Maximum size of prey that a single male lion or tiger can kill

[Ashutosh]

@Pckts @GuateGojira, latest research into average prey size of Indochinese tigers revealed that average weight of banteng and gaurs predated was close to 400 kilograms. That is higher than Nagarhole research and shows a presence of a decent number of adult male gaurs. If anything, it tells you, that prey size is not THE most important factor (it maybe A factor but not the mist important one) when tigers make their kills.

@GuateGojira, tigers not killing an animal because they can’t eat the whole animal is not really a condition for or against predation. Simply because, even if tiger kills a nilgai (300 kilos), a tiger will never eat it completely. But, bigger prey is a risk/reward situation. A tiger killing a water buffalo or gaur will feast for 4-5 days consuming upto 70-85 kilos in first 4-5 days mainly from the rump area but making sure to not rip the entrails of the carcass. Then, it is all about concealment of the carcass from scavengers. If it is adequately hidden, there will be enough for it to go back and eat the entrails and making one last huge meal which will last another week. Once the abdomen is opened up, there is very little a tiger can do to keep it way from scavengers. A big prey like that will feed a tiger for 2 weeks. And, then it has to decide again what kind of prey it wants to hunt.

Like the case from Kaziranga, where a tiger and rhino were found dead next to each other. On further inspection, it was found that a young male had been tucking into the rhino kill of a big male who upon discovering this young male killed it right there. You can’t conceal a huge kill like rhino that easily. Reply