How do baby tigers hunt on their own?

The mortality rate of tiny tiger cubs is very high, and only about half of those born ever survive to reach maturity. The mother will not readily leave ... By about eight weeks, they will leave the concealment of their den and their mother will begin teaching them how to hunt for their own prey. read more

As cubs their mother will find food for them. As they get older their mother will teach them how to hunt. Not until they are proficient hunters in their own right will they hunt on their own. This is why tiger cubs whose mothers have been killed will generally die. read more

The cubs nurse with their mother until they are about 24 weeks old. At that point, the mother tiger begins to bring the cubs prey to eat such as buffalo, wild pigs, deer or other animals. The cubs cannot hunt on their own until they are approximately one and a half years old. read more

“We do know that some other big cats will help their cubs learn to hunt by taking down, but not killing, young prey and giving the cubs the opportunity to practice killing,” Dr Goodrich says, although he admits that no one’s actually seen a tiger do this, because basically no one’s seen a tiger. read more