The two young immature males above are just "play fighting" to establish a social dominance. Note the claws are not used, and they are simply trying to overpower each other. Male's will typically "come up high" when they attack and attempt to overpower you with their size/strength. Note at the end when the one youngster is back into some thing and pinned his attitude changes instantly to aggression/defense. You have to read them quicker then they read each other and react quicker then they react if you are going stay alive. Words don't count, reading and reacting are all that matter.
Contrast to the adult male and female below. The female is defending her young and has taken the best advantage to use her claws, the most damaging weapons in a tigers arsenal. She has "gone to ground" allowing her to hook and dig into the shoulder muscle of the male, who again has typically "come up high" attempting to use his size to his advantage. The female was able to win the bluff, disabling the males greatest strength, his shoulders, by hooking, digging, and holding the male back away from her throat/neck, and by "going to ground" was able to use all four sets of claws, to the larger male two sets. Smart old broad, she's been there, done that before.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Different tiger attitudes--Playing and life or death
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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9 comments:
In my VERY limited tiger training experience I had a male once who would go to ground when he was pushed too hard. Or even a little bit hard! He just did not want to be there most of the time.
He would come off the ground at any angle and at a speed that defied thought - you reacted on instinct.
I regard him as potentially the most dangerous animal that I have ever been involved with and eventually retired him to a zoo.
Because generic tigers are so scarce he is now being used for breeding meaning that I may one day have to work with his offspring. Or stick to lions!!!!
The video on top is great to study. It always makes me laugh after a scuffle when the cats are squared up and they try to look at anything but the other cat, hoping the other will walk away and give them a free shot from behind. Here the cat on the right has done this enough to know better then to turn around and walk away. He even hesitates after he takes his little half step backwards, but it's to late he is had, and it is on again,,,lol Now the other fight,,is a FIGHT! Neither of these cats felt very good after that kind of tension. The female does an incredible job of blocking the males bite by putting her own teeth between his and her neck. She must have inflicted a good bit of pain since he didn't circle back around for a better angle.
Steve, this is honestly the firs that I have heard of generic tigers being scarce.
Mary Ann
Casey,
They look away so the adversary can not "read" their face. They can't say "time out", or make a "T" with their paws. LOL Jumping on the back in immature playing. Rarely will a will mature animal allow themselves to be jumped from behind even one time. Captivity nonchalance allows them to be ambushed.
Wade
Steve,
He went to ground, because he was dominated/intimidated, and not to use the back claws as the wild female did. Your only weapons were up high, you are a two legged animal with no weapons down low. That is the best bet, to pull your legs out from under you. That is a common tactic of a captive born animal. The chances of the tigers offspring doing it because he did, are nil to none. It is a learned behavior not a genetic one. If you get a hold of a copy of GGW's "triumphant return to the ring" that Ringling put out there is a great shot of a rollover tiger, named Madress that I trained grabbing his leg in the same sideways slide. We are such easy opponent's, with a half of a body useless for fighting. Unless we are a kick boxer fighting another kick boxer. LOL
Wade
Wade,
Reading your notes and then seeing the "show" made it excellent and educational. I have never thought about tigers other than totally visceral until today.
so I guess I say thanks,
Rebecca
p.s. what is the definition of "self serving paper".. I was out for that bit of info
Rebecca, I'm glad that I am not the only one who has to ask the meaning of some of the "insider terms". Right before Christmas I had to ask what a "soft target" was.
Mary Ann
Rebecca,
"Self serving paper" is again my term. It is saying something that makes you or your friends look good or better, based on no validity other then telling someone who doesn't know better. ie that liberty horses without harness are harder to do, if that is what you are doing. Saying an act is good based on them being your friend, or an act is bad if they are not your friend. "the animals are like my family, or my children". "The best circus on the East, West, coast". That's self serving paper, paper being a term for posters, window sheets, etc. in circus advertising. "Self serving" not true but putting you or your statement in the best light.
Wade
Wade
NR,
No offense, but you don't seem like you know or understand too much. Maybe you are just uninformed. Get a name, and I will be more then happy to explain animal behavior to you.
Regards,
Wade
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