Why do tigers attack humans?

This is a tiger attacking a person on top of an elephant in the wild. Extraordinary. Image: Screenshot from a video.

Tigers are large, powerful predators that naturally prey on a variety of animals. Although attacks on humans are relatively rare, they do occur from time to time. There are several reasons why a tiger may attack a human, including:

• Hunger: If a tiger is hungry and cannot find prey in its natural habitat, it may see a human as an easy target.
• Territory: Tigers are territorial animals, and if a human enters their territory, they may feel threatened and attack to protect their territory.
• Provocation: If a tiger feels threatened or provoked by a human, it may attack in self-defense.
• Injuries or illness: In some cases, a tiger may attack a human if it is injured or ill and unable to hunt its natural prey.

It's important to note that most tiger attacks on humans occur when people enter tiger habitats or get too close to the animals. In general, tigers will avoid humans if given the chance. To reduce the risk of tiger attacks, it's important to respect their habitats and keep a safe distance from them.

Here is one way some locals protect themselves. The tiger is more wary of attacking if the person presents their fact towards the tiger than their body away from the tiger as tigers chase escaping prey.

Mask which protects from tiger attack. Photo: Raghu Rai/Magnum