Expert: Malcolm B. Sullivan Date: 2/21/2008 Subject: 2 tigers supposed to be killed in 200
Question Dear Malcolm,
Could you provide a reference (besides lairweb) which proves the 2 (adult male) tigers killed by a large bear in 2000? You have mentioned this fact and it's already quoted by Wikipedia.
Reportedly, some adult tigers (including male adult tigers) were killed by brown bears in past, however, I did not receive any confirmation of this precise incident in spite of my attempts to ask local researchers.
Thank you in advance
Answer Hi, Alexe
I canīt provide you with direct references since I had nothing to do with the study that reported the incident. All I know is that it took place somewhere near the Chinese border, if my informant was right.
But I can tell you, for I've studied the relationship of the tiger with other predators, that interaction between brown bears (and to a lesser extent, sloth and black bears in other parts of Asia) and tigers is often aggressive; in 1997 there were also reports of tigers being killed by bears in Siberia, and of course, we know of many cases in which bears were hunted and eaten by tigers. Usually, however, large predators avoid each other, so it is rare to witness an encounter, let alone a fight or a predatory attack.
