There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
Being slow afoot, bulky and not all that bright, the lord of the jungle would change the pace and alter the style of Gebel-Williams' show. This performance, which you may have seen or heard about if you are among the 10 million or so Americans who went to a circus in the past year, includes GG-W's amazing multiple tiger act, his incredible leopard, panther and puma act, the unbelievable elephant, tiger and horse mixed routine he conceived and now entrusts to an assistant, and the stupendo-fabuloso-socko, stop-the-world-I-want-to-get-on number in which Gebel-Williams bounds across three rings barking commands while combinations of 18 various size elephants stand up, sit down, run around in circles, dance on tubs, play on teeterboards, roll over and balance on their heads, lift, carry and bounce their master on their backs to ultimately consummate the 107th edition of Ringling Bros, and Barnum & Bailey Circus, The Greatest Show on Earth."
"With this I need lions?" Gunther Gebel-Williams says
Here is a point from Wade Burck in regards to solitary personality vs follow the leader personality
"Tigers are harder to train than lions, because tigers are solitary animals. Lions will follow a leader. If you teach one lion to roll over, the others will roll over. With a tiger, each one has to be taught separately. If a lion attacks you, others will join in. They're gang fighters, pride animals. But the consolation is that the lion will cow down if you strike him. A tiger won't. All he knows is he's supposed to be his own leader." ...
..."When you're dealing with wild animals, there are things you can't prevent. Two male tigers get in a fight over a female, and they'll try to kill each other. You've got to jump in the middle and break it up."...
..."When I am asked, "what is the difference between a lion and a tiger", I respond with,"the same difference between driving a pickup and a Ferrari" - Wade G. Burck
"Lions are social animals vs. tigers being naturaly solitary animals. this has a great effect on their attitudes and habits in life. Lions grow up fighting for position in their social group, both as punks and then later in bachelor groups. They seem to truly enjoy fighting and losing has little meaning to it. A limping lion that can make it to the group feed can survive. The tiger on the other hand is solitary basically from the time of puberty. Even small injuries can effect their ability to hunt, thus meaning death by starvation. Consequently, I believe, tigers are not as willing to quarrel over insignificant insults to their social rules.As a seperate specie we make many social errors,in their world. Tigers seem to be more studious and manipulative of their environment (heirarchy)knowing this is very useful in manipulating the learning processes.They seem to me to be more thoughtful, being less willing to be argumentative,just for arguments sake.
Male lions seem to have more testicle to testicle conversations, so it helps to have a pair so as not to get left out of the conversation.
So where male lions like to fight more often, tigers are more treacherous when they do decide to fight." - Larry Allen Dean
"Lions have a reputation, partly because they run in packs." ne said. "But tigers are loners. In a head-to-head battle, I'd bet on the tiger. The lion has an advantage with that mane, so you get a mouthful of hair before you reach his neck, but the tiger is swift and can think. The lion has a one-track mind." - Pat Anthony
Quotes from Peter and Mazak
Peter: intelligence of tigers...Czech animal trainer Jan Ringell told me, that tiger is much smarter than lion (he also told me, that tiger would win in a fight - not because tiger is bigger, stronger and more agile, but because it´s a solitary animal). So, that´s another opinion of a trainer.
Mazak also stated that tiger is the most intellignet felid (although it´s not a statement of Mazak that much...he cited this as an opinion of prof. Hemmer and other scientists).
It is by no means my attempt to bash Lions, but these quotes come from people with lifetimes of expierence with all big cats. Their opinions and observations should be looked at very seriously when trying to come up with any theories or hypothesis'
