Visitors at a wildlife sanctuary in India recently witnessed a rare sight as a bear and a tiger confronted each other on a deserted road.
(Video: Rajiv Kumar Gupta)
The encounter occurred in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, a protected area in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. In the video captured by safari visitors from a distance, a female tiger (Panthera tigris) sauntered down the dirt path and paused as a sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) emerged from the thicket ahead.
The bear wandered across the road and disappeared into the tall grass as the tiger watched it closely. Shortly after, as the tiger continued on its way, the bear reappeared and chased after it, according to Rajiv Kumar Gupta, a witness to the event. The female tiger turned around upon hearing the bear following but did not attack, instead standing still. After a few tense seconds, the sloth bear retreated back into the bushes.
“Top predators often respect each other, especially if they are of similar size,” said Tara Pirie, a lecturer in ecology and conservation at the University of Surrey. “The tiger took its time to observe the bear, assessing its size to better understand its opponent. The bear did not display particularly aggressive behavior while chasing, so the female tiger had to determine if it was large enough to stand its ground.”
The encounter between the female tiger and the sloth bear.
Predators of similar strength and size often avoid unnecessary fights, as combat depletes energy and puts both parties at risk of injury. In this instance, the female tiger appeared hesitant to engage in a tussle, as she was raising three cubs at the time of the encounter and could not afford any injuries, according to Jitender Govindani, a professor and member of the academic council at ICBM School of Business in Hyderabad, India. Govindani emphasized that the female tiger seemed to concede when pursued by the bear.
“The female tiger lowered her posture and conceded when the bear began to advance. As soon as the tiger gave up, the bear immediately walked away, as it also did not want to fight and was only prepared to confront the tiger if provoked,” Govindani stated.
