Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why do captive-raised tigers struggle to survive after release into the wild?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
tiger
The forests of West Bengal are inhabited by the endangered Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris).
Captive-raised tigers struggle to survive in the wild primarily because the skills required for hunting and obtaining prey are only partially instinctive. Proficiency in these essential survival behaviors relies heavily on maternal training during the period a cub spends with its mother.1
Without this critical period of tutelage and experience, captive-raised tigers lack the necessary expertise to secure food in a natural environment, making them ill-equipped for release.1