Why Do Tigers Have Stripes?

Tigers are a member of the Cat or Feline family. They are one of the largest members just as the Lions are. They may not be the king of the jungle, but are certainly one of the most feared. No one dares to make tigers their enemy, except man. These vicious creatures are commonly found in Asia.

A prominent feature of Tigers is their stripes. There are existing legends as to why they have it, but only one reason is scientifically accepted. Tigers have stripes because they need it to adapt to the environment. The animal’s adaptation to the environment existed over Millions of years. The stripes are their camouflage, a form of adaptation in every animal which serves as protection.

Now, why does a feared animal like the Tiger need a camouflage? They are after all in line with Lions, the largest of the cat family and have no known predator except man. The reason is simply because they are ultimate hunters. They are apex predators and obligate carnivores. They live and hunt in crummy areas of the wild such as grasslands and tropical mangrove swamps. By blending in to their environment, the stripes are serving to help tigers hide themselves and blend in with the background.

To most animals the pattern of stripes are potential form of identification, but not with Tigers. It is due to difficulty of recording their stripe patterns. Animal scientists attest that many wild animals including the tigers are color blind ‚ they are not capable of seeing colors clearly. They can capture shades of an object. The stripes are like bands of shadow if together with tall grass. It hides the contours of the tiger’s body as it looks for food to eat and devour. The tiger is very hard to detect and true to its nature, unnoticeable until too late. Its stripes are the reason why tigers are ultimate hunters.