Are Tigers 'Brainier' Than Lions?

[Pckts]

(06-23-2014, 07:42 PM)'Apollyon' Wrote: Yes, I agree with the evolution separation of the Big Cats. While it is not unreasonable to speculate the Tiger is 'smarter' than the Lion, I know of no studies that have been used to test this hypothesis. I used the Leopard to show it lives in environments similar to both the Lion and Tiger but has a brain comparable (proportionally) to the Lion. If the argument is the Tiger's environment is more 'challenging' than the Lion's or that it is a solitary hunter, presumably this would apply to the Leopard.

It is likely as you mentioned, the other 3 Big Cats split off from the Tiger and are more similar to one another than to the Tiger. Perhaps they 'devolved' and lost some genetic information. Hard to say.

However, I do agree that the larger brain of the Tiger may indicate greater intelligence. At issue is: how to prove it?

 

Just remember, the Leopard plays the same role in either place, (india or africa) and that is "2nd most dominate cat" so the requirements for brain power are probably the same. Tigers and lions are Apex in their enviroments, so the need for larger brain might be more. Lets also not forget that a lion has a pride (one large brain) and relys on that to hunt, while a tiger relies on it self and may need a larger brain for that. Also, tigers are a different sub species. The most different of the 4, and one of the oldest, so its had more time to evolve different and more adaptions. Like has been stated here already.

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