Asiatic Lion - Data, Pictures & Videos

[GuateGojira]

(10-11-2019, 12:01 AM)lionjaguar Wrote: I read it, but it didn't answered my question. My question was which animal was bigger and stronger? If Asiatic lions were smaller than African lions, and tiges were similar size as the central Indian lion. Then lion is suppose to be the biggest cat. Which animal dominated in the central India? These were my questions. I think lions were winner since they are social animals. Maybe not if it is one against one if it is true that lion is the second biggest. However, it is mystery that they disappeared in Asia.

"Stronger" is a very relative word, something that can't be calculated reliably specially for wild animals, which sheldom use they entire strength capacity. In fact, a jaguar will be "stronger" than a lion in relative terms but in absolute terms the lion is the stronger and heavier of the two. Even it is say that the small black footed cat is the strongest cat! So ask for the "stronger" animal is irrelevant.

Who is/was bigger in the Indian Subcontinent? The tiger is the obvious answer, even taking all the hunting and scientific records (160 - 255 kg for lion vs 160 - 320 kg for tiger), or only the scientific records (145 - 190 kg for lion vs 180 - 261 kg for tiger). Central Indian male tigers had an average weight of 204 kg (n=55, range: 160 - 255 kg), but this sample included inmature animals, as the adult male tiger over 3 years old weights between 200 - 260 kg (Jhala and Sadhu, 2017), although in some cases they may weight as low as 180 kg, like in the case of the males "Gabbar" from Tadoba and "Dakre" (a.k.a. M102) from Nepal (baited weight of 200 kg). Indian male lions had an average weight of 177 kg (n=11, range: 145 - 255 kg), but this sample includes the male of 255 kg from 1623, so is a real "guess" to see IF this figures is realiable or not. 

Who dominated? We don't know as there is no reliable information about the coexistence of lions and tigers in India (Karanth, 2001). The only thing that we know is that there was a pretty good ecological separation between these two species, with tigers living in the close jungle habitat and the lions in the open grass habitat (Mitra, 2005). There was no need of direct competition. However, it is accepted that in "lion habitat" the lion will be dominant because they live in groups (Karanth, 2001), but in the "tiger habitat", a solitary lion will be no match for a solitary tiger (Thapar et al., 2013).

I don't think that there is a "mystery" about the reason why the lion disappeared in Asia, the must accepted theory is the overhunting of the species. This make sence, as all the big cats species had dissapeared for these same reason in all the world. Reply