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This is the moment visitors held their breath as a tiger crept up on its sleeping companion before pouncing, sending the startled animal leaping to its feet and angrily chasing off the attacker.
Video footage filmed by a tourist shows the 200-kilo big cat lowering its body, padding silently across the enclosure, and stalking its unsuspecting companion at the Siberian Tiger Park in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China, on 15th August.
As it closes in, the tiger suddenly springs forward with its front paws outstretched and smacks the sleeping tiger on its head.
The startled tiger jumps up and lets out a short roar, then hisses at the other tiger while spectators laugh.
Animal experts later explained that the behaviour was not aggression but a form of social interaction.
Zhang Minghai, director of the China Cat Research Center, said: "Adult tigers maintain social bonds by simulating hunting behaviours, much like human roughhousing.
"The attacker in the video kept his claws retracted throughout, and his bite was clearly restrained, indicating that he wasn’t actually attacking but rather inviting interaction."
Park officials identified the two animals as eight-year-old males called Dawei and Xiaowu, who grew up together after entering the park as cubs.
Keepers have observed them grooming one another and sharing food, suggesting their rough play is based on trust.
Li Yansong, chief engineer of the Siberian Tiger Park, said statistics showed tigers in captivity engaged in similar playful interactions up to six times a day, far more often than in the wild. He said this may be due to low stress levels and plentiful food.
Dr Johnson, a feline researcher at the Smithsonian Institution, added: "This video provides a valuable example of the complex social behaviour of large cats, demonstrating that they not only express emotions but also carefully craft interactive scripts."
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, fewer than 600 wild Siberian tigers remain worldwide, with around 50 to 60 living in China, mainly in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces.
The Harbin park, which houses over 130 Siberian tigers, uses free-range grazing and enrichment programmes including moving targets and scent mazes to encourage natural behaviour.
(Mike Leidig / newsX)
Byline Journalist: Mike Leidig
Byline Sub editor: Simona Kitanovska
Byline Spotter: Ivica Stojanovski
Byline Commisioning Editor: Mike Leidig
Byline Senior Writer: Mike Leidig
Byline Picture Editor: Zorica Stojkovik
Byline Video Editor: Aloysius Fernandes
Byline Copychecker: Emily Wu
Byline Illustrator: Angela Trajkovska
Byline News Editor: Simona Kitanovska
Geography: Harbin
Subject: Animals, Big cats, Tigers, Zoos, Tourism Business, Society
T4 Editor Story Rating: 7
T4 Editor Pic/Vid rating: 9
T4 Total rating: 8
