Comparing Cats: A Discussion of Similarities & Differences

[Shadow]

(10-13-2020, 03:02 PM)Balam Wrote: The two main populations of jaguars that overlap in size with leopards are the Central American and Caatinga, which on the great scheme of total jaguar population represent a small fraction of it. The idea that there is a major overlap between the two species is of course false. The major populations of jaguars live in grassland environmentals where they grow the biggest: Pantanal, Llanos, Chaco, Cerrado, etc. The Amazon houses the largest jaguar population and yet the average weight for Amazon jaguars far surpass the average weight for any leopard population, with maximum weights for individuals much higher as well.

In my initial post I clearly stated that a leopard is not going to give trouble to a *much larger jaguar*, because it isn't. There aren't any recorded instances of leopards genuinely fighting a larger opponent of similar proportions to a large jaguar in a prolonged fight and getting away with it (lionesses or tigresses). We all know that supposed case of the leopard and tigress dying in a fight was a hoax, while cases of tigresses killing male leopards are fairly easy to encounter. So my point stands.

@Shadow actually, from the research done by Onçafari in areas of the the Pantanal they have been able to register cases of jaguars going out of their way to predate on cougars. It's pretty clear that the areas in which there is a larger size difference among the two the cougar will be subordinated to its larger cousin. The case of the cougar dying in a fight with a jaguar with its skull broken actually comes from Belize, the same area where they are supposed to overlap in size, so that tells you everything you need to know about the power of jaguar lb for lb against a felid of similar proportions who is less robust.

My main point is, that leopard is capable fighter and in my thoughts there is no doubt, that it can give trouble to any jaguar if it has a chance to notice incoming attack in time. It´s big enough to claw for instance snout of bigger cat causing pain and it´s not self-evident that a fight would end to death if it would happen somewhere else than in a zoo cage.

Lions kill a lot of leopards, but not every time and that video with a tiger show clearly too, that leopard can make a bigger cat to think twice. If bigger cat is really determined for some reason, then smaller is in big trouble. But it can be relatively painful price which has to be payed until smaller cat is done. Leopard isn´t the biggest cat, but it´s no joke to any attacker if first attack isn´t spot on right away. We see many half blind big cats in nature and leopard claws are big enough to puncture eye of any other animal if swipe hits right place.

Anyway this is once again one of those discussions with many opinions and quite little real information since pumas and jaguars in areas in which they overlap in size, most likely avoid fights than seek those. Reply