What is the most dangerous predator?
- Thread starter discusser
- Start date
- Status
Depends on where the fight is. Whose territory. Water or land. Some of the most dangerous animals are not predators. Anybody want to fight with a rhino, elephant, water buffalo, etc? Which predator would you least want to go up against? For me it would be one of the poisonous snakes such as the bamboo viper, bushmaster, etc. You can win the fight but you are still dead. 
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
From reading, the hippo goes away from ponds/rivers during the night to graze. Natives going to a river for water in the early morning wind up between hippo and home. Hard on natives.
Some writers claim that crocodiles in Africa and India kill more people than any other animal.
In North America, I'd venture that the Alaskan big bears would be top of the heap over anything else.
Africa? The lion is the top predator in terms of ability over such as a leopard. Odds are, from reading, it doesn't happen often enough to notice. But I'd bet nothing messes with a mature elephant...
In Asia, nothing matches the tiger.
Back in the 19th century, I've read, there were some caged situations with fights between lions and tigers. IIRC, it was a case of six of one, half-dozen of the other.
FWIW, Art
Some writers claim that crocodiles in Africa and India kill more people than any other animal.
In North America, I'd venture that the Alaskan big bears would be top of the heap over anything else.
Africa? The lion is the top predator in terms of ability over such as a leopard. Odds are, from reading, it doesn't happen often enough to notice. But I'd bet nothing messes with a mature elephant...
In Asia, nothing matches the tiger.
Back in the 19th century, I've read, there were some caged situations with fights between lions and tigers. IIRC, it was a case of six of one, half-dozen of the other.
FWIW, Art
MrTuffPaws
Member
Uh man? Duh!
In one of the last few years, maybe 2004 or 2003, the number of Africans killed by hippos was around 200, roughly twice that killed by crocs.
Hippos are really bad a$$....as bad as they get. But they really arn't predators. You just haplessly stumble across one, and you are dead. It's not like they were stalking you to satisfy any predatory urge.
Hippos are really bad a$$....as bad as they get. But they really arn't predators. You just haplessly stumble across one, and you are dead. It's not like they were stalking you to satisfy any predatory urge.
OK...let me set the scene here...
I guess most of you are familiar with the Ultimate Fighting Championship where 2 guys get into the octogon ring and fight until one wins.
Let's say there was a hypothetical fight like that between the most dangerous cat (lion, tiger, etc) and a grizzly bear. Which would win? The cat or the bear?
I guess most of you are familiar with the Ultimate Fighting Championship where 2 guys get into the octogon ring and fight until one wins.
Let's say there was a hypothetical fight like that between the most dangerous cat (lion, tiger, etc) and a grizzly bear. Which would win? The cat or the bear?
Balog
Member
The staged battles in the Roman Coliseum suddenly make more sense. 
Chawbaccer
Member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2005
- Messages
- 1,865
I think the bear would win, he can stand up and fight and I think has more powerfull jaw and a harder swipe with his paws, The cat would have to go for the throat and I don't think he would make it.
billykaldrich
Member
most leathal north american animal
just watched animal cops last night and a aspca cop said in north america more people have been killed by deer than ANY other animal.tripped me out for sure.he had the satistics.
just watched animal cops last night and a aspca cop said in north america more people have been killed by deer than ANY other animal.tripped me out for sure.he had the satistics.
rbernie
Contributing Member
Thick hide and strength trumps thin hide and speed - bear wins if it's in a fighting mood.
Ol' Badger
Member
grizz
nah, it would be a case-by case situation. My brother was just telling me how he was watching a nature show recently where believe it or not a lone large wolf killed a medium sized grizzly. I'm sure thats not the norm, but it obviously can happen. Alot of it has to do with the temperament of the different animals. I have seen smaller and younger deer who were very aggressive drive off larger bucks. Most people have probably seen a smaller dog dominate a larger one. We had a big cat when I was a kid that totally dominated the neighborhood--I personally saw it send numerous dogs packing. One of those things you just can't say for sure.
You also have to consider that some match-ups just wouldn't happen. I'm sure a giant squid or killer whale or something would take out most any land animal, but it wouldn't really be a fair matchup--the water animals obviously couldn't fight on land and the land animals would be at too big of a disadvantage in the water.
