Kings of the Jungle - Who should win the title

LION vs TIGER

Lions (Panthera leo) are often considered “Kings of the Jungle”. Reality would shatter your ideas of the superiority of this big cat.

Photo credit: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Tigers (Panthera tigris) have stolen the crown long ago. No other big cat will be compared in this essay as they have not qualified for the ultimate stand-off. Factors such as habitat, diet, behaviors, and size will determine their “king” scores. Misconceptions about the big cats will also contribute to their scores.

Habitats

One main feature of this battle is the habitat of these predators. African lions mainly live on the savannas and shrub lands of Africa. They rarely venture into woodlands and are absent from rainforests. Asiatic lions are found in only one place, the Gir Forest in India. They also live in similar environments as their cousins in Africa. Tigers, on the other hand, live in a diverse array of biomes such as rainforests and taigas. They range from Southeast Asia to the far east of Russia.

Diet

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Lions, living on open grasslands, have to chase down their prey. Their powerful legs allow them to run after their prey and encompass them. African lions single out injured prey from their group as targets. African lions eat antelopes, wildebeest, and zebras. Asiatic lions prey on large deer, wild goats, and water buffaloes. Tigers feed on sambar deer, wild pigs, water buffaloes, and antelopes. They have also been known to attack much smaller animals in times of desperation. These include peacocks and hares.

Behaviors

Lions are very social cats, living in prides of up to 40 strong. African prides consist of up to three male lions and a dozen females with their cubs. Asiatic prides consist of two different groups. The male and the female lions live in separate groups and only come together to mate. In both species of lions, however, when female cubs become mature, they tend to stay with their mothers. Males leave to start their own pride. Female lions kill prey on hunting expeditions and allow the male lion(s) to eat before they and their cubs do. Lions rest for twenty hours a day, spend two hours walking and nearly an hour eating.

Photo credit: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Tigers are generally solitary creatures, only coming together to mate or when a female has cubs. They are usually ferocious about their big territories. Tigers are nocturnal creatures, hunting at night when the effect of the camouflage is superb. The stripes on a tiger enable it to get close to its prey before pouncing. Their technique is an effective way that the big cat hunts its prey: pounce high, using its powerful hind legs; knock the prey to the ground with its size; and a final bite to the neck to ensure a successful hunt. Tigers are excellent swimmers and have been known to sneak on on prey and attack them while swimming.

Size

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African lions are, on average, about two meters long, from their head to their hindquarters. Their tails measure up to 100 centimeters. African lions weigh, on average, 150 kilos. Asiatic lions are surprisingly larger, with a body measuring two and a half meters long, a tail of up to 90 centimeters and a weight reaching 230 kilos.

Tigers, however, have a much bigger size than lions. The Siberian tiger has a body 3.3 meters long, including a one meter long tail. Male Siberian tiger has a massive weight of 320 kilos, while the females are about 180 kilos. The smallest tiger, the Sumatran tiger, weighs up to 140 kilos and has a body size of two and a half meters.

Misconceptions

Many stories and songs have sung of the superiority of lions. The song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”, by The Tokens in 1961, mentions that lions live in jungles. Disney’s kids’ movie, The Lion King, shows how lions rule over all of the animals of Africa. In the Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan, a lion, is symbolized as king when he creates a new world. Many European countries have coat of arms bearing a lion, symbolizing strength and power. 

Photo credit: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Tigers, though, have a much less heroic value. In the Jungle Book, a classic by Rudyard Kipling, Sher Khan, a Bengal tiger, is shown as the antagonist. Sher Khan wants to kill Mowgli, an infant, showing the cowardice of a great cat. A crippled leg adds to his disgrace.

Respecting The Cats

One country that shows respect to both cats is India. Its coat of arms bears three lions, whereas its national animal in the tiger. The Asiatic lion is on India’s coat of arms because the lion only lives in India. The tiger shows muscular strength. Lions are the national animal for thirteen countries in Afro-Eurasia. Six countries in Southeastern Asia call the tiger their national animal. All in all, nineteen countries call these amazing creatures number one.

The Winner

Using a point scale of 5; 5 being the best possible and 1 being the worst.

Size (Heaviest, Biggest)

• Lion - 3

• Tiger - 5

Misconceptions

• Lion - 3

• Tiger - 2

Respect

• Lion - 4

• Tiger - 4

Habitats (Closeness to Jungle)

• Lion - 2

• Tiger - 4

Prey (Variety)

• Lion - 3

• Tiger - 4

Behaviors (Like Royals)

• Lion - 5

• Tiger - 3

And the winner is - Tiger (24) vs Lion (22)

Did You Know?

• A lion's roar can be heard from 5 miles away.

• Lions can run at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour.

• Tigers have adapted to a great variety of environments, from the Siberian taiga, where nights can be as cold as −40 °C (−40 °F), to the mangrove swamps of the Sundarbans, where the temperatures reach more than 40 °C (104 °F). 

Cites

“Basic Facts About Tigers.” Defenders of Wildlife, 10 Jan. 2019, defenders.org/tiger/basic-facts.

Bradford, Alina. “Lions: Facts & Information.” LiveScience, Purch, 2 Oct. 2014, www.livescience.com/27404-lion-facts.html.

“Siberian Tiger Facts | Amur Tigers | Endangered Animals.” Animal Fact Guide, 20 Mar. 2018, animalfactguide.com/animal-facts/siberian-tiger/.

Encyclopaedia Britannica - https://www.britannica.com/animal/tiger, https://www.britannica.com/animal/lion