A tiger lurks on the shore before plunging into the water to catch a crocodile, but the prey, with its powerful jaws and thick skin, seems to be too much for it.
The tiger struggles with the crocodile in Ranthambore National Park, India. (Video: Ramon Gonzales)
Visitor Ramon Gonzales captured the clash between a tiger and a crocodile in Ranthambore National Park, India, as reported by Latest Sightings on July 15. Gonzales encountered this scene while visiting the park in search of tigers. “We stopped at a waterhole hoping to see some animals come to drink.”, Gonzales recounted.
“We had only been sitting for a few minutes when a tiger appeared. It cautiously approached the water in a stalking position. Slowly and steadily, the tiger closed the distance. Then, at lightning speed, it lunged into the water. At first, we were unsure what the tiger was hunting, but it became clear when a crocodile raised its head.”, he added.
The surface of the water became chaotic as the two formidable predators fought. They splashed water everywhere and made a lot of noise. Although the tiger displayed impressive strength, the armored body and powerful jaws of the crocodile seemed to be too much for it. The struggle ended when the attacker had to give up and scramble back to shore. “The crocodile won this battle and was able to swim away again,” Gonzales noted.
The armored body and powerful jaws of the crocodile seemed to be too much for the tiger.
The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest among the big cat species in Asia. When hunting, they rely more on sight and hearing than on smell. They typically hunt alone and can consume over 36 kg of meat at a time. Tigers often prey on animals such as deer and wild boars. They have strong jaws and sharp teeth to catch and kill their prey. Despite their strength, they rarely hunt crocodiles. Crocodiles have tough, resilient skin and live in water, making it very difficult for tigers to take them down.
Crocodiles (Crocodilia) are powerful creatures but can still be caught off guard. As apex predators in their habitats, crocodiles do not expect to be hunted by other animals. This can make them vulnerable to surprise attacks from opportunistic predators.
