The killing strike is usually a bite to the neck. Tiger cubs are born blind and helpless, weighing about 2 pounds each and already marked with the typical coloration and background striping. The female tiger rears them alone, returning to their hiding place to feed them every few hours. Their eyes open during their second week and they begin eating some meat at about eight weeks of age. They become totally independent by 18 months, although they may stay in mom's territory until they're about 2 years old.
Many legends surround the tiger, including stories of man-eating tigers.
In 1951 the legend proved to be true when a white male was captured in India. Nowadays, specially bred white tigers are a popular attraction in many of today's zoos. Threats to tigers Perhaps the greatest threat to the survival of the tiger is destruction of its habitat. There is constant conflict between humans and tigers because of the explosion of human populations, the logging of forests, the loss of it's wild prey, and the spread of agriculture. Tigers rarely become man-eaters, as their instinct is to avoid humans.