There are many pure souls but not all are human, some are wild animals.
‘Wild animal’ is a term which is used to refer to those animals who cannot be domesticated because of their dangerous traits. Mankind depends largely on wild animals, from products, clothes, and medicine to a lot more things.
They are a part of our environment and they make an addition to the beauty and balance of nature. Hence, the preservation of wildlife is very important.
Two of the most popular wild animals are Lion and Tiger, former is the king of the forest and the latter is the national animal of four countries including India.
Lion vs Tiger
The main difference between Lion and Tiger is found in their appearance and behavior. Lions have pale yellow plain fur and are very competitive whereas tigers have orange fur with vertical black stripes all over the body. Also, tigers are much stronger than lions in terms of physical strength.
Comparison Table Between Lion and Tiger (in Tabular Form)
| Parameter of Comparison | Lion | Tiger |
|---|---|---|
| Crown | A lion is the king of the forest | Tiger is the national animal of four countries including India |
| Behavior | Competitive | Generally amicable |
| Appearance | Lions are less muscular than tigers and they have no stripes on their body | Tigers are more muscular and robust than lions and they have black vertical stripes all over their body |
| Height | Lions are taller than tigers | Tigers are smaller than lions |
| Living habit | Lions live in groups | Tigers generally live alone |
| Speed | Lions are slower than tigers | Tigers are faster than lions |
What is Lion?
Lion, the king of the forest, who is also a symbol of power and royalty, is a wild animal with pale yellow skin, a short rounded head, round ears, hairy tuft, and a deep-chested muscular body.
Lions exist in three different colors, namely white, pale yellow, ochre, deep orange-brown, ash brown. The scientific name of a lion is Panthera Leo.
Lions prefer open scrub forest and mixed thorny deciduous forest to live. The temperature of the place should not exceed 45°C in summer and should not go below 5°C in winter.
The total life span of a lion is 10-14 years. A record-making life span of the oldest lion was found to be 29 years.
Different types of lions are found in various regions. They are Katanga Lion, Congo Lion, Transvaal Lion, Barbary Lion, Nubian Lion, Asiatic Lion, and West African Lion. A lion’s roar is so thunderous and loud that it can be heard from eight kilometers away.
Lions are considered to be one of the laziest animals as they sleep for 16-20 hours a day. Lions feed on grazing animals like Antelope, Zebras, Crocodiles, Baby Hippos, and Elephants. The largest population of lions is found in India, consisting of around 2,400 in total.
What is Tiger?
A tiger is a wild animal with a muscular body, robust forelimbs, yellow irises, and stout teeth wearing the crown of the national animal of India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and South Korea. It is identified by its orange-brown fur having dark vertical stripes on it. Tigers exist in three different colors – golden, white, and stripless snow white.
The scientific name of a tiger is Panthera Tigris. Tigers can live in all types of forest be it dry and moist deciduous forest, thorny forest, evergreen, and semi-evergreen forest.
The life span of a tiger is between 10-15 years. A record-making life span of the oldest tiger was found to be 26 years. Different types of tigers exist in the various regions of the world, namely the Bengal Tiger, Caspian Tiger, Siberian Tiger, South China Tiger, Indochinese Tiger, Malayan Tiger, Javan Tiger, Bali Tiger, Sumatran Tiger.
The Bengal and Siberian tigers are the tallest. They are also the heaviest ones weighing more than 300 kg (660 lb). Male and female tigers differ in almost all aspects, from appearance to behavior. Tiger is carnivorous. It generally eats medium-sized and large mammals. Also, it appears at the top of the food chain.
Baby tiger, which is known as a club, stay with the mother for about two years before becoming self-sufficient. The largest population of tigers is currently in India.
Conclusion
Like every other thing, wild animals also comes with two different shades. They are no doubt dangerous to human beings but at the same time, they also teach us some of the larger than life lessons. Have you ever seen a depressed lion? Or a lion who has given up on things? No, right? A lot of times lions do not succeed at hunting but they never give up and keep trying till they don’t achieve what they want.
This teaches us not to give up on anything and try harder until success is achieved. This makes us able to believe that we can evolve after failing at certain things. Tigers imitate other animals to attract prey. This hunting habit that tigers adapt teaches us how to act smartly to achieve what we want.
Apart from these, lions and tigers teach us bravery, determination, teamwork, patience, and loyalty. Moreover, if you observe these graceful creatures in action, you will learn to live in the moment. Live like a king as lions do and remain strong like a tiger!
References
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/398939
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/20078498