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FIRST UP TONIGHT: #1 seed TIGER vs. #8 seed SPRINGHARE! #2019MMM
Tiger bounded into round 2 by scattering the much smaller Ringtail, & arrives well-fed after his recent hog deer meal. #2019MMM
The rodent Springhare, meanwhile, emerged victorious after his round 1 tussle with Jackrabbit. #2019MMM
Tonight's battle occurs in deciduous forest in Ranthambore National Park in India. Home to ~80 tigers, it's a popular tiger-sighting destination for tourists. #2019MMM 
Always remember, though, that while it's amazing to see an animal in its natural habitat, it's important not to get too close! #RespectWildlife #2019MMM
It's overcast in Ranthambore tonight, but the darkness isn't a problem for these 2 nocturnal creatures. #2019MMM
Both the Springhare & the Tiger have good night vision, in part due to a reflective layer behind the retina called the tapetum lucidum. #2019MMM
Springhare, nervous without a burrow nearby, sits in a resting posture: "hind legs stretching forward and [body] bent between them, with the flat top of the head & ears in direct contact with the ground." (@AWF_Official) This position helps springhares detect vibrations. #2019MMM
Tigers, however, are notoriously stealthy, able to walk silently through the forest on their large paws. #2019MMM
As Tiger pads through the forest nearby, Springhare catches a faint whiff of unfamiliar felid. Springhare tenses & looks around, but with no sound audible, cannot zero in on the direction the scent is coming from. #2019MMM
Now on his feet, Springhare leaps into the forest undergrowth....#2019MMM
Right into the the jaws of the tiger!! #BonusMeal #2019MMM
SCRUNCH! This stringy, springy rodent is quite similar to the lagomorph meal a tiger enjoys on very rare occasions (Andheria et al. 2007). #2019MMM conservationindia.org/wp-content/fil…
TIGER DEVOURS SPRINGHARE #2019MMM
