Interspecies conflict. Which animal is the ultimate carnivore?

Snakes:

A reptile which the tiger will avoid is the snake.

With cobras, instinct seems to tell them that one bite would be fatal. Some captive cats have even been observed hissing and snarling at pipes or hoses.

The python is also a danger.

In a 1964 battle between a python and tiger both animals died, and though pythons normally feed on small prey like mice, rats, fawns and birds, there was a report of one of these snakes consuming a tiger estimated to be about one year old. Swallowing the tiger took the entire night.

Crocodiles:

As regards the crocodile, a tiger crossing water is sometimes taken. Tigers generally become nervous when encountering a crocodile in water and quickly make for solid ground where they give a much better account of themselves.

Note: The Cuban crocodile pictured under the Crocodile Challenge (refer to the next page) is not a species encountered by the tiger. These were chosen for the Crocodile Challenge game because they are one of the easier species to distinguish from the alligator.

Tigers have learnt to get around the back of the crocodile, then bite through the skull. A croc may be picked up and tossed several metres. Using these methods the tiger is known to predate successfully upon this reptile.

Crocodiles are the only aquatic predator that can attack a tiger, but crocs are no longer as prolific as they once were. In the '60s, large numbers were slaughtered for their skins.

The only place where the saltwater crocodile and the tiger may meet is the Sundarbans. This wildlife reserve, now famous for its reports of man-eating tigers, was once known for its crocodile hunting.

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