ROAR POWER

Scratch the myths - Isabel Thomas earns her stripes and reveals the truth behind tigers' extra-ROAR-dinary powers.

In March, we asked you what would make a truly un-put-downable issue of Science+Nature. We put you in the editor’s seat and you voted for the subjects you most love reading about. Animal stories were by far your favourite, and tigers came out on top.

These mighty predators have inspired awe and wonder since ancient times. Today, scientists are discovering that tigers are stranger than myths and even more epic than legends. Let’s follow the tracks of these fascinating and fierce creatures to find out why fact beats fiction every time.

Biggest of the big

Big cats come in lots of shapes and sizes, but tigers take the crown. Their bodies are up to three metres long, with another metre of tail on top. A male tiger standing on its hind legs towers above a typical human, and weighs more than a motorbike.

Despite their size and power, tigers don’t get lucky every time they hunt. They can accelerate to up to 40 miles per hour, but are only built for short bursts of speed. Most of their prey have evolved to run fast too, and can mostly go for longer. It is estimated that for every 20 animals a tiger chases, it only catches one.

However, being supersized does give tigers a wider choice of food. Pouncing up to eight metres on powerful back legs, they use their huge bodies to attack deer and wild boar. Larger tigers are strong enough to tackle crocodiles, buffalo and even young elephants. To increase their chances, the cats ambush their prey, creeping up as close as possible before striking.

On the prowl