Post by orcalover on Dec 14, 2020 22:49:32 GMT 5
1. Leopards can vary in size depending on the environement or region.
Average of mature Leopards in Phinda Game Reserve was 72 kg (Balme et. al. 2012).
Tuli Predator Project in Botswana pointed out Leopards to be average of 70 kg.
According to My Journey, Male Leopards in Northern Iran averaged from 67 kg to 70 kg.
In Okavango Delta, there was a rough estimare of 65.8 kg (Hubel et. al. 2018).
2. Big Cat stamina is poor for short chases.
However, they can take a relatively long time to kill an animal.
In the 'Leopard vs. Komodo Dragon' thread, I posted a video of a Leopard battling a Wild Boar for 15 minutes, eventually killing it.
I also posted a video of a Jaguar taking 20 minutes to kill a Caiman.
Exactly, and even with the weight disadvantage mentioned above plus the stamina thing, the leopard will still overcome the dire wolf in this battle. Pound for pound, the leopard is just too much of a beast.
It's the same reason why a leopard would shred a bigger cougar in a fight, tho the cougar holds the size advantage. Actually, at the same size, I've got an alpha male dire wolf and tom cougar breaking even, 50/50. Still a very powerful animal (like the dire wolf).
And tho the leopard takes time to kill an animal, he gets the job done. And that also does put a nail in the coffin for the stamina thing that you mentioned haha. The leopard wins this, even at average and maximum weights which give him a size disadvantage.
Ironically, I'd put the larger male cougar as equal to an equal-sized alpha male dire wolf, but the leopard (despite being smaller than both) above each of them.