Pictures of a tigress marking her territory by spraying urine have gone viral. This ‘scent-marking’ is a message to other tigers. Mixed reactions were seen on these pictures on social media.
Some pictures of the tigress taken by a photographer are going viral on social media. In these pictures, the tigress is seen releasing a stream of urine. At first glance, photographing an animal urinating may seem a bit strange, but these powerful pictures have shocked many internet users.
Photographer @zhayynnjamesphotography has posted these pictures on Instagram. He also explained the significance of this moment in the caption accompanying the photo. He wrote, “Did you know that tigers, like other big cats, mark their territory by spraying urine? This scent mark (Saint-Marc) is like a tiger’s social media post. It shows how big and powerful the animal is, whether it is male or female. It warns enemies to stay away from the territory or can attract partners.”
He further wrote, “I captured this photo when the tigress crossed our path and headed towards a tree. I knew she would do Saint-Marc. I wanted to capture the entire animal, but there was another vehicle in front of the tigress. So I gave up on taking a frontal photo and just shot the rear in portrait orientation. I was waiting for this moment.” The photographer told that these pictures were taken with the Nikon Z9 camera.
viral instagram post
In the photographs, the tigress is seen releasing a thin stream of urine into the air, which is part of her scent-marking behaviour. Thousands of people have reacted to these unique pictures of animals on social media.
What did people say?
One user jokingly wrote, “Looks like Tiger is drinking a lot of water.” Another said: “This is really shocking.” A third user even called it “picture of the year”. But as usual on social media, not everyone was happy with the photos. One user wrote, “Now we need to make a law for the privacy of animals also.” Another user questioned the purpose of the photo and wrote, “What is the point of capturing such a thing on camera?”