Talk:Animal Face-Off/Comments
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tigers are not larger than lions, and i`ll explain why. i check out a reliable source that states that bengal tigers in the wild grow larger than siberian tigers, due to the fact that siberians have a hard time finding prey in their harsh invirnment while bengals have lots of prey to eat. but what i want to talk about is an average weight, rather than something based on how well fed or underfed an animal is. tigers average about 416 lbs, the same as african lions.
their have been reports of tigers pulling 400lb animals a distance of 1000 feet. the tiger would need to be as strong as 10 men to achieve such a feat. lions have been known to drag a 1000lb animal a distance of 416 feet, which also requires the strength of 10 men. to be that strong, lions and tigers would need 250 lbs of muscle. both big cats muscle mass is about 60% of their full weight, which would have to be about 416 lbs. if tigers weighed more on average, they would be as fast, or slower than lions.
it is true that tigers are faster than lions. tigers are normally shorter and have longer spines, meaning the big cat is more stable on it`s feet and has longer running strides. it`s a fact that shorter limbs produce more power, which is also why tigers are faster and slightly more agile. tigers evoled this way for excellent hunting ablity, but that wouldn`t make a difference in a fight. a tiger can strike faster with it`s shorter limbs because short limbs have less distance to travel to reach their target, as longer limbs travels in a longer arch. tigers also climb slightly better, again due to the fact of it`s shorter limbs and longer spine, a characteristic common to all expert tree climbers, such as the squirrel.
lions are expert fighters. living in groups lions are more likely to be exposed to fighting then would a tiger. also lions have to guard their territory against other males who might take over and kill their cubs. that`s why lions have manes. it serves to intimidate, which is also why it`s taller. lions also roar louder than tigers. tigers, living alone, wouldn`t want to attract too much attention with a louder voice, however, in lion society, a louder voice keeps intruders out. lions also have more force in their paw strikes. longer limbs have longer distances to travel so has enough time to gather a lot a speed and force.
tigers have longer teeth and bigger claws, because this suits a solitary hunter. lions on the other hand hunts in pacts so don`t need as big a tool in hunting. group living is also a better survival strategy, which is why their are more lions then tigers. lions spend most of the time protroling their territory and guard against rivals, and they occasionally help out with hunting the larger animals. lions sleep a lot more than tigers because they are usually exposed to a lot more heat than a tiger, and if conserves their energy for the hunt.
lions are also more aggressive than tigers, because they are more exposed to fighting, and fighting another big cat is far more life treatening than hunting.
tigers in the wild would also want to avoid fighting, as an injury could prevent hunting. and indeed, they have evoled this way, with their less intimidating roar.
lions have more experience at fighting. that plus the animals aggression, could make all the difference in a fight. in my opinion, lions would win 7/10 times.
