A tiger babysitting another female’s cubs: no, it’s not artificial intelligence, it’s a scene actually filmed during the larger documentary Tiger Island on the tigers of Nepal Of BBC Earth. The scene had never been seen before, considering that tigers are notoriously solitary animals, and could open up a new scenario on the social future of these splendid felines.
As one of the most iconic animals on the planet, you might think everyone knows everything about tigers. But this new footage shows us the opposite: the documentary, filmed in Nepalfollowed a team of nature documentarians and big cat experts on an expedition to reveal the secret lives of big cats.
The team, in particular, focused on a small island of just 4 square kilometers in a river system in western Nepal, which is home to one of the highest concentrations of tigers on Earth, and followed the tigers for two months, also using drones, learning about the individual specimens by studying their stripes, each one different from the other.
They’re supposed to be incredibly territorial,” explains Dan O’Neill, senior big cat scientist and staff member. “Females don’t interbreed unless absolutely necessary, they don’t share kittens, they don’t share parental responsibilities.
In fact, everything seemed “normal”, until, however, in the eyes and cameras of the crew this incredible scene has arrived: a tiger who takes care of and protects cubs that are not hers, something never seen before, as these animals do not live in packs, but only generate small families of mothers and cubs, which last from 18 to 28 months, when the tiger cubs, now grown up, are able to get food independently.
In particular, the crew filmed a mother tiger, named Gomawho has two cubs, but takes care of five, because three of them were given birth to another tiger, Jugini. Who, while he goes away a little to eat, leaves the puppies to Gomatrusting her.
I have never seen something like this – says Manju Mahatara, a local guide specializing in tiger observation who has worked on Tiger Island. – A mother leaving her cubs to another is certainly something unusual
One theory that could explain this behavior is that it could be a reaction to the threat posed by the males, a way to keep the cubs safe while one of the two mothers is busy. The two adult tigers captured in the video – Goma and Jugini – are thought to be related, and Goma is likely Jugini’s mother.
I was going to say that tigers are solitary cats, or am I wrong? I don’t know anymore… You wouldn’t imagine that there are still things to learn about the most iconic animal on the planet, and yet there are, and they are right here
But nature, as we know, never ceases to amaze.
The video was published on Discover Wildlifefrom the BBC itself.
Sources: Discover Wildlife / BBC Earth/Youtube
