ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)

[peter]

TIGERS AND BEARS IN RUSSIA - XI - OPINIONS OF AUTHORITIES - KRECHMAR


1 - INTRODUCTION

Tigers and bears is special material. Every time there is a debate on a forum about both animals, it seems like a soccer game. The outcome always is unpredictable, but those involved give it what they have. Most debates, although they start with a few authentic observations, quickly get out of hand. Conclusions are only very seldom reached. One reason, apart from preference, is observations vary considerably. In quite many respects, they even contradict each other. 

There are different ways to overcome the problem discussed. One is to agree to focus on reliable observations only. Two is to take the problem apart. This means we need to distinguish between different factors. Three is to get to conclusions regarding different aspects. Four is to accept that most of what we want to know can't be known. The reason is even experienced researchers often think that anything is possible in tigers and bears.          

I propose to start with reliable observations. It is remarkable that many Russian hunters and biologists loaded with field experience never saw a tiger or a brown bear. Others saw both, but no interactions. Some hunters, naturalists or biologists did. A few, like Sysoev, Sludskij and Krechmar, saw tigers and bears interact more than once. They were very lucky. 


2 - KRECHMAR

Krechmar was discussed more than once in different bear and tiger threads on AVA. I know he is a biologist who also hunts. He has good contacts with both locals and researchers and is more or less independant. Although he published a book in 2006, I never found anything on the internet. Maybe it wasn't translated. What I know, is from the internet. And forums. This means I can't say if I'm right or wrong. Everything I read could have been close to hearsay. I just don't know.

Anyhow. This post has a number of quotes that were first posted by others (like Grahh, Warsaw and Alexious3) on AVA. Many quotes are from a blog Krechmar apparently had. Some quotes seem to contradict each other, but in the end they, I think, don't.


3 - QUOTES

a - The point system

050-100 kg. - tiger wins
100-150 kg. - about 50-50
150-200 kg. - tiger wins
200-300 kg. - bear wins

The table was based on his own experience, interviews with locals and hunters and, last but not least, Sludskij's book 'Lord of the Jungle'. Before he wrote his book, Sludskij, like Krechmar, read everything available, talked to authorities and interviewed locals and hunters. I think there really was a system, but not one ever published about it. Posters do. But biologists, of course, also talk.

The reason male bears top the list of favourites in animals of 200 kg. and over is a weight advantage, endurance and extra-thick muscles in the neck. The powerful muscles would prevent a quick kill of male tigers. In tooth and claw, there wouldn't be a lot of difference, many think (one of these Pikunov).


b - Subspecies

In Primorye, there is only Ursus arctos lasiotus, but it is likely Amur tigers will meet north-east Siberian brown bears at some stage, as they are more widely distributed than a few decades ago. These bears, although some very large animals have been found, are a bit smaller than Ursus arctos lasiotus.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Ursus arctos lasiotus, also known as the 'black grizzly' or 'horse bear', is a large subspecies, with males averaging between 580-595 pounds and females 320-330 pounds. Females of 700 pounds and over have been found in north-east China and my guess is some males will easily exceed 800 pounds in summer. Remember it isn't clear if the the weights mentioned (Kucherenko and one other study) were year-round or seasonal averages.

Kucherenko wrote males average 196 cm. in head and body length, but it isn't known in what way the animals were measured. My take, for now, is they were measured 'over contours' as this is the method most often used in bears. The difference between this method and a straight line measurement in Yellowstone brown bears (see the table below) was no less than 32 cm., meaning it is likely males of the lasiotus type average 164 cm. in a straight line. The largest in Kucherenko's table was 252 cm., meaning this animal was as long as the longest male Amur tiger in a straight line or slightly longer.

If we compare an average male brown bear of the lasiotus type with an average male Amur tiger, the result is 195-164 cm. in head and body length and 190-270 kg. in weight. Clear advantage male brown bears. 

*This image is copyright of its original author

      
c - Male brown bears, male Amur tigers and food

Krechmar said: " ... It (the brown bear) comes out down to it as the extortionist. It is able to find sufficient food ... of the striped predator in order to ensure itself of it's nourishment (livelyhood). But if near the output still is the legal owner, then last prefer to leave, for the sake of not communicating with the clumsy giant ... " (a quote from a book Krechmar apparently wrote in 2006, pp. 32).

One point for brown bears then? Yes and no:

" ... Almost all the witnesses of such major tigers with bears - severely got into - is dispersal. That is, no domination of large bears over large areas, there is no! Well, if considered as dominance, victory in physical experienced - it is not. And if considered as dominance over resources - the tiger, for example, does not contest the bear its production - where donkeychildren in the spring and tiger brush, tiger leave: it is easier to catch a new (than to) connect to bear ... "  (a quote without a source, but I assume it was either from his book or his blog).

Another quote on large male Himalayan black bears and tigresses: " ... Large male Himalayan bear calmly can fight off the tiger come from its legitimate production ... " (unknown source). Large male Himalayan black bears can appropiate kills from tigresses.


d - Conclusions

So what to make of these quotes? Although male brown bears are both heavier and more robust, Krechmar thinks there isn't much to choose between male tigers and male brown bears. In a fysical fight, not one dominates the other. Most fights end in dispersal. In spite of that, male bears apparently are able to displace male tigers at times. Tigers prefers to hunt again than to fight a large and dangerous opponent. The most likely reason, I think, is tigers could get injured. This would affect their ability as a hunter, whereas a bear, as a non-hunter, wouldn't be bothered by injuries. His job is extortion.

Some male tigers, at some stage, could decide to defend their kill. Those who witnessed these fights agree most end in dispersal. In spite of that, some animals would be prepared to go all the way. The classified results I have show that those who perish are either inexperienced young males (tigers), overconfident old boys (bears) or desperate animals (both). 

The lack of knock-out's clearly confirms the Russians, regarding their points system, are right: it is about points and not knock-out's. In spite of that, I would disagree with their conclusion (brown bears win on points). I mean, if authorities agree there isn't a lot to choose between a 190 kg. male Amur tiger and a 270 kg. male brown bear, if they agree most fights end in dispersal and if they agree (confirmed by recent research) that male tigers only very seldom are displaced, I would get to a clear win of an animal able to overcome a difference of 80 kg. (or about half its own weight). 

But maybe the Russians were referring to the result (displacement or no displacement) only. There are, of course, very large brown bears. I do not doubt these 'equalizers' would get it their way, but animals of that quality are few and far between. Too few to get to general conclusions. In the great majority of interactions, animals of more or less average size would be involved. The outcome of every bout would be close to unpredictable and the animals also know. This conclusion is confirmed by what biologists and others saw: most fights end in dispersal. But dispersal is a bit different from mutual avoidance in that it happens after a fight.

*This image is copyright of its original author

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