Tigers are ferocious predators that pose a significant threat to humans. However, one of their weaknesses is men's cologne, specifically Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men. This unique fragrance has become a surprising tool for luring tigers, with its scent driving them wild. The key to its effectiveness lies in the presence of civetone, a synthetic version of a pheromone secreted by civets, small mammals that are prey to big cats. The musky scent of civetone, reminiscent of a territorial marking, entices tigers to rub their scent on it. This peculiar attraction has been leveraged by researchers, conservationists, and even authorities attempting to capture dangerous man-eating tigers.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Tigers' favourite cologne | Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men |
Why tigers like the cologne | The cologne contains a synthetic version of civetone, a pheromone secreted by small mammals called civets |
Other animals that like the cologne | Jaguars, lions, snow leopards, cheetahs, leopards |
What You'll Learn
Tigers are attracted to Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men
The attraction of tigers to this particular cologne was initially discovered by researchers at the Bronx Zoo, who compared twenty-three different perfumes' abilities to attract tigers' attention. Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men was the clear winner, keeping the cats concentrating on it for 11.1 minutes. The zoo researchers found that the big cats would roll around in the scent, take huge sniffs, and rub their cheeks all over it.
The reason for this attraction is thought to be the civetone compound, which is also used by big cats like tigers for territorial marking. When they smell civetone, they want to rub their own scent all over it. For this reason, wildlife photographers, conservationists, and field researchers often use civetone-rich cologne to attract cats to their camera traps.
The use of Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men to attract tigers has been put to practical use in several instances. In 2018, forest rangers in India attempted to use the cologne to lure a dangerous female tiger, known as T-1, out of the jungle. T-1 was suspected of killing 13 people, and authorities hoped to trap and relocate her to a zoo or wildlife refuge. In another instance, wildlife veterinarian Dr. Prayag H.S. successfully captured his first man-eating tiger using Obsession in 2015, after testing its effectiveness in luring a leopard in 2013.
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Civetone is the compound that entices tigers
Civetone, a compound originally derived from the scent glands of a civet—a small carnivorous mammal—is what entices tigers. The perineal glands of civets, situated near the animal's anus, produce a pheromone with a strong musky odour. This scent, known as civet oil, was once extracted for use in perfume. However, today, civetone is mostly synthetic and can be made from precursor chemicals found in palm oil.
Civetone is a macrocyclic ketone and the main odorous constituent of civet oil. It is closely related to muscone, the principal odoriferous compound found in musk. The structure of both compounds was elucidated by Leopold Ružička.
The use of civetone in cologne has been shown to attract big cats like tigers. In a test of 23 different perfumes and colognes, Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men, which contains civetone, was the clear winner in attracting the attention of tigers, keeping them occupied for 11.1 minutes. The reason for this is thought to be that civetone resembles a type of "territorial marking" that makes big cats want to rub their own scent all over it.
Wildlife photographers, conservationists, and field researchers have taken advantage of this attraction, using civetone-rich cologne to coax cats towards their cameras. In addition, some zoos use civetone as part of their animal enrichment programs, spraying it in the enclosures for the cats to enjoy.
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Chanel No. 5 also attracts tigers
It turns out that Chanel No. 5 is not just popular with humans. The iconic fragrance also attracts tigers, those fearsome predators that are near-impossible to defeat in combat.
The reason for this attraction lies in the presence of civetone, a synthetic version of a pheromone secreted by the African civet, a small mammal native to the woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. This compound, also found in Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men, is known to drive big cats wild. When they catch a whiff of it, they roll around, take huge sniffs, and luxuriate in the scent for several minutes.
The power of Chanel No. 5 to attract tigers was first discovered by researchers at the Bronx Zoo. They compared twenty-three different perfumes' abilities to attract tigers and found that while most only held the cats' attention for a few seconds, Chanel No. 5 kept them captivated for 10.4 minutes. This finding has since been leveraged by field researchers in Guatemala and Nicaragua, who use the perfume to attract jaguars to their camera traps.
