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Thread to share information about success rates of predators and also what kind of information can be found behind percentages. This thread is meant for terrestrial predators.
I start with observations and thoughts from Londolozi guide James Tyrrell. I found it interesting.
Quote:
"Are Leopards Successful Hunters?
Most of what I’m about to type is purely anecdotal evidence.
It comes from years of game drives and walks in the field, but given that A) we only witness less than 10% of a leopard’s daily routine (and that’s as a Londolozi team, rather than for an individual ranger or tracker), and B) I’m not running any statistical analyses on my personal observations, none of this is gospel, it’s merely the initiation of what I consider to be an interesting conservation stream.
The established fact is that leopards don’t have a particularly high success rate in hunts. I’m sure the figure varies somewhat between areas, and maybe even between individual leopards, but as it’s roughly 20% – or maybe even less – I’ll agree that they don’t score well in the hunt-conversion ratio. Certainly not when you compare them to Wild Dogs, which are up above 70% in their hunting success rate. Of course the dogs have a different hunting strategy and they operate as a pack, so it’s like comparing apples and oranges, but I’m merely giving an appreciation for where these solitary spotted cats sit."
Not only are Wild Bovids dangerous, they have also killed different carnivores in different ecosystems.
Grizzlies killed by Bison:
Quote:Young bison v. Grizzly sow
A dead grizzly bear was found by a park ranger in the Lamar Valley. Her carcass was battered and covered in blood. Her ribs were broken and two large holes in her belly were probably made by the horns of a young bison. Many patches of blood and hair surrounding the carcass was found at the scene, as well as several bison footprints. The conclusion was that this bearwas killed in a fight with a bison.
The witness of this fight stated that the bison bull would charge the bear to inflict gaping wounds with his sharp horns. The bear would attempt to seize the bull by the head or shoulders, but he was unsuccessful. After a decent skirmish, the male grizzlybear could endure no more and he tried to escape, but the bison bull pursued and killed him:
^ This was posted in another thread, but shows that a buffalo is too dangerous, and capable of killing a Grizzly Bear
Tiger killed by Gaurs and Water Buffalos:
Quote:Jorhat, Nov. 11: A Royal Bengal tiger carcass was found inside the Kaziranga National Park today, just a day after the recovery of another carcass.
Park sources said guards spotted the carcass of an adult tigress inside thick bushes at Gerakati under Bagori range this morning. There were marks of severe injuries on the carcass, with the stomach pierced badly from an attack, possibly by another wild animal. Sources said the carcass did not seem very old and the animal might have been killed last night or at dawn.
Park authorities suspect that the big cat was killed in a fight with a buffalo as the guards spotted a herd of buffaloes very near to the carcass today.
Bagori ranger Deben Kalita said the tigress seemed to have died from fatal injuries received in the stomach.
{2017} Fully grown male tiger possibly killed by a gaur
The carcass of a four-year-old tiger was found in Madhya Pradesh’s Satpura reserve on Saturday, making it the 12th feline death in the state this year.
The field staff spotted the carcass in the core of the reserve, Ashok Mishra, joint director Satpura Tiger Reserve told HT.
The post mortem showed the tiger had suffered external and internal injuries. The tiger probably died after having a fight with another Gaur” he said.
{2012} Tiger killed by gaur in the Nagarhole National Park
Not only are Wild Bovids dangerous, they have also killed different carnivores in different ecosystems.
Grizzlies killed by Bison:
Quote:Young bison v. Grizzly sow
A dead grizzly bear was found by a park ranger in the Lamar Valley. Her carcass was battered and covered in blood. Her ribs were broken and two large holes in her belly were probably made by the horns of a young bison. Many patches of blood and hair surrounding the carcass was found at the scene, as well as several bison footprints. The conclusion was that this bearwas killed in a fight with a bison.
