Personal Opinion & Speculations

[Brehm]

This thread is as highly interesting as it is speculative, like it!

Tigers in typical Lion habitat: In this scenario tigers would have to adapt to the new environment, which is suited for lions. If they want to compete for the crown of the apex predator, they most likely would have to copy the lions lifestyle here and there. Meaning start to forming coalitions. They are capable to do that as we know, look at the telia sisters and others. Still, a tiger is a tiger with some aspects in his behaviour, which it doesnt wants to change probably. Meaning the love with water and elusiveness. Considering those points, they may look for areas with the thickest vegetation and most water supply. Here they would have to face nile crocodiles and hippos. Both very aggresive species when it comes to defending their territory against intrudors. But i believe tigers would be able to handle this situation. In the mangroves of sundarbans smaller sized tigers are able to coexist with salties, officially the biggest subspecies of crocodiles and not less aggresive than nile crocs. . Considering that, tigers should be able to find a way to handle nile crocs. Hippos could be difficult, but this could really go either way: In hippos chasing tigers away from water holes, or in tigers seeing hippos as potential prey!
Anyway tigers need to find their niche in the savannah ecosystem, but in any possible scenario, i think there is no way to avoid violent clashes with the local mane carrying rulers. Even if lions usually avoid water, they still have to drink like almost every living creature.
Competition from other predators should be managable. Adult males in their prime should do very well most of the time, even against prides of spotted hyenas. Females and sub - adults however should watch out if alone, like in lions.


Lions in typical Tiger habitat: If we flip the cards, lions most likely would face similiar tasks like tigers in savannah: Making compromises and adapting to the new environment! This means adios big prides or large coalitions. The russian far east doesnt supports big prides of apex predators. Even for a single tiger its tough to survive there, let alone a theoretical pride of lions. Even in most indian reserves, it could be hard to find suitable prey which supports the needs of a whole pride. Dense vegetation is the next problem. Even if there is enough cover for a surprise attack, there is no chance that a bigger group of lions goes undetected under the eyes of the jungle (langurs and other monkeys). The only way to succesfully survive would be living a solitary live like tigers or giving up big prides and switch to smaller coalitions like in Gir. Apart from tigers, there should be no other real threat for them from other predators. Sloth and asian black bears could be a challenge for solitary specimens in some situations, but those encounters would be rare i guess. Overall i think, african lions would start to kill cattle at first, when they realize that chital and wild boars arent enough to support the whole pride. Adult sambars however are fairly suitable to feed at least 3-4 lions. The biggest prize would be gaur, which are rare and mostly occur in dense vegetation.

But there are two places where both cats live in similiar conditions (at least to a degree) with mega fauna, enough water and open + dense vegetation: Kaziranga and Okavango delta! If tigers from Kaziranga would be released into Okavango, chances could be very high for a fast adaption and succesfull suvival. Also vice versa with lions from Okavango into Kaziranga. Herds of wild water buffalos, rhinos, sambar and barasingha should be able to satisfy even a big pride of lions. I think in these areas, both cats wouldnt be forced to accept such high levels of compromises.

All in all, this experiments would cause a major imbalance to the ecosystem at first, with unpredictable consequences. Doesnt changes the fact, that its highly exciting. Reply