> Lion Vs Tiger: Who will win in a fight?... An analysis.

RELATIVE STRENGTHS

There are various myths about the relative strength of each of these big cats. Lets have a look at the more realistic strengths that are supported by studies and/or tests.

Lion:
1. Thick protective mane. It also makes a lion look much bigger, heavier and taller than it really is. This is of immediate psychological disadvantage to any animal fighting a lion. It’s downright scary to see a lion coming towards you roaring. A lioness, even if it were of similar size, wouldn’t inspire as much awe. From the fight videos, it does seem that the mane is of huge advantage to the lion. In the only fight-video of a maneless (shaved) lion, the lion seemed too easy to beat for the tiger. The mane is the biggest weapon for a lion - both for defence and for scaring off the opponent.

2. More massively built shoulders. Both the cats have extremely powerful and muscular ’shoulders’. But a lion has it more developed and stronger than a similar-sized tiger. Again, this is an advantage for the lion.

3. Role played as a fighter. This is the most important point cited by the ones who pick a lion to win. A lion is built to be a fighter - super-strong forequarters, protective mane, shorter ears, large head (compared to its body), a big muzzle and strong jaws. In every respect, it seems to have been built for pit fights. And lions do fight over territory and mating fairly often.

4. Taller structure. This makes the lion more intimidating. Also, this somewhat compensates for the weaker hindquarters.

Tiger:
1. Longer and often larger size. Yes, its the largest of all cats. Now this is often posed by the people who pick a tiger to win, as a serious threat to a lion. A larger yet more agile body of a tiger is really a serious threat to a lion. But this alone can not be a decisive factor.

2. More powerful back legs. This helps a tiger to leap more, to spring from a disadvantageous position and to make sudden moves. This is of tremendous advantage to the tiger. This gives the tiger the ability to rest its weight on the hind legs and make swipes with both of the front legs. When you look at the tiger vs lion fight videos, you may notice that this is a huge advantage to the tiger. Plus, the strong hindquarters allow them to attack from the side and spring from unexpected/disadvantageous corners. Moreover, a tiger makes faster swipes than a lion. Tigers are more agile than lions.

3. Skills of ambush attacking, tree-climbing, swimming etc are handy if the going gets tough. Plus, tigers are faster runners. These are all defence mechanisms for a tiger just as the mane is for a lion.

4. More stamina and power, and a more muscular built. More stamina of a tiger may be a debatable thing, though. The ‘power’/strength of a cat is generally proportional to it’s size.

5. Longer canines and larger paws. These are the ultimate weapons of a cat. Tigers have considerable advantage here.

So, who would win if the two fight?
Thats a big Q...More so because it would be very unlikely for one to take on the other...

Lets pick a few scenarios.

In small pit/cage:
Lion will have a slender advantage if the fight is in a small closed area since it may get the benefit of stronger shoulders & the mane and the tiger may feel the lack of space. Agility may not be a big factor. The lion’s head-on attacking technique and taller structure should prove decisive. But it may really depend on the size of the respective animal. If the tiger is significantly larger than the lion, the lion may not get a chance to do much harm to the tiger.

In a large area (forest/grassland or even a large ‘cage’):
Tiger may win easily. The stronger hindquarters come into play here. It helps to keep balance and make fast movements. The fight may or may not be a first-round knock-out, but a tiger may escape and strike back if needed since it has more stamina and higher speed.
If the two animals are ignorant of each other’s presence at the begining, it will really be a tiger’s game. Siberian tigers are sometimes reported to predate on female/young brown bears. The female bears may be larger than the tigers and as aggressive as the male ones. But the tiger stalks the bears and then and hunts them. In a similar way, if a tiger and a lion are released in a forest/grassland, a tiger’s stealth-attacks may be decisive.


Why The Tiger Has a Better Chance of Winning:
There is a popular notion that a lion is meant for fighting whereas a tiger is meant for hunting and hence a lion will win in a tiger-lion fight. Some people mention that like a pitbull can own larger dogs, a lion can defeat a tiger since, like the pitbull, the lion is meant to be a fighter. This is a bad comparison. That a lion plays the role of a fighter in a pride doesn’t make the tiger a worse fighter. The tiger is probably a more fierce predator.

The ’strength’ analysis is of course an ideal one. A lot of them may prove to be invalid in real fights. Most of the ‘documents’, ‘eye-witness accounts’ and vidoes (though most of them are manipulated to suit the story of movies) show that there is more chance of a tiger winning the fight than a lion winning it. It seems that a tiger might be reluctant to fight at first. But if compelled to, it’s a much better and more powerful fighter than a lion.

Size does matter. An average Bengal/Siberian tiger measures 10 feet and 500 lbs. Can measure up to 11 feet and ~620 lbs. Lions average 9 feet and 410 lbs. Can grow as large as 10 feet and 530 lbs. (Not considering the more extreme cases for either cat). Clearly, tigers have an advantage. Additionally, the build of a tiger provides much more balance and agility. The weight of a tiger is more evenly distributed over its body-length than that of a lion. A tiger’s tail, being heavier compared to a lion’s, makes it easier for the tiger to turn. And if the animal with larger size also has greater agility, it’s the one that should win more fights. Add to that the advantages of bigger paws, faster swipes and longer canines!

An African lion, hailing from a place where it doesn’t get much competition from other animals, attacks from the word ‘go’. On the other hand, a tiger, coming from places where it fights bears, wild dogs etc, assesses the situation first and then goes for the kill. (Ok, lions, too, live alongside wild dogs. But they don’t clash much since lions live in prides. For the same reason, lions rarely fight leopards). For this reason, some animal trainers and experts have mentioned the tiger as an intelligent boxer. Additionally, the Bengal tigers are widely considered as being extremely aggressive when drawn into a fight.

In 10 fights between the two in any natural setting and in non-extreme climate, I’d bet a Bengal tiger will own an African lion 9 times provided there is no bias in choosing the animals. I’d expect an average Bengal tiger of the Terrai (see above) with 530 lbs and 10′, to make a short work of an average South African lion (~410 lbs and 8.5′). Even pound for pound, a tiger is stronger. If it’s a smaller-than-average Bengal tiger, with size and wight similar to the lion’s, it should be 7-3 in favor of the tiger.

Overall, there may be very few really big and aggressive lions that may defeat a Bengal/Siberian tiger, but on an average a tiger will win against a lion almost everytime.

Source: LION VS TIGER: Who Will Win In A Fight? « . Informed . Opinions .