The witness of this fight stated that the bison bull would charge the bear to inflict gaping wounds with his sharp horns. The bear would attempt to seize the bull by the head or shoulders, but he was unsuccessful. After a decent skirmish, the male grizzlybear could endure no more and he tried to escape, but the bison bull pursued and killed him:
^ This was posted in another thread, but shows that a buffalo is too dangerous, and capable of killing a Grizzly Bear
Tiger killed by Gaurs and Water Buffalos:
Quote:Jorhat, Nov. 11: A Royal Bengal tiger carcass was found inside the Kaziranga National Park today, just a day after the recovery of another carcass.
Park sources said guards spotted the carcass of an adult tigress inside thick bushes at Gerakati under Bagori range this morning. There were marks of severe injuries on the carcass, with the stomach pierced badly from an attack, possibly by another wild animal. Sources said the carcass did not seem very old and the animal might have been killed last night or at dawn.
Park authorities suspect that the big cat was killed in a fight with a buffalo as the guards spotted a herd of buffaloes very near to the carcass today.
Bagori ranger Deben Kalita said the tigress seemed to have died from fatal injuries received in the stomach.
{2017} Fully grown male tiger possibly killed by a gaur
The carcass of a four-year-old tiger was found in Madhya Pradesh’s Satpura reserve on Saturday, making it the 12th feline death in the state this year.
The field staff spotted the carcass in the core of the reserve, Ashok Mishra, joint director Satpura Tiger Reserve told HT.
The post mortem showed the tiger had suffered external and internal injuries. The tiger probably died after having a fight with another Gaur” he said.
{2012} Tiger killed by gaur in the Nagarhole National Park
These posts are to show how powerful wild bovines are.
This is why it is not surprising for a Leopard to usually avoid full grown Buffalo.
It is one thing to say, that some prey is more difficult than other. Then another thing to say, that it would be too much. Predators take down all kind of prey and sometimes also the most dangerous there is. Of course when talking about gorillas, silverbacks aren´t the ones normally attacked. When talking about forest buffalos, calves and cows are preferred without a doubt.
Still time to time we are lucky to see individuals, which show to us that "impossible" is possible. But that is well known thing, that life of the leopard, tiger, lion etc. isn´t easy and many pay heavy price for inexperience, bad luck etc. Still as many videos show, these predators make time to time high risk hunts. Sometimes succeeding, often prey is able to fight/flee and in some cases hunter is badly injured or die. That´s life for these animals. My point was just, that even though some animals are difficult to take down, that doesn´t mean same as impossible/off limits. One good thing to remember too is, that most hunts happen in darkness, giving better chance for hunter to get close to prey unnoticed. We see in videos only a fraction and in circumstances which are most difficult especially, when thinking about hunting alone.
@Styx38 I moved these latest postings from rainforest leopard thread here just in case, that there is more about different species and how easy or difficult some animals are to kill.
12-03-2019, 12:13 AM( This post was last modified: 12-03-2019, 12:17 AM by Shadow )
Deadliest cat.... not lion, not leopard.... nope, it´s the black-footed cat! Hunting success rate is very impressive for any cat, approximately 60% of hunts are successful. Something what bigger "cousins" can only dream on.
Quote:"In one night, a black-footed cat kills between 10 and 14 rodents or small birds, averaging a kill about every 50 minutes, according to Hunter. With a 60 percent success rate, black-footed cats are about three times as successful as lions, which average a successful kill about 20 to 25 percent of the time, Hunter said."
This video is about tigers. Joseph Vattakaven (after 4 years observing) mentions, that tiger needs 25 stalks/successful kill.
Then again that is only small part of this video, I would recommend to watch it, if a bit time. You don´t see too many times Valmik Thapar, Ullas Karanth and George Schaller on same video with of course Joseph Vattakaven. And Karanth, Schaller and Vattakaven at same time and same place discussing. A good video to "give faces" behind names printed on covers and pages of so many books. It´s kind of amazing to watch Shaller on this clip, when knowing how long time ago he started his career.
