A white tiger is not a distinct species of big cat, but rather a Bengal tiger with a rare genetic mutation called leucism. This condition reduces dark pigment, resulting in the animal’s characteristic white or near-white coat, dark stripes, and blue eyes. It is important to note that this is not a form of albinism. Since the white tiger is simply a color morph of the Bengal tiger, its biological and dietary requirements are identical to its orange-coated counterparts. As obligate carnivores, all tigers must consume meat to survive and obtain essential nutrients.
The White Tiger’s Wild Prey
The natural diet of a tiger focuses on large-bodied prey, providing the necessary caloric and nutrient density to sustain its massive size. Primary food sources are large ungulates, such as Sambar deer, Chital or Axis deer, and wild boar. These animals form the bulk of the tiger’s intake, requiring a significant kill every several days.
Tigers are opportunistic predators and will consume other animals when the chance arises, including livestock like domestic cattle and goats. While large mammals are the staple, the diet occasionally includes smaller creatures:
- Porcupines
- Monkeys
- Birds
- Reptiles
The wild tiger consumes the entire animal, which provides a complete nutritional profile, including bones, organs, and the contents of the digestive tract.
Feeding Practices in Captivity
The vast majority of white tigers reside in zoos, sanctuaries, or private reserves, where their diet is strictly controlled and does not involve live prey. Specialized carnivorous diets are formulated by zoological nutritionists to mimic the high-protein, high-fat content of a wild kill. The meat provided is typically commercially sourced horse, beef, or chicken. This meat is often supplemented with vitamins, including Vitamin A, and the amino acid taurine, which is essential for feline heart and eye health.
Adult captive tigers are usually fed every day or every other day. Many facilities incorporate a fasting period of one or two days per week. This schedule stimulates a more natural feeding cycle, mimicking the unpredictability of a wild hunt, and helps maintain a healthy body weight. The daily quantity of meat ranges from 4 to 8 kilograms, depending on the tiger’s size, age, and activity level.
Hunting Strategy and Consumption
In the wild, the tiger is a solitary hunter relying on stealth and ambush rather than a long chase. Their body structure is built for power, not endurance. The tiger uses its striped coat to break up its outline in dense vegetation, approaching prey closely before launching a short, explosive attack. The primary objective is a fatal bite to the neck or throat, which quickly suffocates the prey or severs the spinal cord.
Despite their powerful hunting methods, a tiger’s attempts often fail, with success rates estimated to be as low as one in ten or one in twenty attempts. Once a successful kill is made, the tiger drags the carcass to a secluded spot, such as under heavy brush, to consume it without disturbance. A large adult tiger can ingest up to 30 to 40 pounds of meat in a single sitting. They will guard the remains to feed on over the next few days.