Lion & Tigers

The cat world has a wide variety of different breeds, two of which are considered the fiercest of the feline species. The names of these two felines are the Lion and the Tiger both belong to the scientific classification name of Panthera Leo. The Lion and the Tiger are the largest of the feline species though they appear to be different in many aspects, they also contain many similarities. Lions and Tigers are similar, as well as different, in the hunting habits they contain, their appearance, as well as their habitats. Most already know that the feline species are carnivorous, meaning they eat meat; this is of course, also a fact for that of the Lion and the Tiger. Both of these felines have very sharp claws and teeth in which they use for hunting and consuming their prey. While they both have long and sharp fangs they do not use their teeth for chewing, they instead are used for ripping off pieces of flesh and then proceed to swallow these pieces whole. Since the Lion and the Tiger live in different habitats which contain different species of prey, their options for food choices are different as well. The Lion has the preference of hunting and consuming hoofed animals such as; antelope, zebra, and wildebeest. The Tiger also prefers hoofed animals but has a different choice of selection including the deer and wild boar. The hunting habits of these large cats are different in many ways as well. Lions are known to stay in groups, which is referred to as a “pride”. Since the Lions live within a pride they hunt together as a group and coordinate the hunt leading up to the kill. Though the female Lion usually does most of the work, the male Lion is the first to eat followed then by the female, and finally the cubs. Though it is not uncommon to see Tigers with other of their kind they prefer to hunt alone, the reason being so they can rely on their own hunting skills to successfully catch a prey. Even though Tigers prefer to hunt allow they are known to share their catch with others. Both of these majestic felines hunt normally at night time but they may also hunt during the day if the opportunity arises. Also, both the Lion and the Tiger use camouflage to their advantage in a hunt to blend in with the environment around them to get close enough to their prey for a successful catch, since most of the animals they hunt can outrun them. Lions and Tigers are of the largest breed of feline species. Both felines reach the height of about six feet, contain a large body mass, and have very sharp fangs and claws. Although, the Tiger has more muscle mass than the Lion, so the Tiger tends to weigh about 80 pounds more than that of a Lion. Since both species are very close in some physical appearances interbreeding has occurred resulting in an animal knows as a liger, but this animal is actually larger and stronger than both the Lion and Tiger making it a very extraordinary breed containing the physical appearances of both animals. Due to the different habitats Lions and Tigers live in and the need for camouflage, the physical appearance of the Lion and the Tiger are drastically different. Since the Lion lives in the environment of the open plains their coat is of a sandy color providing them to be able to blend in, sometimes in plain sight, with their habitat with ease. The Tiger lives in a jungle environment so in order for them to successfully camouflage with their habitat they have a coat of an orange color with black stripes allowing them to hide behind foliage in the jungle. Camouflage is very important for both felines for hunting and even though these animals do not contain any natural predators, except for maybe humans, it allows them to hide from danger in case of an injury or just out of fear. The habitat an animal lives in is important to their lives. If an animal were to be removed from its natural habitat and placed in to another completely different habitat it could starve to death or become prey to the animal that thrives the most in that particular habitat. The Lions excels the most in the open plains. The open plains provide the large open areas, with foliage placed amongst it that helps the lion in their hunting. Since Lions hunt in groups they need a large area to create a formation in order to catch their prey. The bushes, shrubs, and tall grass in the open plains provide coverage for them while they are hunting so as not to be seen until they are ready to attack. The sandy colored grounds and grasses allow the Lion to blend in with their surrounding while they are stalking their prey. The Tiger thrives in a jungle habitat. The jungle provides the coverage of the trees and foliage on the ground for the Tiger to hide behind while stalking its prey. The Orange color of the Lion blends in with the surrounding colors of the foliage and the black stripes provide the appearance of gaps in tall grass making them virtually invisible to prey. The Tiger hunts alone so the importance of camouflage is very high since the outcome of the hunt lies solely on the agility and tactics used.
Lions and Tigers are very strategic animals and rely on these capabilities to aide in their survival. Though they are both very strong and agile felines of the scientific classification, Panthera Leo, they not only contain many similarities, they also contain several differences as well. Their hunting habits, appearance, and habitats are all big factors in their survival. Studies have also shown that these two felines can coexist with each other. Breeding of the Lion and the Tiger has also had the result of a new breed called a Liger. Their separate means of adaptation to their environment has made them successful in survival, upon the act of changing their environments could greatly reduce survival rate of the felines. Both animals are at the top in the food chains in their own habitats and are very majestic and spectacular animals.

Cite:
"Lion". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/342664/lion>.

"tiger". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/595456/tiger>.