RE: Utility of Scavenger vs. Predator Argument

["Jaime Headden" <jaemei@hotmail.com>]

<Well OK, but do predators actually kill prey many times larger than 
themselves?  For instance, does a lion pride go after the big bull 
elephant or do they go after the more manageable elephant calf?>


Actually, a pride of lions will go after adults, but this is so rare, it 
has hardly been documented, other than failed attempts. Kills? No. But 
the calf of an elephant is still about three times bigger than a single 
male lion. A pride will also go after: giraffes (adult or juvenile) 
wildebeest, zebra, cape buffalo (of african buffalo), gamesbok, and 
other large antelopes, as well as any young first, and pretty much 
everything else that walks that doesn't itself eat meat.

There was mention of the cheetah going after the zebra on this list, and 
we are forgetting the biggest of cats, tigers, take down large prey as 
well, including elephants and bovines.

Jaime A. Headden

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