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Tigers & Trees

Short answer: Tigers (Panthera tigris) rear up against tree trunks and rake the bark with their front claws. Old accounts describe scratch marks more than 3 m (about 11 ft) up a trunk, and one soft-barked tree in an Indian zoo was scratched so often that it died.

Scratching helps keep the claws in shape: observers watching a captive tigress found a shed outer layer of claw left in a scratch mark. The gouges are also thought to work as signals to other tigers. Tigers have scent glands between their toes, but tiger-pheromone researchers say little is known about what those secretions communicate. A tiger's best-documented scent mark is marking fluid sprayed onto trees and bushes. Studies of wild tigers in Nepal's Chitwan, along with captive work in India, suggest this spray carries information about territory and breeding. Tigers also leave scrapes on the ground and droppings as marks. Researchers think marking helps tigers keep track of one another and avoid unwanted encounters. The footage shows a tiger scratching a pine trunk in snow.

VideoWrite-up4 sources
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What should you know about Tigers & Trees?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Tigers can leave claw marks more than 3 m up a tree.

    DD-624-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (High marks)

  2. Sprayed marking fluid is a tiger's best-documented scent mark.

    DD-624-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit E (The main scent mark)

Video transcript: Tigers & Trees: Claw Marks as Calling Cards

DID YOU KNOW Tigers use trees as scratching posts not only to sharpen and maintain their claws, but also to communicate territorial dominance through scent and visual markings. As they rake their claws down the bark, they leave deep gouges that signal strength and presence to rival tigers, while specialized scent glands in their paws deposit unique chemical markers. This dual-purpose behavior helps establish territory boundaries, reduce physical confrontations, and maintain claw health for hunting. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 25.5s Reel ·

Video coming soonTigers & Trees · Instagram Reel
Tigers & Trees: Claw Marks as Calling Cards Instagram Reel · · 25.5s

The write-up

Claw marks as calling cards. Tigers scratch bark, but scent spray carries most of the message.

  1. Exhibit A

    High marks

    Tigers stand up against trunks to scratch, and old accounts describe marks more than 3 m up.

  2. Exhibit B

    Claw care

    Scratching sheds worn outer layers of claw. One was found left behind in a captive tigress's scratch mark.

  3. Exhibit C

    A visible sign

    The gouges are thought to signal a tiger's presence to others, a behavior also studied in Kanha National Park.

  4. Exhibit D

    Paw glands

    Tigers have scent glands between their toes, but what their secretions say is not yet known.

  5. Exhibit E

    The main scent mark

    Sprayed marking fluid is the best-documented tiger scent mark, along with scrapes and droppings.

Questions people ask about Tigers & Trees

How high up a trunk have tiger claw marks been reported?

Old accounts describe marks about 11 ft up.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (High marks) · Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar: Pheromones of Tiger and Other Big Cats, in Neurobiology of Chemical Communication (NCBI Bookshelf); Kotwal & Mishra (1995): Claw marking on trees by tiger Panthera tigris in Kanha National Park

What does scratching help tigers shed?

An outer claw layer was found in a scratch mark.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Claw care) · Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar: Pheromones of Tiger and Other Big Cats, in Neurobiology of Chemical Communication (NCBI Bookshelf)

Where are a tiger's interdigital glands?

Interdigital means between the digits.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Paw glands) · Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar: Pheromones of Tiger and Other Big Cats, in Neurobiology of Chemical Communication (NCBI Bookshelf); Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar (2015): Fifty years of tiger pheromone research, Current Science 108(12)

Which tiger scent mark is best documented?

Marking fluid sprayed onto trees and bushes.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (The main scent mark) · Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar: Pheromones of Tiger and Other Big Cats, in Neurobiology of Chemical Communication (NCBI Bookshelf); Smith, McDougal & Miquelle (1989): Scent marking in free-ranging tigers, Panthera tigris, Animal Behaviour; Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar (2015): Fifty years of tiger pheromone research, Current Science 108(12)

Which is NOT a tiger marking behavior?

Tigers scratch, scrape and spray; they don't stack stones.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (The main scent mark) · Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar: Pheromones of Tiger and Other Big Cats, in Neurobiology of Chemical Communication (NCBI Bookshelf); Smith, McDougal & Miquelle (1989): Scent marking in free-ranging tigers, Panthera tigris, Animal Behaviour; Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar (2015): Fifty years of tiger pheromone research, Current Science 108(12)

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. How high up a trunk have tiger claw marks been reported?

    1. More than 3 m
    2. About 10 cm
    3. About 30 cm
    4. Exactly 1 m
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. More than 3 m Old accounts describe marks about 11 ft up. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (High marks) · Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar: Pheromones of Tiger and Other Big Cats, in Neurobiology of Chemical Communication (NCBI Bookshelf); Kotwal & Mishra (1995): Claw marking on trees by tiger Panthera tigris in Kanha National Park

  2. What does scratching help tigers shed?

    1. Worn outer claw layers
    2. Their whiskers
    3. Their winter coat
    4. Their baby teeth
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Worn outer claw layers An outer claw layer was found in a scratch mark. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Claw care) · Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar: Pheromones of Tiger and Other Big Cats, in Neurobiology of Chemical Communication (NCBI Bookshelf)

  3. Where are a tiger's interdigital glands?

    1. Between the toes
    2. Behind the ears
    3. Under the tail
    4. Inside the cheeks
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Between the toes Interdigital means between the digits. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Paw glands) · Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar: Pheromones of Tiger and Other Big Cats, in Neurobiology of Chemical Communication (NCBI Bookshelf); Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar (2015): Fifty years of tiger pheromone research, Current Science 108(12)

  4. Which tiger scent mark is best documented?

    1. Sprayed marking fluid
    2. Rubbing its chin on rocks
    3. Rolling in mud
    4. Licking tree bark
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Sprayed marking fluid Marking fluid sprayed onto trees and bushes. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (The main scent mark) · Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar: Pheromones of Tiger and Other Big Cats, in Neurobiology of Chemical Communication (NCBI Bookshelf); Smith, McDougal & Miquelle (1989): Scent marking in free-ranging tigers, Panthera tigris, Animal Behaviour; Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar (2015): Fifty years of tiger pheromone research, Current Science 108(12)

  5. Which is NOT a tiger marking behavior?

    1. Building stone piles
    2. Scraping the ground
    3. Spraying marking fluid
    4. Scratching trees
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Building stone piles Tigers scratch, scrape and spray; they don't stack stones. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (The main scent mark) · Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar: Pheromones of Tiger and Other Big Cats, in Neurobiology of Chemical Communication (NCBI Bookshelf); Smith, McDougal & Miquelle (1989): Scent marking in free-ranging tigers, Panthera tigris, Animal Behaviour; Brahmachary & Poddar-Sarkar (2015): Fifty years of tiger pheromone research, Current Science 108(12)

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Tigers & Trees." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-624, last updated Jul 27, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/tigers-and-trees/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/tigers-and-trees/ · Last updated

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