Comparing Cats: A Discussion of Similarities & Differences

[Shadow]

(09-28-2020, 04:54 PM)Rishi Wrote:

(09-28-2020, 04:32 PM)Shadow Wrote:

(09-28-2020, 06:41 AM)Rishi Wrote: Yeah, that's why WII uses weight range now (like that 200-260) Jhala told about tigers & (160 to 200) for Asian lions. It's where you'd expect atleast 50% of the healthy adults, not some average... I think that's a much more prudent method.
Especially because even a single animal has its weight fluctuating almost 50lbs though the seasons.

Then you've got several other factors like regional variations, age & health conditions, or much of the weighed specimens being problem animals for both species in India atleast.

Even though we can´t stop the discussion about sizes and overlapping in between some species. Obviously especially in between tigers and lions because they are so close to each others in size, it´s good to talk about it, that what some things mean and what is behind some figures. Like this weight range, that 200-260 means, that at least 50% of the healthy adults are inside that range. Otherwise there is soon someone saying: "NOOOOOOO, that´s wrong, there was this and that tiger weighing less or a bit more".

Then we have scientific studies giving somewhat different conclusions, as usually, depending what they have accepted to be useful data. 

Then again there is situation in captivity, which show maybe closer call than situation in wild.

So while this kind of discussion is like walking on the swamp, getting one step to somewhat solid ground and sinking with next one, it´s good if people at least understand what some figures mean and in what way calculations have been made. In that way it can be seen how different data should be compared or can it be compared at all.

Problem in this ongoing conversation here and there is, that often there are people preferring tigers trying to exaggerate data concerning tigers and then people preferring lions with the goal to exaggerate lions. And whenever these people see something they don´t like, accusations start. I hope, that the more people understand how some data is used and in what way charts are made, the less there are misunderstandings. Both by accident and on purpose.

These are two species overlapping quite a lot in size, it´s kind of odd how big emotions are involved so often when discussing about them. But hopefully this latest discussion has given some understanding how some figures should be understood.

My post wasn't related to comparison of species though, just the comparison of methodology.

Yes, but it´s something very relevant to understand for people who see information and try to understand what they see in different places. Many misunderstandings are based on it, that there isn´t too much knowledge how to render different figures. So it´s good to open up, like you did, how WII uses weight ranges. Many people seem to just look quickly numbers, not so much what is written before or after. Reply