Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A sound made by tigers and snow leopards without the intent to threaten, producing a breathy snort by blowing through the nostrils whilst the mouth is closed — a low-frequency equivalent of the purring found in domestic cats.
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
From the German verb prusten ("to sneeze”, “to snort").
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Examples
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The story at the zoo at the time was that the tiger had jumped out in reaction to a different woman, a regular visitor, who often "chuffed" at the tigers to get replies (this is a soft friendly greeting, also known as "prusten").
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Prusten is a form of communicative behaviour exhibited by some members of the family Felidae. Prusten is also referred to as chuffing or chuffle (verb and noun). It is described as a short, low intensity, non-threatening vocalization. In order to vocalize a chuff, the animal's mouth is closed and air is blown through the nostrils, producing a breathy snort. It is typically accompanied by a head bobbing movement. It is often used between two cats as a greeting, during courting, or by a mother comforting her cubs. The vocalization is produced by tigers, jaguars, snow leopards, clouded leopards and even polar bears. Prusten has significance in both the fields of evolution and conservation.
August 19, 2023