This is kind of an interesting saga. When we lived in NJ, we lived not too far from "The Tiger Lady". My husband was required to deliver to her on occasion and noted she had an assortment of what seemed like wild (acting) dogs and tigers.
When the first tiger escaped, it was thought it escaped from the Wild Safari at Great Adventure. Later everyone found out it was from the Tiger Lady. Imagine, two places that house tigers in Central NJ-who woulda thunk?
The escaped tiger precipitated discussions on the requirements for exotic pets. I think Central NJ borders on an almost surreal place to live because we had escaped tigers and in a house around the corner they had a pet wolf they would bring for walks on a huge chain.
I have advocated the introduction of tigers into the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan to help control the deer population. Tigers are basically cold-climate animals, although they live in India, they don't like it very much. My sister tells me that deer are pests in New Jersey as well. Perhaps a flourishing tiger population would be helpful. It would certainly make life interesting.
Are tigers not a threat to humans if they're in the forest or the mountains or wherever tigers live? Are they one of those "Don't bug us and we won't bug you?" animals where humans are concerned?
D M, I personally would think they would be dangerous.
"Are they one of those 'Don't bug us and we won't bug you?' animals where humans are concerned?"
Yes and no. They don't all actively stalk people, but a sick or threatened or very hungry tiger will sometimes attack a human being, and in so doing, discover that people taste good and are very easy to catch. Then the tiger hunts people (children, mostly, unfortunately) preferentially, until the locals organize a hunt and destroy it.