Crocodile and Big cats Interaction

[TheSmok]

(10-18-2020, 06:03 PM)Shadow Wrote: I've read about lions specialized In killing crocodiles In some occasions. Bumi lions as one example. And when looking at known interactions usually big cats are the ones killing crocodiles. I find it interesting because I thought earlier that it would be the opposite. I had to change my opinion after some time. It's why I think that situation is something similar with other big cats. Naturally not all big cats are so eager to kill crocodiles, but some which learn it can be ruthless. Like for instance Machli and Bumi liond and some others.

As far as I remember, Bumi lions were only seen feeding on three crocodiles (and this old uncovered carcass most likely was scavenged - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbkpYukox-c). It's not even close to specialization. This is just a small addition to the diet.

Machli also killed only 3 crocs according to R.S. Shekhawat:

Quote:I have seen three instances when she killed a crocodile during my tenure because they come up on dry land in summer and are a danger to the cubs.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/70...pring-dies

He also claimed that this was in order to protect the cubs.

And although big cats in general may kill crocodiles more often than vice versa, it can be also noted that big cats very rarely kill large crocodiles. The largest crocodiles ever killed by big cats appear to be the 11-foot-7-inch (~353.06 cm) Nile crocodile killed by the lion in Uganda, and about the same-sized mugger killed by tigress Machli after a 13 hour fight. These individuals are quite large (possibly up to 180-200 kg in weight), but they are much smaller than large territorial males from some populations. Reply