Tiger cubs are raised solely by their mothers until they embark for their own territories at around 2-2.5 years of age.
Tiger cubs are raised solely by their mothers until they embark for their own territories at around 2-2.5 years of age.
Cubs start following their mothers out of the den at about 2 months old and begin to take some solid food at that time.
From 5-6 months old, the cubs begin to take part in hunting expeditions and start learning to hunt and kill.
Cubs stay with their mother until they become independent at 18 months to 3 years old. It is not until they are around 2-2.5 years old that they leave their mother. Female tigers generally own territory near their mothers, while males tend to wander in search of territory, which they acquire by fighting and eliminating a territorial male.
Young tigers do not reach sexual maturity until around 3-4 years of age for females and 4-5 years of age for males.
• Image | © Mathias Appel, Public Domain, (CC0 1.0)
• Sources | (Larson, 2006; Sunquist and Sunquist, 2002; Ullasa, 2001; World Animal Foundation, Tiger, Tiger Fact Sheet)
