When I’m hunting, I prowl alone, With padded feet and eyes like gemstones. Emitting a roar louder than an airhorn, And urine that smells (oddly) like buttered popcorn. From poems by Blake, to Kipling’s piece, I’m one of the jungle’s most iconic beasts. What am I?
A tiger!
Tigers are some of the most iconic animals in the world. They are mostly solitary and hunt prey by themselves. Despite their gift for stealth, tigers can produce a roar capable of exceeding 100 decibels. And one of the strangest facts about tigers is that their urine smells like buttered popcorn due to the presence of a chemical compound called 2-AP.
Tigers are also one of the most endangered animals in the world for several reasons, including the spread of disease. VIEW’s work with tigers in Asia included investigating the health threats to these magnificent animals in order to help prevent the extinction of the species. To learn more about VIEW’s research, read our published paper on our findings.
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