Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project

[Amnon242]

(03-31-2015, 12:35 AM)'Pckts' Wrote: I don't think it matters, there is a certain "respect" but at the end of the day, its all about territory. Gabbar has had numerous fights with Katezari and Saturn, he is well aware of who they are, the territory they hold and what he has yet it has never stopped him or them from engaging eachother over the years.  The only one in Tadoba that is unchallenged is Waghdoh and for good reason. He is the biggest and baddest of them all. That is the only "respect" earned in the wild. Munna has been a ruler in Kahna for many years but he has battled Naak Kata over and over again, red eye,  patewalla and others. The same will be said for Lion v Tiger encounter IMO, I think that is the type of relationship you can expect with lions. To put it bluntly, you're only as "respected" as your last fight. There will always be challengers looking for the prime territory and if we load up these territories with not only tigers, but lions as well, That will only increase the conflict, its seems like common sense to me.
Same amount of land, more predators = more conflict.
The only real example we can go off of is the Attempted release of African lions in India and you read how tigers reacted to that. But on the flip side, maybe after 100s-1000s of years of evolving together they could work a balance out. But that remains to be seen.

 

But if these tigers have a fight, the result is some kind of draw (yes, the fights are repeated, the opponents keep testing each other) and the tigers basically keep their territories. But tiger vs. lion? Would they (in their first encounter) accept draw as a (temporary) result? Or would such a fight (their first fight) end with death of one of the combatants or his submission and subsequent escape? Tigers have some laws among them...but would they accept a lion as a subject of such a law?

I have different scenario than you: if a tiger finds that there is some new big felid in the neighborhood, he would carefully watch this strange felid for some time. And then he would attack (ambush) the lion. It would not be any ritualized combat, but deadmatch with full brutality. Because lions would represent a danger to whole tiger species so I think that tiger would instinctively try to kill the lion by all means (ofc he would attack the lion only in case he would feel strong enought to kill such an opponent).

Another point is that I think that lions would be more successful than tigers in habitat that suits both of them. Yes, male bengal tigers are 220kg on average while male asiatic lions are around 160 kg on average (and my opinion on the question who wins at same size is known...for those who dont know me - Im one of so called "tiger fans"), but lion coalition would be the decisive advantage...I think...
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