Well, they are kind of solitary animals. No one will warn them about something big getting close from behind.
You’ve never seen a mockingbird peck at a cat’s butt all afternoon
Probably other tigers tbh
Yeah, predators get excited when you turn around and start moving away. These eyes are just asking “what are you doing step bro?”.
Probably humans, given they went from 100k to 5.6k in population in 100 years and are still in decline.
That’s not long enough to evolve something like this, though.
Very good point, I didn’t mean to conflate it happened in the last 100 years, more so the data of their deaths that I had access to had that timeliness.
Even arrows or spears wouldn’t have been long enough to develop such a trait. And with those tools, still I don’t think Tiger would have been a primary target for humans. Seems like for most societies felines and canines were just not things we eat. Though maybe hunted for the pelt? In which case maybe they do eat the meat?
Tigers are only CR4. There’s lots of stuff more dangerous that that.
Yeah, you think you’re hot shit as a tiger and then here comes a Hellwasp…
Or feline AIDS. Can’t fool that with fake eyes.
Their predators are other tigers. There are tribes in Asia who wear masks on the backs of their heads with large eyes to deter tiger attacks. Apparently the tiger is very much about stabbing you in the back, and not so big on open confrontation.
Just like house cats
Fun fact the South American short face bear is the only Ice aged giant that is thought not to be driven extinct by humans and fact humans could not hunt it, Tigers would be a pleasant snack for them.
Well that begs the question what the hell drove the short face bear to extinction? The long face bear?
Same thing that killed the humans, climate change.
Joe Exotic?
Do they have them when they are little too? Or maybe it worked out that it was less likely predators would yoink their babies because it seemed like they were always watching. Can’t sneak up on someone with eyes on the back of their heads, that never close, even while sleeping.
So, alligators?
Epsteins?
