When it gets close enough, it leaps forward in long bounds and pounces on its victim. A tiger kills large prey such as deer once every five to seven days. A tigress with cubs needs to kill more often. In spite of its cunning ways, the tiger has to work hard for a meal. Their prey have highly evolved systems of self-preservation.
Deer have keen eyesight and hearing.
To beat their vigilance, the tiger stalks behind cover, often approaching against the breeze so that the deer cannot smell it. A tiger kills small prey with a quick bite at the nape of the neck. It tackles larger animals by lunging at the throat and hanging on until the animal suffocates. Once a tiger has eaten its fill, it hides the remains of its meal under foliage, branches, twigs or grass for its next meal. Hooved mammals such as deer, pigs, and buffaloes form the bulk of their diet but sometimes birds are also eaten.