Tiger Intelligence
How intelligent is the tiger?
Well, we human beings think that we are the most intelligent among all the living species on earth. We take a certain amount of pride in that as well. However, do the other animals have a lower level of intellect? Some scientists refuse to acknowledge that animals possess intelligence; rather they attribute some of the actions to intuition.
However, I have a healthy regard for the intelligence level of a tiger. I have never seen them attack their prey at the first sight. I have seen the tiger virtually crawling in the ground where there is insufficient cover and deciding to move back to the shelter of the bush when it realises that the distance is not enough for it to succeed in bringing down the prey. Once I saw the Jhurjhura tigress in Bandhavgarh stalk four times to return back without its prey even noticing her. Compare this to foolhardy actions of some of the armies who have unsuccessfully tried to storm the bastion and have paid with huge number of human lives. One such example that readily comes to my mind is the Charge of the Light Brigade of the British army in the Crimean war where a hundred odd soldiers were felled at the first few minutes of the open charge. Do you still think that the tiger has lesser intellect?
I am sure your doubts regarding the tiger’s intelligence will vanish when the tiger outwits you and slips away. Many a hunter will vouch for that. And if you are a wildlife photographer or researcher tracking and studying a tiger for a long time, then you may have such an experience as well.
A wild bengal tiger Panthera tigris tigris cub walks along a dirt track in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, India
A few years back, I was in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. It was raining in most of the days. In one afternoon, dark clouds were hovering over the sky. We ventured into the forest and despite signs of tiger, we didn’t see one. We saw a big herd of gaur with a huge dominant male. I think it is the biggest gaur that I have seen till date. It was ensuring that a small calf was physically shielded and after all the members of the herd crossed the road and moved into deeper jungle did the leader move.
After an hour or so we took a right turn and suddenly ahead of us at a distance we could see a tigress with cubs walking on the dirt track. It was an interesting sight. A few poodles had formed in the dirt track due to rain and leading our eye to the tiger. I clicked a couple of image and then asked the driver to move closer.
Tigress watching to see if we left
The cubs turned to their left and entered the forest where as the tigress kept on moving ahead. We reached the spot where the cubs had entered into the forest and stopped to spot them. Since we couldn’t find them and the tigress was moving on the road in front of us, the driver and the forest department appointed guide were interested in following her.
No sooner had we started the jeep, we could see that one of the cubs was just peeping from behind a bamboo bush. It was watching whether we have left the place or not. The cub then sharpened its claws on a dead tree and then moved back into the forest. We immediately, started following the tigress.
The tigress walked for a few minutes and then turned to her right and entered into the forest. Remember, that the cubs had entered the forest on our left, where as the mother enters the forest some distance ahead and to the right.
When we reached the spot, we could not locate her. We stood there for a few minutes to ponder our next course of action. The driver and guide were unanimous in their decision that the tigress had moved ahead and we should also move ahead. I was not sure that the tigress had moved ahead. If it wanted to do so, then why did it leave the dirt track and enter into the bush? I had a niggling suspicion that the tigress might have gone back towards her cubs. Nevertheless, we moved ahead for a few minutes and I was thinking all the time. I suddenly asked them to stop. The driver and guide thought that I had spotted the tigress. I told them to turn back and reach the place where we had left the cubs. The driver and guide started telling me that they know for sure where the tigress has gone; they have so much of experience etc. I was insistent because I realised that the tigress have fooled us.
I forced the driver to turn back and drive back to the place where we left the cubs. Suddenly, from the corner of my eye, I could see the tigress and cub sitting on a bund towards our left, about 15-18 feet high. This bund, due to its higher elevation, was obviously not visible to the people sitting in a vehicle. I had somehow managed to sight them. We then reversed the vehicle and came back to the spot.
The tigress was obviously smart. The cubs went into the forest on our left and she moved ahead 
and entered into the forest towards her right. She has then retraced her steps back to the spot, crossed the road and met her cubs. She has then taken them to the top of a bund which is about 15-18 feet high and not readily visible from the ground level. She was intelligent enough to fool us for some time. If I didn’t have an idea about the good level of intelligence a tiger possesses, then I would not have realised that it was a deliberate ploy of the tigress to lead us away from her cubs.
We photographed them for some time, and one of the cubs who were shy immediately moved into the bush and out of sight. So I photographed the tigress and one cub. Soon other tourist vehicles appeared in the sight and were unable to notice the tiger and moving away. Only after our guide pointed at the tigress and cub, the other tourist vehicles could see it and came back for a closer look. Such was the advantage of the elevation of the bund.
