# Can a Wolf win against a Tiger, and a Lion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 27, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533 "2011-07-27T19:53:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/41 "2011-07-28T04:56:46Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > It’s worth noting that, while hyenas are often PERCEIVED as “dog-like,” they’re NOT canines at all. They’re somewhere between cats and mongooses. Very strange animals, with the female having a fake penis. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/42 "2011-07-28T04:59:55Z")
> [@wedgehed](#): > > Speaking of lions & hyenas, here’s my favorite part of _Eternal Enemies_. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejeWqQ6fxqo&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejeWqQ6fxqo&feature=related) > > “He Who Greets with Fire” indeed! That’s exactly the one I was thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/43 "2011-07-28T05:30:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Really, all of these animal vs. animal fights can be answered with a single question: Which one weighs more. The more massive animal will almost always beat the less massive … As a little kid I drove my family nearly to murder by constantly asking two questions: 1. What’s the difference between a hotel and a motel? 2. Who would win in a fight, a lion or a tiger? I still am on the fence about question (2). Help? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/44 "2011-07-28T05:40:46Z")
[Dog defeats lion.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ68snLuDME&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/45 "2011-07-28T05:47:00Z")
if you remember that bus fight between a 65-year old white man and a young black man a couple years ago, you’ll have an idea of how a young hyena will fare against an old lion. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Snite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snite)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/46 "2011-07-28T06:09:30Z")
I seem to recall(sorry, no cite, purely memory here) something about how a Polar Bear’s strike with its claws is so much faster than a Lion’s, that it was determined a Polar Bear would win against a Lion every time. That being said, wolves can not make a significant strike with their paws, where-as Lions and Tigers both take down prey with fast, powerful strikes. I read in Dangerous Beauty by… Mark someguy… that Lions can actually take down large Oxen and Wildebeast with concussion inducing strikes to the head. So my money’s on the large cat who can kill a Wolf before the Wolf even gets its teeth in. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/47 "2011-07-28T06:14:03Z")
grizzlies, peninsular brown bears, and polars could weigh more that 1,200 pounds while the heaviest cat in the wild weighed 975 pounds. most lions and tigers weigh 500 pounds. ---
**Author:** ![BowlOfDucks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@BowlOfDucks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BowlOfDucks)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/48 "2011-07-28T06:21:38Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > As a little kid I drove my family nearly to murder by constantly asking two questions: > > 1. What’s the difference between a hotel and a motel? > 2. Who would win in a fight, a lion or a tiger? > > I still am on the fence about question (2). Help? Tigers live a solitary life, so get little practice in fighting. Lions live in groups and get more exposure to combat. So in Lion vs Tiger, I’d bet on the Lion due to their greater fighting experience. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/49 "2011-07-28T06:30:43Z")
one gun magazine in the 70s mentioned that romans never bet between a lion and a tiger in the colliseum because the tiger always won. the reason was lions fight with one front paw on the ground while tigers can balance on their hinds and are two-pawed fighters. i found that hard to believe. subsequent footages i saw on tv (whether fictional productions or documentaries) showed that lions can go two-fisted as well as roberto duran so we’re not really sure. one thing we’re sure: 1. tigers in the wild tend to be bigger than lions by a few percent points 2. the male lion mane is an important defensive feature (male lions in a pride often fight for dominance.) 3. tigers fight each other usually during mating conflicts, rarely with kills. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/50 "2011-07-28T16:39:14Z")
Intra-species fights for dominance or over mates are very rarely to the death, since the loser almost always concedes before then, and once he’s conceded, there’s no need to finish him. The lion’s mane is probably more to defend against hyenas. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/51 "2011-07-28T17:18:32Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] The lion’s mane is probably more to defend against hyenas. [/QUOTE] I figured it was to make the male look bigger. (Since bigger = stronger/tougher in nature.) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/52 "2011-07-28T17:23:59Z")
Well, that’s a nice bonus, too. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/53 "2011-07-28T17:33:10Z")
