Size comparisons

[Jimmy]

(09-07-2018, 10:17 AM)Wolverine Wrote: Obviously gaur and the wild water buffalo have quite similar robustness of the neck and are equally vulnerable (unvulnerable) for neck strangulation. Then developes the question which of these two herbivores is harder to be killed by tiger.

Advantages of the gaur
Gaur is much larger and heavier, actually the largest wild cattle in the world, so probably is the more powerful of the two bovines because usually larger body possess more rough power and energy.

Advantages of the wild water buffalo
1. Wild buffalo seems to has  better group defense, the animals of the herd protect each other more actively and efficiently.  
2. Wild buffalo is more aggressive of the two species, only for one year in Kaziranga buffaloes probably kill more people than gaurs in all India.

So, as a part of the herd I think wild buffalo is harder to be killed by tiger than gaur. But if we talk about solitary animals probably for tiger is harder to kill solitary bull gaur than solitary male buffalo because gaur is much larger.

@Jimmy, maybe we can experiment with this image left by @Rishi in order to assess is it possible for tiger to strangulate an adult male gaur or male water buffalo. If we imagine that herbivore's neck on the image has a vertical diameter of 49 cm (the larger of the diameters) probably the tiger's  head and jaws could be adjusted and assessed how deep will reach inside the flesh, but from the bottom side where is the throat.

*This image is copyright of its original author

pretty much on point your analysis, i still don't know how large do indian subspecies of wild water buffalo get and how they compare to the indian subspecies of gaur to really see how the tiger might approach things. All guides say wild water buffalo are more dangerous animal but gaur inhabit pristine core areas of the jungle where encounter on foot is unlikely, wild water buffalo are more habituated to humans, frequently come out into the agriculture to raid crops, so they are much likely to be encountered especially considering on foot when attack likely occurs.  From domestic point of view, water buffaloes are much more willing to unite and counter attack, i read somewhere in wildfact that to discourage jaguar pradation on cattle, they introduce water buffaloes which began to associate themselves with cattle and are sccessfully dealing with the big cats and protecting the cattles. but there are certain levels to this, it seemingly wouldnt work in tiger country against a very large cat, But it shows the mindset of the buffalo, likely a profound herd instinct, However Gaur being a wild animal should be different than cattle in regards to instictive nature to protect it's members within the herd in a face of adversity, we can't know how this is different to water buffaloe's, i think gaurs are shown to be a little more skittish than wild water buffaloes but iam not entirely sure what difference that will make in defending against big cat, there is still some degree of offense involved and if it thinks it cannot harm the offenser it can run away and lead it's herd to safety. For a tiger, if it decided to not opt for hamstringing (which will be the safest) water buffalo presents a challenge with it's horns foremost, because it's widely spreading and hard to avoid those things looming above you. for gaurs, tiger if it is exceptionally agile could still dodge around and get a throat, like in a video of raja-the tiger and female gaur, bull gaur would be impressively large I am not doubting it but that's my view. However in a more realsitic scenario if tiger creep from behind , water buffalo has more slower movement due to it's big horns while gaurs are more alert and they turn around quicker so it will be easier to take down bull of wild water buffaloes more.
regarding the throat gripping analysis, it won't be that round (i think that fight is for rhino's throat in cross section) , bovine has more angle on it's throat and skin is not as thick as those of pachyderm's, big cats have perfected the suffocating grip technique and have been  shown time and again on  virtually every prey species be it giraffee, buffaloes or any other big prey,  likewise gaur and water buffalo at Max weight will have similar thickness i suppose so it's the same challenge, water buffalo might have slightly tougher skin though as is the case with domestic ones. A big cat will be able to grip substantial portion of the neck meaning it doesnot need to cover the entire area and actually hold so tight that its possible the prey chokes against it's own muscle. Reply