Tiger versus Lion versus Cheetah

Me too, if they meet in the ocean. The plains of Africa I might bet the other way.

I saw the killing of the tiger. As I mentioned earlier the lion is a knockout blow fighter while the tiger is a fast jabs kinda fighter. However, the tiger canines are 4" while the lion's are 3" that may be why they can kill rhinos and elephants in India. There are not many wolves in India and I believe the tiger may have out competed them or killed them. Yes, I agree that occasionally the lion could kill a tiger with a lucky blow but more often the tiger would win. They are both cats adapted to different environments. The lion has weaker hind legs so it does not run that fast except the lioness which does all the running anyway. A pets' consultant is hardly a good reference on wild animals statistics. Armchair quarterbacks make the most noise and they haven't played the game even. It is best to get information from wild life experts but even they guess but it would be an educated guess. In an environment of plenty and in groups (prides) anyone or creature would tend to be lazy such as the lion. The tiger in a forest environment has to have its wits on all the time as it hunts alone. They are as dangerous as the leopard. All hunters fear the leopard and the same goes with the tiger.

Just admit you are one of those crazy tiger lovers.

Even if you are right that tigers can run faster than lions (and that's debatable), the hypothetical involves a fight, not a race.

And you're not sitting in an armchair? Does that mean your stage animal fights for a living?

Any sane hunter fears a big cat...including lions.

It may be that lions and tigers are equally matched, but the difference in natural habitats is most likely meaningless.

At first the West saw the male lion as this magnificent killing machine, and then after some study it was determined that they are the spoiled feline Pashas of harems of hardworking females. Further study has showed that they hunt more often than previously thought.

They always have been known as the protector of The Pride, whether it be against other male lions, leopards, or hyenas.

That is specialization, and for a specialized task -fighting- the specialist usually wins.

Now, if we are looking for the biggest bad-ass in nature, the award goes, hands down, to the wolverine.

99 times out of a 100, a tiger or lion will kill a wolverine in a fight, but more often that not, the wolverine will drive off either of the big cats.

In a beast on beast fight in a cage, where neither could run away, my money will be on a bear...Polar, or Grizz

Finn, I'm with you on the wolverine. They are fierce and relentless. Pound for pound the most imposing of predators.

You go for a bear? I'm sticking with the shark.

Comparing land and ocean predators is extremely problematic, but here's why I stick with the bear:

On land, a shark is not only helpless, it's dying. The bear would have to put itself within reach of the shark's jaws to lose. Could happen, but how often?

On the other hand, a bear (especially a polar bear) is far more comfortable in water than a shark is on land, and so while a shark might kill the bear in water more often than not, the bear will kill the shark on land more frequently.

Of course a shark wouldn't stand a chance on land, but sharks have better hunting music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb8t3Lt8iJw&NR=1

And they're more mythic. I like that.

Obviously you didn't watch the videos. I don't really care for either. Just a matter of interest and correct information. Actually I never cared for tigers after reading the 'Maneaters of Kumaon' by Jim Corbett, the famed hunter.

Sharks are boneless. They are composed of cartilage so they can be killed by bumping into them hard. That is how dolphins kill sharks. Dolphins head butt the sharks as dolphins are mammals and have hard heads.

Hard as it may be to believe coming from me in my armchair, I know that sharks don't have bones (one of the reasons there are relatively few shark fossils). I also know that dolphins head butt sharks.

Talk, when I brought up the shark, it was a joke! I thought the theme music was a dead giveaway.

The tiger if it was a fair fight... But the normal thing would be one tiger versus ten or twelve lions and the lions would win.

No I didn't because I'm relly not interested in seeing animals fighting to the death, but in any case, a handful of animal snuff videos doesn't prove anything.

I think this whole discussion is silly as they are endangered. Man or humans are the killing them all slowly with habitat loss.

Of course it's silly!

I know but why are you engaged in it? Ha, Ha, Ha

Because it is silly...you would do well to take it for what it is and stop trying to be an expert.

I input my opinion as I find errors in knowledge.

And your animal snuff videos sure put us all straight.

Sorry talk, but you're the only one who thinks your opinions can remedy ignorance.

I put in my two bits. Your acceptance or rejection doesn't concern me.

If that were really the case, you wouldn't keep responding.