# Tiger vs. Wolf: Who wins? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 24, 2004, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456 "2004-12-24T07:34:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/21 "2004-12-24T17:22:45Z")
The wolf, if it has a shotgun. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/22 "2004-12-24T17:24:36Z")
Do you guys not get the surprisingly interesting Discovery Channel show [Animal Face-off](http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/animalfaceoff/animalfaceoff.html), where they make steel and computer models of animals and then pit them against each other? They had a Siberian Tiger up against a Grizzly Bear - I think the tiger won, but it was a good challenge. If a tiger can beat a bear, it would have no problem with a lone wolf. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/23 "2004-12-24T18:00:41Z")
> [@Ender\_Will](#): > > A lone wolf and a solitary tiger are placed in the Roman Coliseum … If this actually happened, the wolf would likely be smart enough to decline battle. Given the lack of cover and the speed, maneuveribilty and keen senses of a wolf, the tiger (whose hunting style is ambush rather than chase) would have a hard time closing. If it did, it would easily prevail. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/24 "2004-12-24T18:05:01Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Does your coworker really think that wolves hunt alone? Only [Lone Wolf McQuade](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085862/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxzZz0xfGxtPTIwMHx0dD1vbnxwbj0wfHE9TG9uZSBXb2xmfGh0bWw9MXxubT1vbg__;fc=5;ft=37;fm=1). ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/25 "2004-12-24T18:10:35Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > **Facts** : > > 1. Tigers are mammals. Right - as are wolves. > [@](#): > > 1. Tigers fight ALL the time. They typically kill about twice a week. There’s usually not much of a fight involved - they ambush an animal, leap on its back and get a grip on the throat that causes strangulation. They take care to hold the animal so its feet on on the opposite side, so the hooves can’t do them any damage. > [@](#): > > 1. The purpose of the tiger is to flip out and kill things. Not sure what “flip out” means in this context. Tigers are rather deliberate and controlled in almost everything they do. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/26 "2004-12-24T18:10:58Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Tigers can kill anything they want. They bite off heads \*all \*the time and don’t even think twice about it. These guys are so crazy and awesome that they flip out \*all \* the time. I heard that there was this tiger who was eating his dinner and when some monkey dropped a banana, the tiger killed the whole jungle. Ah, so tigers have Real Ultimate Power, eh? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/27 "2004-12-24T18:12:39Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Not sure what “flip out” means in this context. Tigers are rather deliberate and controlled in almost everything they do. Whoooooooosh!! ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/28 "2004-12-24T18:20:10Z")
I’m putting my money on the wolf. Remember how relieved Jules was when Marsellius told him The Wolf was coming to get him, Vincent and Marvin’s headless body from Jimmy’s garage before Bonnie got home? The Wolf would have it wrapped up faster than you can say “Dead Tiger Storage.” ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Dr.Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Love)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/29 "2004-12-24T18:21:43Z")
Psst! **Xema**! Go [here](http://www.realultimatepower.net/index3.htm) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/30 "2004-12-24T18:23:43Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Not sure what “flip out” means in this context. Tigers are rather deliberate and controlled in almost everything they do. [Link to in-joke, dude](http://www.realultimatepower.net/index3.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/31 "2004-12-24T19:09:07Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > Man, it’s not even close. A Tiger can weigh almost 700 pounds. Tigers have claws they use as weapons. A Tiger would kill a wolf in one swipe. > > I don’t think three wolves could kill a big tiger. I’m not even sure a pack of wolves could. > > Animals in the tiger’s class would be Grizzly bears, maybe a Silverback Gorilla, a couple of other animals. BIG animals. Supreme predators. Wolves aren’t even in the same ballpark. I’m not even sure about the gorilla. A gorilla has great strength, but without the predatory instinct, and like the wolf, does not have claws. I think a lion _might_ be able to take a tiger, as would, possibly, an enraged giant herbivore like an elephant or rhinoceros, or the largest bovines. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/32 "2004-12-24T22:01:27Z")
I doubt a wolf could take a tiger, but there have been cases of wolves killing mountain lions, according to this site: [http://www.spiritone.com/~brucem/icbexcar.htm](http://www.spiritone.com/~brucem/icbexcar.htm) (Scroll down to about the 6th or 7th paragraph.) ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/33 "2004-12-24T22:18:18Z")
I don’t accept the premise the a wolf is more inteligent then a tiger. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_in_second_hand_clothing)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/34 "2004-12-24T22:52:52Z")
wolves sometimes challenge bears for kills, one will fake an injury and when the bear chases him to finish him off, the others will attack it. tigers and other big cats aren’t built for long distance speed like wolves are, nor do they work together. a pack of wolves could wear out and kill tiger. so while a tiger would win one on one, ten wolves would beat ten tigers in a forest because they could pick them off one at a time. of course, I may be a bit biased. ---
**Author:** ![Kyyrewyyoae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Kyyrewyyoae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyyrewyyoae)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/35 "2004-12-24T23:02:51Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Do you guys not get the surprisingly interesting Discovery Channel show [Animal Face-off](http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/animalfaceoff/animalfaceoff.html), where they make steel and computer models of animals and then pit them against each other? They had a Siberian Tiger up against a Grizzly Bear - I think the tiger won, but it was a good challenge. If a tiger can beat a bear, it would have no problem with a lone wolf. I only saw this show once, but it was Lion Vs Tiger. The lion won, if I remember right, but it was pretty close. Anyway, to agree with everyone so far, there would be tufts of wolf hair in that tiger’s dump. ---
**Author:** ![Kyyrewyyoae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Kyyrewyyoae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyyrewyyoae)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/36 "2004-12-24T23:06:36Z")
Just for anyone’s information, check the show out here: [http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/animalfaceoff/animalfaceoff.html](http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/animalfaceoff/animalfaceoff.html) ---
**Author:** ![TastesLikeBurning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@TastesLikeBurning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TastesLikeBurning)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/37 "2004-12-25T00:24:29Z")
> [@Madd Maxx](#): > > First to the OP, Tiger paws down. Second to **TastesLikeBurning** over a short distance (IE. a pool), swimming for their life, maybe Thorpe, or Phelps, in open water, not a chance. No matter how great of a swimmer you are you can’t beat millions of years of Evolution. I definitely agree, but in all honesty, my obscure reference to something Gareth said in “The Office” has been missed. ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/38 "2004-12-25T07:54:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by ultrafilter > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by Ender\_Will > > I’m saying the tiger, based off of size, speed, strength and the fact that it is used to hunting alone. My coworker says the wolf, for the same reasons plus higher intelligence. > > Does your coworker really think that wolves hunt alone? This is the same coworker who was convinced that the police [won’t arrest someone on acid](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=253856). Needless to say, he is slightly mistaken from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/39 "2004-12-25T09:07:46Z")
> [@Kyyrewyyoae](#): > > I only saw this show once, but it was Lion Vs Tiger. The lion won, if I remember right, but it was pretty close. Anyway, to agree with everyone so far, there would be tufts of wolf hair in that tiger’s dump. In real life though lions are predominantly social creatures while tigers are lone predators (I think?), a pride of lions versus one tiger wouldn’t be that much of a fight. Also to whoever posted further up I think in general zoologists say pack animals that live in their little animal societies are more intelligent than lone animals. I don’t think an elephant would have great difficulty killing a tiger. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456/40 "2004-12-25T12:19:26Z")
A tiger would not be wise to take on a porcupine, or a giraffe, or a rhino, or a hippo, or a croc or alligator in the water. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-vs-wolf-who-wins/281456.md?page=3)