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Captive Lion and Tiger weights
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I put here too some things concerning tiger named Baikal, which has been claimed to have been 850 lbs. When checking that claim, it was impossible to find any source confirming that, only places where such weight was told were some discussion forums, no-one could point out any sources confirming anything publicly.
I contacted Assiniboine Park Zoo and from there was told to me, that Baikal averaged 190-200 kg. They had no information about claims concerning 850 lbs. From Cherry Brook Zoo I didn´t get any answer, at least not yet. Now I found one source about Baikal, which isn´t second hand and can be checked by anyone who is interested. There is said , should I say, in nonchalant way "700 pound", so it is clearly approximate weight. Is it a little bit less or more, who knows. But now we are talking about a tiger around 300 kg, which most people, imo, see as something what a really big healthy male tiger can weight. Also when you look that blog, there are two "facial" photos, which can be assumed to be Baikal. When looking at pattern there, it looks like to be so, that photo which often is told to be Baikal is in reality some other tiger. Baikal has that clear black spot behind eye which is one clear characteristic. Then also it seems to have some rougher fur on backside of neck also in summertime. These things are similar, when comparing to one other photo, which is said to be Baikal, where it is photographed at winter time. After finding out this much, I have to admit that I have serious doubts about another tiger weight. I mean tigress Nyla, which was also living in Cherry Brooks Zoo and in some forums is told to be 500 lbs tigress. I have found absolutely nothing to back it up. That weight is also mentioned only in some discussion forums. I have read several articles and blog writings about Nyla, but there has been no indication, that it would have been exceptionally big tigress. Also one video which I saw... nothing too special. So was it or not 500 lbs, I don´t think so. But if someone can show some solid proof it would be interesting to see. It has to be remembered, that it is said to have had cubs at some point. So it can be in some photos/videos looking quite robust. Anyway for me Baikal is now busted myth what comes to that weight of 850 lbs. It seems to be so, that it is important to be very careful when seeing something extraordinary. Usually extraordinary is something which is noticed also in media. Not only by a few people in some forum. Here quote: "Well as much as I really did not want Baikal, our magnificent male Siberian Tiger to leave he is on his way to Winnipeg. After a year of paperwork and transport arrangements he is finally on his way West to the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg. Moving an animal of this size is not an easy task but on Wednesday morning we finally accomplished loading a 700 pound animal into a transport crate that weighed 400 pounds and loaded onto a transport trailer." Source: http://lyndacollrin.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-09-27T09:18:00-07:00&max-results=7&reverse-paginate=true 
@Shadow
Hi, I would like to mention I to also contacted Assiniboine park zoo, and they stated they only estimate there weights. He was never actually weighed.  *This image is copyright of its original author This is the reason I never included Baikal in my table I made back in 2015. (06-18-2019, 11:27 PM)Kingtheropod Wrote: @Shadow Yes, I thought too, that it was estimation. When seeing what was in that blog, 700 lbs. And then seeing that estimation from people, who should be able to do quite ok estimations when actually seeing tiger there in cage and handling it, I personally think that Baikal might have been a 250-300 kg tiger in his prime. If/when it was, when older looking like quite average for zoo personnel, it is impossible to imagine, that it would have been more. It is also well known thing, that in photos animals can look huge and make people to give wild estimations while reality is not even close. It was also interesting to see, that most well known photo, which was claimed to be Baikal was some other tiger :) A good example how false information can start to live its own life for years. I was quite surprised, when I started to look closer and saw that there in reality was nothing to confirm anything. Only clear thing was that there had been tiger named Baikal. I don´t anymore believe to any story about siberian tigers clearly over 300 kg unless talking about more or less obese animal. All bigger ones have been so obese, that only word to describe is animal cruelty. When even people can be 500-600 kg, when unbelievably obese, naturally any big cat can be overfed to be heavy. It is in a way sad, that for instance Guinness Book of Records has accepted to put very fat captive animals as "record breakers". If some man or woman like to eat so much, that not able to move... it is one thing, but to abuse animals like that. Disgusting, imo. 
