Research overview: estrus and mating behavior in tigers

Tigresses come into estrus periodically and advertise receptivity to males through scent marking, vocalizations, and increased movement within their range, leading to brief but intense mating associations. This overview surveys what is known about tiger estrous cycles, the frequent matings that characterize a receptive period, and the reflex ovulation that follows sufficient copulation. It draws on observations from wild and captive tigers and on hormone monitoring in managed populations. The review considers how solitary ranging shapes the timing and conspicuousness of estrous signaling and how males locate receptive females. Understanding tiger estrus and mating is important for both interpreting wild reproductive ecology and managing breeding in zoos and recovery programs.