You also have to consider that some match-ups just wouldn't happen. I'm sure a giant squid or killer whale or something would take out most any land animal, but it wouldn't really be a fair matchup--the water animals obviously couldn't fight on land and the land animals would be at too big of a disadvantage in the water.
one-shot-one
Member
problem
with mixed matchs (bear vs lion/tiger) is the weight difference, off the top of my head a large cat goes what 500-600 lbs.? a brown or polar bear 800-1200 lbs.? makes a big difference. at the same weight the cat might have the edge but if it is giving away several hundred pounds it changes the odds.
all this is assuming a fight to the death and not a decision by the judges.
with mixed matchs (bear vs lion/tiger) is the weight difference, off the top of my head a large cat goes what 500-600 lbs.? a brown or polar bear 800-1200 lbs.? makes a big difference. at the same weight the cat might have the edge but if it is giving away several hundred pounds it changes the odds.
all this is assuming a fight to the death and not a decision by the judges.
Shalako
Member
I have heard tales that in the mining camps of the California gold rush, they'd pit a grizz against a mean Texas longhorn. That sounds pretty gorey.
countertop
Member
Its my understanding that a polar bear can take a grizzly. Don't know fur sure, but I believed I read that in National Geographic a few years back. In any case, Polar Bears used to kill lots of people.
As far as most fearsome predator, I think thats probably still a shark - the great white or a tiger shark or something.
They are just ferocious off the coast of south africa (Have you ever seen the videos of GW Sharks jumping out of the water to get seals) as well as in the straights between Australia and Indonesia.
In the water, I wouldn't want to tangle with a shark. Ouch!
As far as most fearsome predator, I think thats probably still a shark - the great white or a tiger shark or something.
They are just ferocious off the coast of south africa (Have you ever seen the videos of GW Sharks jumping out of the water to get seals) as well as in the straights between Australia and Indonesia.
In the water, I wouldn't want to tangle with a shark. Ouch!
countertop
Member
Poinsonous snakes might be the most deadly to have a run in with, but I don't think you can call them predators - at least not of humans or any other decent sized animal.
Lonestar.45
Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2004
- Messages
- 1,077
Everybody knows it's the Chupacabra.
Animal Plant does that whole 'Bear vs. Shark' show called Animal Face Off...
The Lion beats the Tiger because its a social cat that practices to fight ALL THE TIME.. tigers are solitary and while larger... they are not as agressive. You can supposedly fend off a tiger attack by wearing a mask on the back of your head (tigers don't like to attack from the front when healthy... cornered and wounded is something else.)
National Geo ran an amazing photo of Lions attacking and killing an adult elephant... and many go after cape buffalo. Tough critters. Even so the Masai don't think twice about hunting them with spears.
The most dangerous animal to HUNT is supposed to be The Cape Buffalo.
But as far as predators go... Bears are pretty darn dangerous at any size. Territorial, large, claws and teeth... but wolves and bears seem to stay out of each others way. Wolves have strength in numbers, one on one they have disadvantages.
Supposedly one of the most successful predators in the world is the African wild dog. They run in big packs and you'd want a BUNCH of ammo if you were cornered by them.
The Lion beats the Tiger because its a social cat that practices to fight ALL THE TIME.. tigers are solitary and while larger... they are not as agressive. You can supposedly fend off a tiger attack by wearing a mask on the back of your head (tigers don't like to attack from the front when healthy... cornered and wounded is something else.)
National Geo ran an amazing photo of Lions attacking and killing an adult elephant... and many go after cape buffalo. Tough critters. Even so the Masai don't think twice about hunting them with spears.
The most dangerous animal to HUNT is supposed to be The Cape Buffalo.
But as far as predators go... Bears are pretty darn dangerous at any size. Territorial, large, claws and teeth... but wolves and bears seem to stay out of each others way. Wolves have strength in numbers, one on one they have disadvantages.
Supposedly one of the most successful predators in the world is the African wild dog. They run in big packs and you'd want a BUNCH of ammo if you were cornered by them.
Dangerous
Feral dogs, ran into a pack of six in ohio woods. These things actually stalked me. Now I know what a coon feels like. None of them survived the attack. If I had been unarmed, I have no doubt I would have been killed. If I remember right, this was 15 yr. ago, it was two German shepherds, two large hounds, and two smaller dogs. Odd but the two smaller dogs led the attack.
Feral dogs, ran into a pack of six in ohio woods. These things actually stalked me. Now I know what a coon feels like. None of them survived the attack. If I had been unarmed, I have no doubt I would have been killed. If I remember right, this was 15 yr. ago, it was two German shepherds, two large hounds, and two smaller dogs. Odd but the two smaller dogs led the attack.
Art, I would think that for North America, the polar bear would get the nod. They don't see anything moving, above or below the ice, that isn't food. Yes, I realize that it's not just North America, but Nnnnnnnnnnorth America!
A Grizzly is more powerful than a big cat, but which is more "dangerous" ? I'd have to give that one to the tigers of India. They boldly enter villages and snatch people from their very beds! I also recently saw a video where a tiger made rather short work of a much larger crocodile. Impressive!
- Status
