specialists estimate that solely about 3,400 wild tigers stay throughout their Asian homeland.

It’s not simply their fur that’s inked with black stripes. When we have now to sedate a tiger to deal with an harm or do dental work, we shave their fur. It’s at all times shocking to see that their pores and skin nearly appears to be like prefer it’s been tattooed: It has the identical striped sample as its fur!

White tigers

So if stripes camouflage tigers from potential prey, why are a few of them white? Don’t they stand out within the jungle, even with their stripes?

Sure, they do! As a result of we’ve seen them on TV or in wildlife vacationer points of interest, we might imagine they’re widespread, however they’re not. A genetic mutation in Bengal tigers provides them their milky white fur. Each dad and mom should carry the identical very uncommon gene to provide white cubs. White tigers are bred to kin in captivity to draw vacationers – and inbreeding produces unhealthy offspring.

The white tiger’s snowy coat is brought on by a uncommon genetic mutation. No white tigers stay within the wild: In captivity, roadside zoos breed associated tigers, producing these stunning however sickly animals to draw vacationers.

Basile Morin/Wikimedia, CC BY

There have been by no means various white tigers within the wild. The final one was noticed greater than 60 years in the past. That is sensible by way of evolution. A white and black tiger is less complicated to identify than an orange tiger, so it might have a more durable time catching its dinner.

Tigers’ distinctive striped coats assist them hunt efficiently, nevertheless it’s additionally one cause why they’re endangered. Folks kill them for his or her stunning pelts, which command excessive costs within the unlawful worldwide wildlife commerce, principally in Asia. Park guards and conservation teams are working to guard this iconic animal, the most important of all the large cats.

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Andrew Cushing doesn’t work for, seek the advice of, personal shares in or obtain funding from any firm or group that will profit from this text, and has disclosed no related affiliations past their tutorial appointment.