Gazanfer
27 Sep 2004, 02:50 PM
Go on any official website and u'll see the tiger is much stronger than the lion plus on animal planet's the most extreme show the tiger place 4'th in the countdown guess what the lion placed//// none for strength
It is indeed interesting to see so many people trying to defend the Tiger, and in most of the cases,It is personal favoritism which plays place.Maybe because some regions have only one species of the big cats.
However,Analysing the two beasts, Several factors come into play.
First,it is wrong and unfair to compare the two cats.A Tiger is a solitary big cat most skilled at hunting and a Lion is a social big cat most skilled at combat.A Tiger never lays claim to be King of the beasts, but just defends his territory.
A Lion owns a Tiger (I dont mean a cakewalk! ) because:
A Lion has a social structure, A PRIDE!!!Consisting of Lions and Lionesses, A Tiger would be meat even if it tried to attack a Lion because a Tiger is a powerful solitary animal, a hunter for it's own sake while a Lion is king,owner and guardian of his army, his pride and a pride behind a Lion in combat leaves no scope for debate.
Now let's consider individual combat.
A Lion is slightlty lighter than a Tiger,but, is that a distinct advantage ? Big cats kill much heavier beasts, but yes, Tiger has some advantage in weight & strength.but the strenghth of a Tiger is built up in stronger hind legs made for a powerful quick leap and sprint
whereas the Lion has stronger forearms made specifically for combat.
A Tiger is skilled at solitary hunting and kills by ambush in the jungle and an occassional combat is purely for territory(As its striped coat implies and it is much skilled than a Lion in that.) But It's not suited for an open challenge in the plains.In an ambush the Tiger is at an advantage compared to Lion (due to ambush and powerful leap), but the mane of the Lion makes it extremely difficult to get any throat grip which is how the Tiger hunts. So with the ambush prospect lost and mane obstructing the throat bite,the Tiger has lost direction.
A male Lion is skilled at combat and it's sole objective is taking control of a pride by periodic combat and conquest of other Lions and defending it's pride.(As it's protective mane imples and it is much skilled than a Tiger at that.)A Lion is not only defending his territory,his position in the pride but also defending his pride against hyenas and other creatures which means he is in combat much more. It's role is open combat in the plains.The protective mane of the Lion protects it against the tiger but the Tiger has no such advantage leaving him in a vulnerable position.
In a one to one fight , the Tiger has initial advantage on behalf of faster leap and strength. But the obstruction of the mane and the combat skills of a Lion plus powerful forearms of the Lion (an advantage in combat) have sealed the Tiger's chances of victory.
The tiger has one distinct advantage against a lion .His instincts & his powerful hind legs will enable him to outrun a Lion to safety,
wounded but Alive ( I am not being funny! ).so it is indeed a stale mate!!!.
Being in a combat with a Lion and getting out alive is no less a victory.Here, we should note this is not cowardice on behalf of Tiger, but instinct, because in nature, a wounded Lion can fall back on his pride and maybe lose his position as king of the pride, but a Tiger will die of starvation.
a Bengal Tiger is constrained for space and hence more agressive,hence a more likely contender and a more fair comparison for a combat with an ordinary Lion, but not with a South African Lion which outmatches him in strength and skills.That is unfair again.
Trying to compare a small Lion with something like a caspian Tiger is not fair.but try to compare any Cat or Bear with an (now extinct) American Lion and it is easier to understand why Lion is king of the Beasts.
The account of a Lion being defeated by a Tiger in Korea because the Lion was smaller and his mane was cut away is hardly fair. Such innovative. These Koreans!!!.
In a fair comparison, Both animals being equal in all terms such as ferocity, species & treatment etc. A Lion owns a Tiger.
BTW, The ultimate carnivore is Man, who eats almost everything, owns and uses everything, keep all the beasts captive and has pushed the ecology to the brink and yes, Man has the credit of making the American Lion extinct by hunting.
It is indeed interesting to see so many people trying to defend the Tiger, and in most of the cases,It is personal favoritism which plays place.Maybe because some regions have only one species of the big cats.
However,Analysing the two beasts, Several factors come into play.
First,it is wrong and unfair to compare the two cats.A Tiger is a solitary big cat most skilled at hunting and a Lion is a social big cat most skilled at combat.A Tiger never lays claim to be King of the beasts, but just defends his territory.
A Lion owns a Tiger (I dont mean a cakewalk! ) because:
A Lion has a social structure, A PRIDE!!!Consisting of Lions and Lionesses, A Tiger would be meat even if it tried to attack a Lion because a Tiger is a powerful solitary animal, a hunter for it's own sake while a Lion is king,owner and guardian of his army, his pride and a pride behind a Lion in combat leaves no scope for debate.
Now let's consider individual combat.
A Lion is slightlty lighter than a Tiger,but, is that a distinct advantage ? Big cats kill much heavier beasts, but yes, Tiger has some advantage in weight & strength.but the strenghth of a Tiger is built up in stronger hind legs made for a powerful quick leap and sprint
whereas the Lion has stronger forearms made specifically for combat.
A Tiger is skilled at solitary hunting and kills by ambush in the jungle and an occassional combat is purely for territory(As its striped coat implies and it is much skilled than a Lion in that.) But It's not suited for an open challenge in the plains.In an ambush the Tiger is at an advantage compared to Lion (due to ambush and powerful leap), but the mane of the Lion makes it extremely difficult to get any throat grip which is how the Tiger hunts. So with the ambush prospect lost and mane obstructing the throat bite,the Tiger has lost direction.
A male Lion is skilled at combat and it's sole objective is taking control of a pride by periodic combat and conquest of other Lions and defending it's pride.(As it's protective mane imples and it is much skilled than a Tiger at that.)A Lion is not only defending his territory,his position in the pride but also defending his pride against hyenas and other creatures which means he is in combat much more. It's role is open combat in the plains.The protective mane of the Lion protects it against the tiger but the Tiger has no such advantage leaving him in a vulnerable position.
In a one to one fight , the Tiger has initial advantage on behalf of faster leap and strength. But the obstruction of the mane and the combat skills of a Lion plus powerful forearms of the Lion (an advantage in combat) have sealed the Tiger's chances of victory.
The tiger has one distinct advantage against a lion .His instincts & his powerful hind legs will enable him to outrun a Lion to safety,
wounded but Alive ( I am not being funny! ).so it is indeed a stale mate!!!.
Being in a combat with a Lion and getting out alive is no less a victory.Here, we should note this is not cowardice on behalf of Tiger, but instinct, because in nature, a wounded Lion can fall back on his pride and maybe lose his position as king of the pride, but a Tiger will die of starvation.
a Bengal Tiger is constrained for space and hence more agressive,hence a more likely contender and a more fair comparison for a combat with an ordinary Lion, but not with a South African Lion which outmatches him in strength and skills.That is unfair again.
Trying to compare a small Lion with something like a caspian Tiger is not fair.but try to compare any Cat or Bear with an (now extinct) American Lion and it is easier to understand why Lion is king of the Beasts.
The account of a Lion being defeated by a Tiger in Korea because the Lion was smaller and his mane was cut away is hardly fair. Such innovative. These Koreans!!!.
In a fair comparison, Both animals being equal in all terms such as ferocity, species & treatment etc. A Lion owns a Tiger.
BTW, The ultimate carnivore is Man, who eats almost everything, owns and uses everything, keep all the beasts captive and has pushed the ecology to the brink and yes, Man has the credit of making the American Lion extinct by hunting.