The Bengal tiger (\(Panthera tigris tigris\)) is one of the world’s largest and most recognizable cat species, reigning as the apex predator across the Indian subcontinent. Found in diverse habitats spanning from the Himalayan foothills to the tropical mangrove forests, this magnificent animal is an obligate carnivore. As a solitary hunter, its diet is overwhelmingly composed of large, hoofed mammals, which provide the necessary calories for survival and reproduction.
Primary Prey Species
The core of the Bengal tiger’s diet consists of large ungulates, which are substantial enough to provide food for multiple days. Sambar deer, the largest deer species in India, are important prey due to their size and widespread distribution. These deer can weigh hundreds of pounds, offering significant biomass for a successful hunt.
Another widely consumed species is the Chital, or Spotted deer, which often forms the most frequently killed prey due to its high population density. Tigers also regularly target Wild Boar, which offer a reliable source of protein. The massive Gaur (Indian Bison) and the Asiatic Water Buffalo are also taken down by large adult tigers, though these hunts are riskier and require considerable strength.
These large prey animals are preferred because a single kill can sustain a tiger for several days, minimizing the energy expenditure associated with frequent hunting. Scat analysis confirms that heavy ungulates, such as Sambar and Gaur, make up the vast majority of the consumed biomass. The availability of these large herbivores is directly correlated with the health and density of the local tiger population.
Hunting Strategy and Consumption Patterns
The Bengal tiger relies heavily on stealth and ambush tactics rather than sustained speed. Tigers typically stalk their chosen prey, using their striped coats as camouflage within the dense undergrowth to get as close as possible before launching a powerful attack. The tiger’s hunting success rate is relatively low, often estimated to be between 10 and 20 percent.
Once the tiger has seized its prey, the kill is executed with a precise bite to the throat or the nape of the neck. A throat hold results in death by suffocation, while a bite to the back of the neck can sever the spinal cord. The tiger then utilizes its immense strength to drag the carcass, sometimes weighing significantly more than itself, to a secluded area for consumption.
A single adult tiger can consume a remarkable amount of meat, with consumption rates ranging from 8 to over 40 kilograms in a single night. After feeding, the tiger will often cache the remaining carcass under leaves or brush and return to it over the next three to six days. This large, infrequent feeding pattern means a tiger only needs to successfully hunt a large ungulate once every week or two.
Dietary Flexibility Across Habitats
The diet of the Bengal tiger is flexible, adapting to the specific prey animals available in its habitat. In the Terai grasslands of Nepal and northern India, the diet heavily features large populations of Chital, Sambar, and Wild Boar. In the high-altitude forests of Bhutan, the tiger may target different ungulates such as the Serow or Takin, which are adapted to mountainous terrain.
The Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, presents a distinct ecological challenge, forcing the tigers there to adopt a more varied diet. Here, they are known to swim between islands and utilize smaller prey sources. While Spotted deer and Wild Boar remain primary targets, the Sundarbans tiger also consumes Rhesus monkeys and large monitor lizards.
Prey items in this coastal environment also include aquatic life, such as various species of fish and crabs, supplementing the main diet of terrestrial mammals. This adaptation demonstrates the tiger’s ability to exploit available food sources in a harsh, waterlogged landscape.
Secondary and Opportunistic Food Sources
When large ungulates are scarce or a tiger is injured, old, or inexperienced, it will turn to smaller, opportunistic food sources. This secondary diet includes a variety of smaller mammals and reptiles. Animals such as porcupines, hares, and smaller deer species like the Indian Muntjac may be consumed as fallback meals.
Tigers are not generally scavengers, but they will occasionally consume carrion from animals that have died of natural causes or were killed by other predators. A component of the opportunistic diet, particularly near human-settled areas, is domestic livestock. Cattle, goats, and water buffalo that graze near forest boundaries can become easy targets for tigers, especially those unable to successfully hunt wild prey.
The consumption of domestic animals is a direct result of habitat overlap and declining wild prey populations, leading to conflict with human communities. Though typically a small percentage of their total biomass intake, the reliance on livestock increases during periods of stress. This shift highlights the link between maintaining healthy wild prey populations and mitigating human-tiger conflicts.