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Reel Tigers: Summer Movie Fact and Fiction
This summer's hot new family film, Universal Pictures' Two Brothers gives viewers an exciting peek at the mystery and majesty of tigers. The movie is an entertaining tale that World Wildlife Fund hopes will raise awareness about the plight of tigers in the wild.
Because Two Brothers is a story, it contains some fictitious elements concerning tiger behavior. WWF is happy to join with Universal Pictures in helping you distinguish tiger truths from film fantasy and to better understand how we can all help to save tigers in the wild.
In the film:
Sangha seems like a really cool and fun house pet, but is it really a good idea for people to keep tigers as pets?
Tiger fact:
The best place for tigers is in the wild, not in homes and that is what this film teaches us. A tiger is a large meat-eater that typically weighs over 500 pounds, measures almost 9 feet long, has massive claws and teeth, and can roam up to 40 miles per day in the wild. They can be dangerous to people and domestic animals. This is not the type of animal that belongs in a home.
In the film:
The father tiger is a very caring dad and helps to raise his family.
Tiger fact:
Adult males typically do not stay attached to the family once the tiger cubs are born. Cubs stay with their mother for about two years before setting out on their own, as early life can be dangerous for tiger cubs.
In the film:
The tigers Kumal and Sangha have a close relationship and act as loving brothers.
Tiger fact:
Tigers are solitary animals that live, travel and hunt alone and usually come together only to mate. Adult males are very dominant and will often fight for territory or a female's attention, regardless of whether they are siblings. On very rare occasions, however, small groups of related adults may associate with each other in the wild.
In the film:
The main human characters, McRory, who captures Kumal, and Raoul, the young boy who takes Sangha home, develop close relationships with the two tigers. They are able to hold and stand very close to them without the tigers being aggressive.
Tiger fact:
Tigers are formidable predators and will not tolerate people close to them in the wild. Tigers that have been raised in captivity with constant human contact can be trained to tolerate closer human contact. But tigers are wild animals that will always have an element of aggressiveness and should not be kept as pets.
In the film:
Kumal and Sangha escape back in to the wild to live with their mother. Is it possible for tigers that have been in captive environments to safely go back and live in the wild?
Tiger fact:
There has been no successful release into the wild of tigers raised in captivity. It is very difficult to teach the animals how to hunt and survive in the wild if they do not learn it from their mothers. In addition, captive tigers become accustomed to humans - for example associating them with the availability of food - and can be a serious threat to people if released back into the wild.
Tigers that were born in the wild have been held in captivity for very short periods of time, for example to treat them after injuries, and were then successfully released into the wild.
In the film:
Many of the characters seem to really care about tigers. What can I do to help save them in the wild?
What you can do:
WWF works to save tigers in the wild by collaborating with local communities, governments and conservation partners to fight poaching, protect tiger habitat and help people learn how to avoid dangerous conflicts with tigers in their natural habitat.
You can join WWF in its fight to save tigers and through WWF you can become "A Force for Nature" by supporting the following:
Be a Smart Consumer
Avoid products and souvenirs made from endangered species, such as tigers. Demand for these products is one of the leading causes of tiger poaching.
Donate to WWF
With your support, WWF is able to continue its work on a global scale to protect and preserve endangered wildlife and habitat and to combat growing international threats like global warming.
Join the Conservation Action Network
By joining the Conservation Action Network (CAN) you will be playing an important role in protecting the Earth from the enormous threats it faces. CAN's free electronic advocacy network provides timely, concise information on important environmental issues and allows you to take advantage of cutting-edge information technology to influence government action.
Take action to help save tigers! In the Conservation Action Network, you can speak out for more funding for the protection of tigers and other imperiled species. Tell your Senators why this is important to you today!
Sign up for the e-newsletter
If you aren't already a subscriber, sign-up for WWF's e-newsletter and receive up-to-date news on our work to protect endangered species and their habitats. Each issue contains exciting animal photos, stories from the field, updates on key environmental issues and tips on how you can get involved.
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