I don't remember who it was, but someone told me a while back that tigers are a very polite species of snake... they always give you a warning, or more than one, before they would ever strike.
I like that quote, although yes, the same could be said about most elapids.
That's absolutely true, from memory that quote might have included the phrase "gentlemen snake", which Tigers most definitely are. Even the most terrifying attacks are generally just stern warnings.
Apologies for the long post but Tigers are my passion. I've met literally hundreds of them and had thousands of encounters and I'd have to say that only maybe three of them (including this one) have ever given me reason to be scared. That's not counting a few freak incidents like stepping on them or stepping over them or whatever; those are "my bad"
Almost all Tigers just run for cover (I've seen that literally MORE than a thousand times, it's what they do). If you startle one at close quarters because it was asleep or had it's eyes hidden then it MIGHT put on a brief threat display before disappearing, if you're lucky.
One snake I came across refused to hide but endlessly "attacked" me, aiming all of its it's strikes in completely the wrong direction!! Another made a point of coming up on top of the vegetation to hiss and strike at me, but never actually tried to hurt me;
Just a few times ever I've had one launch a seemingly dangerous attack like the one in the video, which although terrifying was actually harmless.
But every individual snake is different, and every species probably has its psychopaths, individuals which in human society would be doing ten to life in prison
One snake I came across might be in that league. The winter before last I found a snake that was, basically, a complete psycho. He came out to bask in all weather - in winter - no matter how cold or overcast. He'd hide from me if he had ample warning, but otherwise would stand his ground and launch endless attacks, including well aimed genuine bites. When he eventually chose to seek cover in his accustomed hide he was always prepared to go straight through me if I was in his way, trying to bite if I so much as moved a muscle. But like I said, that bloke would probably be in jail by now, so no need to worry
Seriously, there's no such thing as a dangerous Tiger Snake as long as you're prepared to leave them alone and haven't been unlucky enough to step on one. And I HAVE stepped on one, and have still never been bitten. Their reputation is unfairly against them, and their ranking as "World's Fourth Most Venomous Snake" doesn't help matters.
My feeling is that, in a rapidly shrinking natural world, they don't need a shovel, they need a cuddle