She was obviously not too happy at the presence of noisy tourists in four tourist vehicles that had lined up at the spot within 15 minutes. She gave vent to a snarl and soon disappeared into the bush. The light was pretty low. I clicked a few images solely for black and white purpose. We then moved back to the forest rest house, with a much better appreciation of the intelligence level of a tiger.
Post Script: Perhaps no one could have described the intelligence level of tiger vis-a-vis man much better than the late Kailash Sankhala, the founder director of Project Tiger. He had made a comment on the practice of people wearing a mask at the back of their head while entering into the Sundarban forests, in the belief that tiger will think people are looking at him and will not attack. In Kailash Sankhala‘s own words:
“My study of the tigers behaviour rules out any role for masks or dummies. The tiger never attacks at first sight. A lot of verification, re-verification, focus and refocus is practised, sometimes for hours before an attack is launched.
Too much of dependence on statistics to prove the predetermined result is dangerous. But who fools whom? Nobody is quiet sure. My guess is the joke is on us rather than the tiger“.
Please do post your comments and feedback about this ‘Tiger Intelligence’ article.
Sabyasachi is available for Hire as a DP for shoots any where in India.
- GoPro Hero 12 Black - 6 September,2023
- Leopards: The Last Stand - 2 July,2023
- Drifting in the Waters of Sundarbans - 26 March,2023
Loved this article. I wish more of us learnt to appreciate this magnificient animal.
Nice article and beautiful photos. Loved the one where the cub looks from behind the bush. what a great creation by God
I’d been snooping around for this thread for ages from your site. I was sure it was here, just had to search 😉 At last, found it, really useful! I’ll make sure to follow to the RSS feed from here on it.
Tigers possess superior intelligence, especially when one becomes disabled (broken tooth, infected paws or shoulders after fight with porcupines), and forced to become a man eater. At that stage, they study the behavior of humans, their weakness and most of all, how to elude the hunters who are chasing them with rifle. It takes a superior hunter with extensive knowledge to outsmart and outwit a man eating tiger. Reading the books by Jim Corbett will attest to that fact. When any creature that can prey on 438 human beings and eluding hundreds of shikaris day and night, one must admit that that animal indeed has a level of intelligence far superior than the men who pursue him/her. For that matter some man eating leopards had also proved to be smarter than an average leopard. All it boils down to what Darwin called Survival of the Fittest.
Jerry,
I agree with you that that tiger possess superior intelligence. Perhaps, it was noticed only after there is increased contact of a maneating tiger with people. After all, we really understand the true intellect only after repeatedly matching wits with an adversary and coming out second best.
I wonder why we forget the hard earned knowledge of people like Jim Corbett, especially since he has described his amazing experiences in a lucid manner..
The Jim Corbett Foundation was established in Canada in 1994, after his long neglected grave was restored in Nyeri, Kenya by the founder and director of JCF. It was created to cherish the memory of Jim Corbett, for what he did for the poor folks of Kumaon for 32 years by risking his own life time and time again, and expecting nothing in return. A huge bulk of his earnings was dispersed among the poor, even after his death, bulk of his estate was dispersed to his beloved villagers in and around Kaladhungi. Corbett was a unique individual, a tiger among men, and indeed a kind and warm hearted gentleman with boundless courage.
To join the Jim Corbett Foundation, write to:
The Jim Corbett Foundation, 1306- 39 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T6L 2M7, Canada. or send an email to: safaribooks@shaw.ca
Dear Sabyasachi,
A great observation of the tiger’s intelligence. You are absolutely right with your thoughts. The story has been captured well with photographs and narrated as if the drama was unfolding right in front of me.
Very good account, very impressive. If the tiger verifies and reverifies before attacking its prey then it has great natural survival instinct which in other words can be said that it is very intelligent.
This is such a wonderful article…We learn a lot of things by deep observation and analyzing things around us…I strongly feel God has provided intelligence in all living beings……And lovely photos!…Great work!
I have worked with cats (through rescue programs) for over a decade, and they never cease to impress me with their intelligence. They are smart, in fact they are scary smart. Tigers are no exception. And this comment comes from someone with a PH.D. in theoretical physics. Many people are put off by cats, of all sizes, because they can be so independent and remote. Cats are no fools, and they don’t suffer fools well. And they don’t put up with sh**, from anyone. You have to prove yourself to a cat. You need to earn their trust and respect. In return you will get their respect, and affection. Unfortunately, this is beyond most people.
wow !! great to know about tigers !!! thanks for giving you views on the wild. 🙂
To imply the tigress you wrote about had some kind of “superior intellect” because she lead you away from her cubs is just nonsense. A mother rabbit will do the very same thing to a snake.