The Bengal tiger is a nocturnal hunter and will not share its range with other tigers. It will stalk prey that it cannot outrun and will kill by biting the back of the neck or the throat of an animal. It will use its teeth, like its ancestor the saber-toothed cat, as a vital tool in hunting. If it loses its canines, it can no longer kill prey and will starve to death. When the tiger makes a kill, it will store leftover prey under brush or bury it under loose leaves until it can return to feed again. The Bengal has a large home range and will have more than one den. Males will occupy about 20 square miles and females require around 17 square miles. Mating takes place in the spring where the male will copulate with a neighboring female, staying with her 20-80 days, then will return to his own range. Males will leave all the cub rearing to the females. A Bengal cub is ready to hunt on its own at 11 months but will stay with its mother for two to three years.