Tigers: New research says the animals fit into two main personality types
- Published
- comments
Tigers - like humans - can have different personalities
Siberian Tigers split into two main personality groups, according to new research.
The research finds two main personality traits - majesty or steadiness.
A personality trait is something that makes you who you are - think of things like confidence, kindness, or being optimistic.
Scientists say its quite similar to the way humans roughly divide into introverts and extroverts - people who relax by being around others, and people who relax by being by themselves.
Find out what animal personality YOU are in our special quiz further down the page...
'Majesty or Steadiness'
Grrrr... the tigers who have more 'majesty' points are more likely to get angry
These are the two main personality types that Siberian tigers are supposed to fit into.
Tigers with majesty ranked higher in the group status and were more confident.
Steadiness scoring tigers were more relaxed, loving, and less aggressive.
The majesty-rating tigers also liked to eat more food!
Think you're similar to these tigers? Or do you relate to a different animal? Find out which animal personality you suit in this quiz...
How did scientists work it out?
A team of experts wrote a report in the Royal Society Open Science journal, explaining that previous research into tiger psychology had found up to 70 different personality traits the animals could have.
They then sent the personality tests to a group of feeders and vets at a tiger park in China.
The feeders and vets quizzed the tigers by looking at how they act around each other.
The results found two main groups that the tigers fitted into - majesty and steadiness!
The more we know about tigers, the more we can help them out in conservation efforts across the globe
What does this mean?
Some of the research has been compared to how as humans, we have lots of different personality types.
Some people might prefer spending time with others, some might be happier leading groups, or others might be happier doing things alone.
The team did note that these results were in tigers that were not fully in the wild, as they were in a partially-enclosed tiger park.
However, they think the results should be able to tell them more about how tigers live, so we can help them and conserve them around the world.
What animal personality are you? Let us know in the comments below...
- Published16 December 2016
- Published16 April 2015
