The tigress grips the wild boar by the neck, dragging it while using her front paws to strike, as the prey struggles to escape.
Photographer M.D. Parashar captured the fierce battle between a tiger and a wild boar in Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan, northern India, on the morning of January 25. In a video lasting about 20 seconds, the tiger is seen wrestling with the wild boar amidst numerous tree trunks and dry leaves.
The tiger has a firm grip on the neck of the Indian wild boar, also using her large claws to strike at the prey’s face. Meanwhile, the wild boar lets out desperate cries, trying to find a way to escape.
Parashar identified the predator in the video as Noor Tigress T-39. She has given birth to several litters between 2012 and 2016. Tigers are classified as endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The IUCN estimates that there are only about 3,500 tigers left in the wild.
The tiger grips the neck of the Indian wild boar.
Indian wild boars differ from their European relatives in their larger body size, bigger skulls, and smaller ears. When fully grown, these animals can weigh around 130 kg. In India, wild boars are a food source for tigers. Additionally, tigers also prey on smaller creatures such as birds and rodents, as well as larger animals like deer and even young elephants.
Despite being classified as endangered in the Red List, the number of tigers has rebounded in India in recent decades, thanks to the Tiger Project initiated by the Indian government in 1973. The project declared the tiger as the national animal of India and allocated funding for conservation efforts.
According to the 2018 India Tiger Status Report, there are an estimated 2,967 tigers in the country, accounting for over 80% of the global population, a significant increase from the 1,706 estimated in 2010. Today, tigers are revered by many Indians. A tigress named T15, also known as Collarwali, was even honored with a funeral after her death in Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh, earlier this year. Collarwali became famous for giving birth to 29 tiger cubs and earned the nickname “Supermom.”