I am now envisioning Mane Enhancement products being advertised on late-night lion TV, and in lion email spam. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/54 "2011-07-28T20:11:36Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The wolf loses, or more likely, runs away. The wolf has no ability to cause serious harm to another predator larger than itself, by itself. I wouldn’t say no ability, but weight is a huge factor. Add in that wolves primarily fight with their teeth, claws are secondary, while cats use their claws extensively. Ever played with a house cat that got a bit serious? The cat grabs you with front paws and sinks teeth in, then proceeds to rake with the back paws for a disembowling shot. (Even if the target is just your arm, rather than your bowels.) Now imagine a wolf pulls a fight like a typical dog fight, that becomes sinking teeth in the throat. Before the wolf gets very far, the big cat is likely to be doing the same thing. That’s if the wolf makes it that close. The cat may swat the heck out of the wolf and be done. > [@Chronos](#): > > Really, all of these animal vs. animal fights can be answered with a single question: Which one weighs more. The more massive animal will almost always beat the less massive one. Notable exception is the Honey Badger. Wiki says: > [@](#): > > Because of the toughness and looseness of their skin, honey badgers are very difficult to kill with dogs. Their skin is hard to penetrate, and its looseness allows them to twist and turn on their attackers when held. The only safe grip on a honey badger is on the back of the neck. The skin is also tough enough to resist several [machete](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machete) blows. The only sure way of killing them quickly is through a blow to the skull with a club or a shot to the head with a powerful rifle, as their skin is almost impervious to [arrows](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow) and [spears](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spear).[[26]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_Badger#cite_note-r116-25) [http://www.badassoftheweek.com/honeybadger.html](http://www.badassoftheweek.com/honeybadger.html) > [@](#): > > That’s just how Ratel operates. He’s been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as “The World’s Most Fearless Creature” every year since 2002, with no end in sight. A relative of the equally-badass Wolverine, the Honey Badger has no natural predators. This is kind of impressive, since three-foot-long creatures generally don’t last long in environments featuring leopards, lions, cheetahs, black mamba snakes, and other savannah beasts, but there you have it. It helps that this thing doesn’t screw around when it gets pissed off – the Sir Didimus of wildlife is known to go after anything, anytime, anywhere, and has been known to attack buffalo, humans, wildebeest, jackals, monitor lizards, wild boars, and even lions and cheetahs. If the creature is too huge for the Badger to straight-up eviscerate with its inch-and-a-half long claws or its razor-sharp teeth, the Ratel still knows how to go for the weak spot – the balls. \*\*That’s right, folks, this thing has been documented as killing male lions by running underneath them and tearing off their scrotums. \*\* Bolding added. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/55 "2011-07-28T20:33:17Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Of course, a bear would wipe the floor with all three. I dunno, in [this](http://gothamist.com/2006/06/10/picture_of_the_4.php) Ursine vs. Feline battle, the feline clearly won. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/56 "2011-07-29T02:18:38Z")
I got your Honey Badger video right [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg). NSFW: language. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/57 "2011-07-29T07:06:34Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > if you remember that bus fight between a 65-year old white man and a young black man a couple years ago, you’ll have an idea of how a young hyena will fare against an old lion. 😃 The black guy had to be at least 40, so you might want to rephrase that. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/58 "2011-07-29T08:37:40Z")
> [@Mr.Slant](#): > > The black guy had to be at least 40, so you might want to rephrase that. 40 is young and prime to me. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/59 "2011-07-29T12:57:31Z")
> [@BowlOfDucks](#): > > Tigers live a solitary life, so get little practice in fighting. > > Lions live in groups and get more exposure to combat. > > So in Lion vs Tiger, I’d bet on the Lion due to their greater fighting experience. Here’s an actual lion vs tiger [fight.](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4318948967926803903#) It doesn’t show a “winner” but it looks to me that the lion is chasing the tiger more than the other way around. All I know is, I wouldn’t want to be the one to try to separate them. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533/60 "2011-07-29T13:04:03Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Here’s an actual lion vs tiger [fight.](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4318948967926803903#) It doesn’t show a “winner” but it looks to me that the lion is chasing the tiger more than the other way around. All I know is, I wouldn’t want to be the one to try to separate them. Missed the edit. Additional info: The above clip was apparently from a movie. It was set up but was an actual fight. The info in a related video says that the tiger eventually goes on to kill the lion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-wolf-win-against-a-tiger-and-a-lion/590533.md?page=4)