Research overview: maternal care and cub independence in tigers

Tigress cubs depend on their mother for up to two years while acquiring the skills to hunt large prey alone. This overview surveys research on tiger maternal care, including den selection, the gradual introduction of cubs to kills, the development of hunting competence through observation and practice, and the dispersal of subadults as they establish their own territories. It discusses how cub survival depends on prey abundance and the absence of infanticidal or competing males, and how the mother's territory quality shapes outcomes. It connects maternal investment to tiger demography and conservation. The topic explains the prolonged apprenticeship behind producing a self-sufficient solitary apex predator.