Tiger Talk

Tina the tiger is something of a celebrity. When fans visit her at the National Tiger Sanctuary in Saddlebrooke, Missouri, she greets them with friendly groans, grunts, and snorts. “People call her the singing tiger,” says biologist Courtney Dunn.

In 2011, Dunn was a volunteer at the sanctuary, which rescues mistreated tigers. She loved listening to Tina and the other tigers make noises. “I wondered what they were saying,” says Dunn.

Tina the tiger is something of a celebrity. Fans visit her at the National Tiger Sanctuary. It’s found in Saddlebrooke, Missouri. It rescues mistreated tigers. Tina greets people with friendly groans, grunts, and snorts. “People call her the singing tiger,” says Courtney Dunn. She’s a biologist.

Dunn worked at the sanctuary in 2011. She loved listening to Tina and the other tigers make noises. “I wondered what they were saying,” says Dunn.

Dunn bought a microphone and began recording the tigers’ sounds. Soon after, she moved to Dallas, Texas, and started an organization called the Prusten Project. (A prusten, also called a chuff, is a tiger’s version of a purr.)

Scientists at the Prusten Project study the sounds of tigers like Tina. They hope their work will help save endangered tigers in the wild.

Dunn bought a microphone. She began recording the tigers’ sounds. She then moved to Dallas, Texas. She started a group called the Prusten Project. (A prusten is a tiger’s version of a purr. It’s also called a chuff.)

Scientists at the Prusten Project study the sounds of tigers like Tina. They hope their work will help save endangered tigers in the wild.

A century ago, there were more than 100,000 tigers in the world. They lived across much of Asia (see A Shrinking Home). But over the years, hunters killed many tigers to sell their fur and other parts. Some poachers still do this even though it’s illegal today.

There were more than 100,000 tigers in the world 100 years ago. They lived across much of Asia (see A Shrinking Home). But hunters killed many tigers over the years. They sold the fur and other parts. Some poachers still do this today. But it’s illegal.

People have also cut down forests to make way for farms and homes. This destroys habitat that tigers need to survive. Today, fewer than 4,000 of the big cats remain in the wild. 

Scientists want to keep a close eye on these animals. “Because there are so few tigers left, it’s important to know who they are and where they live so that we can protect them,” says Dunn. 

People have also cut down forests to make way for farms and homes. Tigers need forest habitat to survive. Fewer than 4,000 of the big cats live in the wild today.

Scientists want to keep a close eye on these animals. “Because there are so few tigers left, it’s important to know who they are and where they live so that we can protect them,” says Dunn.

Tigers in the wild can be surprisingly difficult to spot. They roam large territories that are often covered in thick forests. Scientists track the big cats mainly by hiding cameras in trees or bushes. When an animal walks by, the camera snaps a picture. 

Biologists can tell individual tigers apart by the pattern of their stripes. But images from hidden cameras aren’t always good enough for that. “Often you just get a tail or close-up of a nose—or you miss the tiger altogether,” says Dunn.

If scientists could learn about tigers just by listening, it might be easier to track them. That’s why Dunn hopes to use tigers’ calls to monitor the big cats. 

Tigers in the wild can be hard to spot. They roam large areas often covered in thick forests. Scientists hide cameras in trees or bushes to track the big cats. Each camera snaps a picture when an animal walks by.

Biologists can tell tigers apart by the pattern of their stripes. But camera images aren’t always good enough for that. “Often you just get a tail or close-up of a nose—or you miss the tiger altogether,” says Dunn.

There might be an easier way to track tigers. Scientists could learn about them just by listening. Dunn hopes to use tigers’ calls to follow the big cats.