@Shadow :
About #289: I feel the same way... I wrote about 700 or 900 pounds weighed ligers at the #283 of this topic. "If we can create a such-sized beast, so let us do it !". Yes it's cruelty without any ethical reflexion. But as you say human can be as cruel as that with their fellow men (and women) just for a line in the Guinness Book. (06-19-2019, 12:23 AM)Spalea Wrote: @Shadow : Yes, I think so that if some liger accidentally "happens", why not. But then it should be also treated in responsible way. Those "fat cat contests" should be made to stop. If someone in Finland would have as fat tiger as Jaipur for instance, owner would be sued to court in no time. Result fines and forbidden to keep pets anymore because not capable to treat them in proper way.
I found one link to a good photo of this tiger, Baikal. Not whole tiger can be seen but I like this photo a lot so I decided to share it here. Very handsome tiger. Also pattern on head can be seen quite good, so easy to compare if/when finding other photos which are told to be Baikal.
https://www.perfectlycaptured.com/showphoto.php/photo/8616/title/baikalsiberian-tiger/cat/500
I got now reply also from Cherry Brook Zoo about tiger Baikal, here is what they told:
"We did have a Tiger named Baikal, but he was 250kg which is approximately 551 pounds (which is larger than the average 400-475 pounds). Although, it is not uncommon for Amur tigers to reach a weight of 660 pounds in captivity. He was sent to the Assiniboine Zoo in 2009 where he lived for approximately 5 more years. While Baikal was a large Amur tiger he was not 850 pounds, and you can find photos of him on our Facebook or on the Assiniboine Zoo Website! Thank you for your interest and if you have anymore questions please do not hesitate to ask! " So case Baikal can be considered now closed in every way. That 850 lbs claim has been just a made up story. I forgot to ask about tigress Nyla, but I think that it is safe to say, that same thing what comes to claimed weight of it. I asked about it too now, but we will see when I get reply. Still 250 kg means, that in his prime Baikal was a big tiger.
Well, now I got reply also concerning tigress Nyla, which has been claimed to be about 500 lbs. Truth is somewhat different... But here is what was told from Cherry Brook Zoo:
"You can absolutely share our answer! Accurate information is the best way for people to learn, and the Cherry Brook Zoo is dedicated to education to improve conservation efforts. It seems as though Nyla’s weight was also exaggerated on your forum, she was 212 pounds which is just shy of the average (females are typically 100–167 kg which is approximately 220–368 lb). All our animals have a strict diet maintained by our veterinary staff to ensure they remain a healthy weight. Typically our tigers will have 5-7 pounds of meat a day and are closely monitored to ensure they remain a healthy weight. If you have any more questions I would be more than happy to answer them! Kind Regards, The Cherry Brook Zoo" I replied there, that not so much claimed here, there seemed to be slight misunderstanding  But it was nice to discuss with staff of Cherry Brook Zoo, replies came surprisingly fast actually. If someone there reads this thread for curiosity, thank you again for this information!! Edit: I put here also picture of the email I received just in case someone wants to see that. (06-20-2019, 01:34 AM)Shadow Wrote: Well, now I got reply also concerning tigress Nyla, which has been claimed to be about 500 lbs. Truth is somewhat different... But here is what was told from Cherry Brook Zoo: I believe it was @Kingtheropod who originally spoke with cherry brook and got the weights confirmed, can you confirm that King? (06-20-2019, 01:40 AM)Pckts Wrote:What Shadow has posted is completely different from the email I got from the zoo. Shadow, can you tell me who you where talking to on email at the Cherry brook zoo? Perhaps they where different people.(06-20-2019, 01:34 AM)Shadow Wrote: Well, now I got reply also concerning tigress Nyla, which has been claimed to be about 500 lbs. Truth is somewhat different... But here is what was told from Cherry Brook Zoo: Also, I was wondering if you can screen shot the email that says the weight of Baikal at 250 kg from post #293? (06-20-2019, 06:24 AM)Kingtheropod Wrote:(06-20-2019, 01:40 AM)Pckts Wrote:What Shadow has posted is completely different from the email I got from the zoo. Shadow, can you tell me who you where talking to on email at the Cherry brook zoo? Perhaps they where different people.