In the book I read the student was required to actually study a real live tiger as part of his training. As I'm a white crane player should I devote time to studying Cranes in the wild?
I think the point is that it takes some freaking balls and skills to be able to "spy" on a tiger and watch it lives. That training would take courage and stealthy skills for sure.
Watching a mantis could take a lot of patience, as they do not move much...
Just to say that sometimes there is point in doing that kind of training, it require and/or develop some skills, but some other time I think it can be just a way for the master to see if you will do it or not. To see your loyalty, and if you will try to make something up of what you found.
Some people tend to make things up to feel on par sometimes. Like you can see in meditation class, most of the time there is that guy who feels connected to God or the universe instantly... Yeah right buddy...
Or when a master ask you how did you feel watching a rock, and you answer, "I felt cosmic energy, and I understood the meaning of life". Could be, don't get me wrong. But most of the time it'll be BS. And you will just look not having a critical mind and not hard to convince. You can also look like a lyer or someone not worth trust, because you BS people. When you didn't felt something special, you didn't. Nothing wrong in that.
So just be careful with those things, or kind of training. I can tell to watch something, and keep telling you still did not understand. Still doesn't make a real master of me...
I think it sliped on me talking about the kind of "rock star" students, although I think you can learn a great deal by having to deal with nature, just be outside and experience nature. Just try to not fall in the "I've seen God on a tree's bark!!" too easily.