Comparing Cats: A Discussion of Similarities & Differences

[LandSeaLion]

(06-15-2017, 10:30 PM)Pckts Wrote: @peter

Questions 1, 2 & 3


 I have only seen a few captive lions and tigers and to be honest, I find it very difficult to compare them to their wild counterparts. Wild cats have individual characteristics that are raw, they are primal, they have a much harder look in their eyes, scars on their face and body and are much more active. The captive cats I have seen either seem to be lazy, stressed or completely out of it.
Physical differences are easier to describe,
Captive lions are probably heavier than the wild ones I saw but they certainly aren't stronger. Captive lions I have seen usually seem more robust but also have more fat, wild lions are lean, strong and powerful. It's hard to describe but when you see a wild lion, it's body looks beaten but from this beating it's gained strength, a captive lion looks soft, unchallenged and weak in comparison.
It's the opposite for the captive tigers I have seen, Tigers seem seem much less dense in captivity and have more of a lanky look to them while in the wild Tigers are stocky, dense and strong. Their bodies are packed with muscle, their heads seem much more powerful and they seem lower to the ground, probably because they are more muscle packed. Tigers like lions have the same characteristics, wild individuals just look beaten and strong. Their forelimbs seem so strong, there is just something that happens to the body when you spend your entire life grappling and killing things, ripping into tough hides and eating highly nutritious prey compared to being fed slabs of meat.

Question 4 and 6

Females in the wild compared to captivity are as different as the males, they have a bit more elegance to their body but still powerful, especially in Tigers, I was more impressed by the tigress I saw than the males of either species because I was expecting the males to be powerful, but I didn't realize how powerful females could be. But with the females it's the attitude, females scare me, they look at you like food or a threat, males don't care about you, females definitely gave me the chills once or twice. Whether it was the durga female at Pench constantly snarling, lunging or never being settled or the Serengeti females walking in front of the jeep then purposely walking next to it and making eye contact as they walked past, they just seem more unpredictable.


Question 5

Male lions don't care about you, you're nothing to them, they don't look at you, they don't want to waste their time on you.
The Male tiger I got to spend time with was the same way, he was too busy roaring for his female to pay any attention to us, he was focused on the task at hand. The other Tadoba male I saw came out of the forest, walked in front of the jeeps then off to the other side of the road and he was gone. I really feel like either cat looks at us as a fly pestering them, not worth their time unless they get really annoyed. 

Captive cats of either species don't have the confidence, aura or power you feel when seeing their wild counterparts. Maybe it's my own doing, but seeing animals that live by the sword and die by it is so cool. It's raw, honest and beautiful. Seeing a cat behind bars takes away the magic, seeing a cat in nature, surrounded by it's natural habitat as far as the eye can see is what it's all about IMO. 


Question 7

"Controlled Aggression"

Seeing a male Lion in the wild is primal, you watch so many documentaries on them growing up and you know what they are capable of, then you see them and you finally can truly imagine what ferocity they posses. Their faces tell the tale, their eyes pierce your soul and they remind you of a time long lost.


Seeing a male Tiger in the wild is haunting, you have to search high and low, listen to calls, look for pug marks and most of the time it turns into empty promises then finally it happens, this striped beast emerges out of no where and he is beautiful and powerful at the same time. His head hangs low while his eyes look up, he is like a ghost. It's hard to believe that this massive beast actually lives there, but he does and he is king. You are lucky to even share a second with him and you should thank your lucky stars that you did.

Question 8

Yes and No

Talking to guides is much like being on a forum, each guide has their own opinion and stories, each has their favorites. What I learned from guides more than anything else is tracking, they are so in tune with the surroundings, their eyes, ears and noses are far better than ours. They have trained them their entire life, they almost become super human. Having them with you is so much fun, if you pay attention you can really learn a lot about tracking. 

Question 9

This is hard for me, I've read so many that they start to run together, most of the stories I remember seem to sensationalize these cats and that's not the cats I got to know. I never got to see them hunt or fight, I only got to see them doing their day to day operations.

Question 10

Male Lions seem taller and leaner while Male Tigers seem shorter and thicker.
Body length is hard to tell with the naked eye, but Tigers do seem a bit longer but no by much.
Body weight is impossible to tell, they carry their weight very differently, and both are massive in their own ways.


Females are similar in body dimensions but again I think Tigress are a little longer but female tigers definitely seem more powerful. Both my girlfriend and I noticed this, seeing the Link 8 female may have jaded me, but I kid you not, she is a massive Tigress and after seeing her, I have a hard time being fair to lioness'. Overall they are both very close in size and weight I'd bet.

Personalities are very different,
Lions are much more care free, they like to lounge and relax, tigers are on edge, they are always moving and active, even while sitting in a pool, their eyes are always scanning.


Question 11

Get out there and see the places where your favorite animals live, you'll learn more than you can ever learn behind a screen.


There is no rule...
Tigers are not larger than lions and lions are not larger than tigers....
Every species has a huge range, you see these animals and they come in all shapes and sizes.
When you see a Tiger or Lion in person you realize that no one can actually know what they weigh, how long or tall they are, nor does it matter. Just enjoy them for what they are, the last remnant of truly wild beasts!

This is an older post, but I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading it. I’d love to be able to see lions and tigers in their natural habitat...some day. I can’t see it happening any time soon though, with the global situation being what it is. Reply