Wild Cats: Tigers

Never think for a moment that they are compliant like a cat! They are very wild and strong. They are the strongest of the cat family.

New-born tigers open their eyes only two days after they are born. Although she is very wild towards other animals, the mother tiger is very sensitive and caring towards her cubs. She suckles them for a period of six weeks. Then, she gradually teaches them how to hunt and find their food.

After this period of education, the young cub grows into a strong adult that can move very fast. At one leap, he can cover a distance of four metres (13 feet). Now, open your arms wide. The distance from the fingertip of one of your hands to the fingertip of the other is about a metre. Four times this is the distance that a tiger covers in only one jump.

Tigers can camouflage themselves – adaptation to environment – a feature of which they are unaware. Their fur, very much in harmony with the natural colours of the environment in which they live, is extraordinarily suitable for camouflage in the jungle.

This way, they can secretly approach their prey. Besides, these colours give tigers very aesthetically beautiful and impressive features. The lines on their fur and cheeks as well as the shapes of their eyebrows differ from one tiger to another.

Tigers respect each other's hunting territories. A tiger marks its territory by leaving a scent it secretes on the bushes. This odour warns other tigers of the existence of another tiger's territory.

The unusual features of tigers are not limited to these. Unlike other cat species, these wild-cats like water very much. Furthermore, in spite of their huge bodies, they are great swimmers. Like all other creatures, Allah has granted tigers awe-inspiring characteristics.

Little baby tigers are very cute and thus arouse compassion in us. Despite being very wild animals, Allah has inspired mother tigers to be very compassionate and merciful towards their babies.