Prey preferences of the tiger (Panthera tigris)

Extending the prey-preference framework to Asia's largest cat, Hayward and colleagues compiled tiger kill records across the species' range and weighted them against prey availability. Tigers showed a preferred prey weight around 60-250 kg, significantly favoring sambar, wild pig, gaur and other large ungulates, with avoidance of the smallest prey. The analysis confirmed that tigers are specialists on large-bodied prey and that prey depletion of these species is a primary driver of tiger declines. By deriving a preferred-prey body-mass window comparable to other big cats, the work enables cross-species comparisons of selectivity and supports prey-based estimation of tiger carrying capacity, a central tool in recovery planning across India and Southeast Asia.