In addition to its effectiveness with jaguars, Chanel No. 5 has also proven useful in luring dangerous tigers. In India, forest rangers used the fragrance in an attempt to capture a female tiger known as T-1, who was suspected of killing several people. The rangers had tried numerous other methods, including camera traps, horses, and elephants, but it was Chanel No. 5 that finally did the trick.
So, if you ever find yourself in tiger territory, a splash of Chanel No. 5 might just be your secret weapon for attracting these majestic big cats. But be warned: while the tigers may find you irresistible, your presence might drive them wild with desire, so proceed with caution!
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Tigers are lured by the cologne out of hiding
Tigers are lured by cologne out of hiding. This unusual fact was discovered by researchers at the Bronx Zoo, who compared 23 perfumes' abilities to attract tigers' attention. The winner, by far, was Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men, which kept the tigers concentrating for 11.1 minutes. The zoo researchers discovered that the reason cats are so taken with this particular scent is due to civetone, a compound used to achieve its musky smell. Civetone is the pheromone of the African civet, a small mammal native to the woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa.
The discovery that tigers are attracted to this scent has been put to good use by field researchers in Guatemala and Nicaragua, who have started using it to attract jaguars to their field cameras. The scent entices the cats to rub their cheeks and chins on the sprayed item, leaving hair samples behind for scientists to collect.
The power of the cologne to attract tigers has also been used to capture dangerous man-eating tigers. In 2018, forest rangers in India attempted to use the fragrance to lure a female tiger, known as T-1, out of the jungle. T-1 was suspected of killing 13 people. The rangers sprayed Obsession for Men, hoping that the civetone would act as a territorial marking, making T-1 want to rub her own scent all over it. The rangers' plan was to capture and relocate the tiger to a zoo or wildlife refuge.
The use of cologne to attract tigers has proven to be a useful tool for both researchers and wildlife officials, providing a safe and effective way to lure these powerful animals out of hiding.
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The cologne is used to capture tigers
Tigers are formidable predators that few creatures in the animal kingdom could defeat in a fight. However, their sensitivity to certain scents may be their Achilles' heel.
In 2018, forest rangers in central India attempted to capture a dangerous female tiger, known as T-1, who was suspected of killing 13 people. After a two-year chase, the rangers tried a new approach: using Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men cologne as bait. The cologne contains civetone, a synthetic version of a pheromone secreted by civets, small carnivorous mammals. Civetone is also the ingredient that makes Obsession for Men so appealing to women.
Big cats, including tigers, are attracted to the scent and will roll around in it, take huge sniffs, and rub their cheeks and faces in it. Wildlife photographers and conservationists sometimes use civetone-rich cologne to coax cats towards their cameras, and zoos use it as part of their enrichment programs for big cats.
The use of Obsession for Men cologne as bait proved successful in capturing T-1. The tiger was spotted just a few times in the months after the cologne was introduced, and only for a few seconds at a time. The cologne was not the only factor in the capture, but T-1 was caught just days after the rangers started using it.
In addition to Obsession for Men, other perfumes such as Chanel No. 5 and Jovan Musk have also been found to attract big cats. A study at the Bronx Zoo showed that large cats are attracted to certain scents in these perfumes, and wildlife veterinarian Dr. Prayag H.S. has successfully used Obsession to lure and capture a leopard and a man-eating tiger.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, tigers are attracted to Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men.
The cologne contains a synthetic version of a pheromone called civetone, which is secreted by small mammals called civets. Civetone is used in many musky colognes.
Tigers roll around in the scent, take huge sniffs, and rub their cheeks and faces all over it. They also drool and half-close their eyes, almost like they're in a trance.
Yes, in 2018, Indian authorities tried to capture a man-eating tigress called T-1, suspected of killing 13 people. They attempted to lure her out using horses and elephants, but she eluded capture. They then tried using Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men, and the tiger was caught a few days later.
Yes, tigers also like Chanel No. 5 and Jovan Musk.