(06-20-2019, 01:34 AM)Shadow Wrote: Well, now I got reply also concerning tigress Nyla, which has been claimed to be about 500 lbs. Truth is somewhat different... But here is what was told from Cherry Brook Zoo: You can see screenshot about email, where is mentioned Nyla and her weight. There is email address to zoo. Same address which can be found from their website. I think, that person is different, because if former information is from that email in posting of pckts, where is mentioned Lynda Collrin, she and her husband got fired from that zoo or something like that, they have had some legal disputes there for years. But whatever the case is, if she was the person who you mean, then 100% sure I have been talking with different person. In reply to me, there is no name of person answering, but it is easy to contact that zoo if someone wants to ask same questions or get more information :) I copied text from replies to me just as those are here from emails to me. Whoever has been giving information about 850 lbs, which would be about 386 kg.... :) I mean that is unbelievable. All known confirmed tigers in such weight or more have been clearly obese. As I have written before, that kind of tiger would have been biggest tiger ever (if not clearly obese). So alone it, that there is nothing mentioned in any media ever alone tells, that whoever has "confirmed" such weight has been writing utter nonsense, which is pity. Anyway it is common knowledge that this Baikal, which was claimed to have been 850 lbs lived in Cherry Brook Zoo and then in Assiniboine Park Zoo. Both are active zoos and easy to find contact information from their websites. Nyla then lived only in Cherry Brooks Zoo and died in age of 6, when it had to be euthanized. There are actually many articles about both of these tigers, which can be found. Not in single one article mentioned, that either of these tigers would have been remarkably big ones. (06-20-2019, 11:46 AM)Shadow Wrote:I'm not talking about post #294, I was talking about post #293(06-20-2019, 06:24 AM)Kingtheropod Wrote:(06-20-2019, 01:40 AM)Pckts Wrote:What Shadow has posted is completely different from the email I got from the zoo. Shadow, can you tell me who you where talking to on email at the Cherry brook zoo? Perhaps they where different people.(06-20-2019, 01:34 AM)Shadow Wrote: Well, now I got reply also concerning tigress Nyla, which has been claimed to be about 500 lbs. Truth is somewhat different... But here is what was told from Cherry Brook Zoo: And yes, I agree it must have been different people. The woman I talked to from Cherry brook zoo previously was apparently a primatologist LOL (06-20-2019, 12:46 PM)Kingtheropod Wrote:(06-20-2019, 11:46 AM)Shadow Wrote:I'm not talking about post #294, I was talking about post #293(06-20-2019, 06:24 AM)Kingtheropod Wrote:(06-20-2019, 01:40 AM)Pckts Wrote:What Shadow has posted is completely different from the email I got from the zoo. Shadow, can you tell me who you where talking to on email at the Cherry brook zoo? Perhaps they where different people.(06-20-2019, 01:34 AM)Shadow Wrote: Well, now I got reply also concerning tigress Nyla, which has been claimed to be about 500 lbs. Truth is somewhat different... But here is what was told from Cherry Brook Zoo: So same woman, who told in her blog, that it was 700 lbs, I guess, I mean this Lynda Collrin. And when I replied to you, I understood what you meant, posting 293, but when I shared screenshot about 294 I thought that it was quite obvious to see, that it was connected with 293. As I said, anyone can write to these zoos and get confirmation to what I told. And anyone can also check other things I wrote :) (06-20-2019, 01:15 PM)Shadow Wrote:(06-20-2019, 12:46 PM)Kingtheropod Wrote:(06-20-2019, 11:46 AM)Shadow Wrote:I'm not talking about post #294, I was talking about post #293(06-20-2019, 06:24 AM)Kingtheropod Wrote:(06-20-2019, 01:40 AM)Pckts Wrote:What Shadow has posted is completely different from the email I got from the zoo. Shadow, can you tell me who you where talking to on email at the Cherry brook zoo? Perhaps they where different people.(06-20-2019, 01:34 AM)Shadow Wrote: Well, now I got reply also concerning tigress Nyla, which has been claimed to be about 500 lbs. Truth is somewhat different... But here is what was told from Cherry Brook Zoo: But here is screenshot of that first reply :) |
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