Comparing Cats: A Discussion of Similarities & Differences

[Styx38]

@Luipaard

While I thought fans made poor comments, I also found out that even researchers can make odd comments.


For example, this researcher made an assumption that a Leopard would not go after large Manchurian Wapiti/Elk or Red Deer because they did not appear in the Leopard's diet in any of the studies shown.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Of course, when it comes to Tigers not going for Elk, only then does this guy acknowledge the relatively low abundance of Elk in these areas.


 

*This image is copyright of its original author

source: Gardener, Billy Jai. Habitat Modelling of the Amur Leopard and Siberian Tiger for Future Reintroduction: Using Conservation Priority Setting, Ecological Corridors and Carrying Capacities. Diss. Bangor University (United Kingdom), 2020.



Here is one of the studies that he cited for Tiger and Leopard diet in Northeastern China.

As can be seen Red Deer/Wapiti/Elk cannot be seen occurring in either predator's diet.

*This image is copyright of its original author

source: Yang, Haitao, et al. "Seasonal food habits and prey selection of Amur tigers and Amur leopards in Northeast China." Scientific reports 8.1 (2018): 1-9.


The reason why is that the Wapiti/Red Deer is either locally extinct or at a very low abundance in these areas.

If you get confused between Wapiti, Elk or Red Deer then just remember that these are different names for the species known as Cervus elaphus xanthopygus


Red Deer is locally extinct in Southwest Primorsky Krai since the 1990s.

*This image is copyright of its original author

source: Matiukhina, Dina. "Resource partitioning and density drivers of two endangered large felids: Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) and Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) in the Russian Far East." (2020).



Red Deer is also absent in Hunchun National Nature Reserve, China.

*This image is copyright of its original author

source: Dou, Hailong, et al. "Prey selection of Amur tigers in relation to the spatiotemporal overlap with prey across the Sino–Russian border." Wildlife Biology 2019.1 (2019): 1-11.


So, as we can see Leopards will not go for the Elk because the animal is either extirpated or extinct in their current range. Reply