Animal trainers

[peter]

COOPER

Thanks for the link. Read the study yesterday. That is to say, I gave it a try. Although not that badly trained (Phd Geography), I have to admit I didn't understand one yota of what I saw. I know geography and magic are two different entities, but it is stunning to witness them formulas and all kinds of computations corrected for all kinds of errors flying all over the place time and again. Reading this type of study reminds me of watching Monty Python: after you saw an episode, you need some time to recover. 

I assume those involved in the study gave it their best, but I would recommend a course in transforming information into words and paragraphs that could be considered as accessable for the general public. An art in itself, I think. Conclusionwise, it wouldn't hurt to add a bit on reliability and reach as well. I mean, if only one Amur tiger was involved, chances are they caught the exception. 

Anyhow. Use it or lose it could be a decent summary, but we have to remember that we first need someone able in magic to get to any kind of conclusion. For now, I'd say the study, in a way, underlines that solitary big game hunters need to be able to adapt quickly to circumstances or else. In this respect, they could compare to us. Both are vulnarable.

As to the remark on robustness of tigers and lions in the post you quoted. What I concluded, was based on what I saw in zoos and facilities in western Europe. The most robust tigers I saw were male Amur tigers. Most of them were larger (and heavier) than captive lions, but most lions were relatively as robust or even more so. This remark relates to head (circumference) and body (chest), not the neck, shoulders and limbs. Very large male lions can reach a weight of about 550 pounds (at least one was just over 600, but he was a white lion), but most males seem to range between 400-450 pounds. Male Amur tigers average 430-480 pounds, with some well over 600. 

In China and, perhaps, Korea, people could have a somewhat different idea about captive lions and tigers. The reason is quite a few large Amur tigers and a lot of smaller lions. I don't know why, but captive lions in that part of Asia seem to be smaller than in western Europe and the US. 

All bets are off when wild big cats come into play. Tigers just south of the Himalayas (Nepal and northern India) seem to be the largest and most robust wild big cats today, with central and southwestern India tied for second. Lions in southern parts of Africa are close. Kruger lions seem to be as heavy as Amur tigers, but the sample of Amur tigers is too small to get to conclusions. Crater lions could outaverage both (weight), but Kazirangha tigers also are very robust. Unknown entities for now.  

My guess is Gir lions are a bit underestimated. Same for Congo lions (now gone). I saw more than one skull with a greatest total length of 380,00 mm. and even slightly over from that region.

Wild Amur tigers are unique in tigers in that they are smaller than their captive relatives. A result of habitat destruction, prey depletion and a population bottleneck in the twenties and thirties of the last century. Tigers respond to pressure by quickly losing size. Saw it in more than one region. If this is true, the opposite also is true.

Today, the Russians are very serious about protection. Same for the Chinese, at least up north. When the conditions improve, chances are that males will get closer to the historic average (about 475 pounds) in one or two decades from now. In order to get there, the Russians need to tackle three problems: 60 000 hunters with a license, professional poachers and legislation.  

This thread is about trainers. Found anything of interest? Talked to people in the know? All of us are affected by preference, but there good information and there's something else. Over here, we like good information. It's there. Reply