Page 23 - World of Animals - Deadly Predators

Felinae

1. Are tigers successful hunters?
Although one lone tiger can take down

prey that’s four to five times its own
size, more than 90% of tiger hunts end

in failure. In the forests, tigers’ prey
work together to form an early warning

system that lets the forest animals know
that a tiger is on the prowl.

© Thinkstock

2. What makes lionesses better

hunters than lions?

Lionesses – not lions – do 90% of the hunting and killing for their pride.
They are smaller than their male counterparts, reaching a length of 2.7
metres (8.9 feet) while lions are larger at three metres (9.8 feet). Given
their smaller size, lionesses can reach speeds of up to 72 kilometres (44.7
miles) per hour, while lions can only reach about 56 kilometres (34.8
miles) per hour, making lionesses one-third faster than lions – a huge
advantage when chasing prey.
Lionesses are stealthy stalkers. In the grasslands that the lionesses hunt
in they are camouflaged – their fur tends to be the same or similar colour
to the grass – allowing them to get close to their prey. Lions, on the other
hand, have large, dark manes that would be easily noticed by their prey,
and they are more likely to be affected by the heat during a chase.

3. Are there any vegetarian cats?

The flat-headed cat will feed on
© Thinkstock vegetation – the only known species

of cat to do so in sizeable quantities.

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