Modern weights and measurements on wild tigers

[GuateGojira]

(04-15-2022, 03:12 AM)LoveAnimals Wrote: If I remember correctly you gave as "average" weight of that Nepalese male of about 290 kg with a range of like 286 - 306 kg empty (based on the highest food intake of 34 kg and 14-19 kg average stomach content calculations).

Correct, the figure of 286 kg came in the scenario that the tiger of 320 kg gorged itself with 34 kg, the maximum food intake actually measured for a tiger. The figure of 306 kg came in the case that the tiger of 320 kg did only ate the minimum amount recorded for a tiger in 24 hours, which is 14 kg. Both extreme scenarions are unlikely.

In this case, we can estimate a consumption of about 20 kg, based in the largest intake recorded for male M-91 in Panna which is described that was in a full belly. In that case we can estimate a body mass of about 300 kg "empty" for the Nepalese tiger, which is the most likely situation. The estimation of 290 kg came from the estimations used by Dr Karanth of his tigers, which were corrected with 30 kg, but this also seems unlikely as Smythies described that the tiger was able to run and even jump, something that a gorged tiger will hardly do.

That is why I think that the most likely scenario is that this tiger weighed between 290-300 kg "empty", based in the evidence and been generous. Reply