Lions and Tigers in India

[Dr Panthera]

A conflict in Kuno between reintroduced Asiatic lions and transient tigers from Rajasthan or other areas from Madhya Pradesh is inevitable and will have tragic consequences to the preservation of both species especially the tiger.
Nature avoids duplication in apex predators except if resources are very rich or separation is present for example the Florida Everglades is a rich habitat where both the American crocodile and the American alligator occur, orcas and great white sharks share rich habitats in several areas , Jaguars and Pumas live together over most of the neotropics but Jaguars are larger and take larger prey, only in Mexico with abundant deer and peccaries population where the size of puma is close to the jaguar and the prey mass preferred is compatible .
Asiatic lions have known a great success in the last few decades more than all other lions and tigers, asiatic lions filled all available habitat and became so densely concentrated that some lions started to move away from the protected areas to conquer new grounds , the descendants of twelve lions from the 1800's number over five hundred now leading scientists like Sunquist to state that: " Lions living in tiger habitats, and utilizing tiger prey base, still occur at higher densities than tigers".
If lions are introduced to areas closer to tigers both animals will suffer in the following areas:
1- Direct Aggression
Encounters between the two animals are likely to be violent and aggressive, the solitary tiger is slightly larger ( males 180-200 kg with some even reaching the 240's, and females 100-160 kg compared with 160-190 kg for male Asiatic lions and 115-120 kg for lionesses ) the tiger may have a slight size advantage in one on one encounters, yet again most tigers in the proposed areas are transient young adults or past prime drifters and are likely to be killed by lions.
Meena and Jhala give Gir lion coalition numbers from one to four with a pair of males the most common, and pride lionesses from two to six lionesses with four or three lionesses being the most common, a pride of two lions and four lionesses will kill all tigers in the area, male lions will spend longer time with their lionesses when competition is fierce.
2- Cub Killing
Each species will attempt to kill the Cubs of the other, the lion pride system will protect the Cubs better than the solitary tigress
3- Kill Success Rate
Prides will kill more successfully and larger prey than single lions or tigers
4- Kill Retention
Prides will keep their kill from solitary tigers and may drive tigers off their kills 
The tiger stands to lose a lot and it's situation is already grim outside major national parks so I want to see the lions in another area away from the Tigers maybe towards suitable habitat in north Gujarat , Punjab, and even Pakistan ...Mr Modi though will not agree to that . Reply