Lions are one of the most majestic jungle monarchs, so it’s no surprise that we are curious about how diverse their diet can be. As they are apex predators and obligate carnivores with excellent hunting skills that will feed on almost any animal, they thrive.
So it’s natural that some people are curious to know that “do lions eat dogs?” If you want to learn more about lions and their diet, this is the place for you!!
Do Lions Eat Dogs?
Lions are proud animals and like to show this off when they hunt. So they would prefer to go after big prey like Zebras and antelopes than smaller ones like cats and dogs (let’s say they are available to hunt). But when food is scarce, they won’t hesitate to go after smaller prey.
Plenty of prey is out in the savannahs, but lions mostly tend to prey on ungulates. Ungulates are large hoofed mammals, typically herbivores, so hunting them will be easier as most of them can’t attack in reverse.
Lions may not like the taste of the canines; we can see that in some cases with hyenas. For some reason, they mostly won’t eat the meat of other predators. So in most cases, they won’t eat a dog unless in rare cases.
Do Lions Eat Wild Dogs?
As wild dogs are natural competitors for food, lions may kill them for seeing them as an enemy but not as a food source. So, a lion may kill a wild dog and won’t eat it.
Wild dogs are not the prey of lions but competitors. So, after a lion kills a wild dog, it will likely be eaten by scavenger species or kleptoparasites like spotted hyenas, vultures, eagles, and crocodiles. But not by lions. They will leave their kill behind as they are predators too.
Also Read: Do Lions Eat Cats? Cat Vs Lion
Even though lions are hugely responsible for killing a large number of African wild dogs out in the wild but despite this fact, strangely, they do not consume them. Lions will try to attack and dominate other predators but will not consume them. They do this to limit the number of their competitors and further their own chances of survival.
In fact, lions kill cubs of other prides, too, to reduce their future rivals. They even kick the cubs of their own pride once they’re grown enough. As lionesses pamper their king and do all the work and hunting, lions compete so much to become king.
Do Lions Eat Wild Dogs In Captivity?
When lions are in captivity, zookeepers feed them a diet most likely similar to their natural diet. So they closely mimic what they have out in the jungle. Though they may not feed the lions with zebras and giraffes, they try their best to feed with the meat they like and not, which they might avoid if they are free in savannahs.
Meats from local sheep, cattle, pigs, and rabbits will be on their menu, and we can say that lions don’t eat wild dogs even in captivity.
Dogs Vs Lion:
We are talking about 420 pounds (190 kilograms) of pure, rock-hard muscles, the unmatched king of the Savannah —the beast amongst monsters vs your dog. Undoubtedly, the lion wins. No matter how bad you think your dog is, it is no match for a lion.
Even if it’s a group of dogs, we need a lot of them to down a lion. Like a lot of them.
Lion Vs Pitbull: Who Will Win?
In a fight between a lion and a pitbull, definitely, the king of the jungle kills the latter with its power and speed. Plus, the bigger size of lions makes the pit bulls vulnerable.
However, it doesn’t mean that the pitties have no chance at all in any situation; they can succeed if the lion they will fight is small, sick, injured, or too old.
Also Read: Do Lions Eat Bones? Can Lions Digest Bones?
Pitbull Vs Lioness
Even lionesses are too strong for Pitbulls. In fact, if you know anything about lions, lionesses are the actual killers in the pride. And also, lionesses are bigger than pit bulls, and the same goes for power. Pitbulls are no match for a lion’s agility and biting power.
We can say that a pitbull won’t stand a chance against a healthy adult lion, regardless of the feline’s gender, as lions and pitbull live in two different worlds.
Lions live in the wild, where they have to fight to survive, whereas Pitbulls are domesticated. They don’t have to fight too hard for food, and most of them are too weak even to face the might of a lion, thanks to their pampered lifestyle.
This doesn’t mean pit bulls will lose their survival instincts, but they aren’t sharp enough to fight with them. Chances are that if your furry pal walks into a well-fed lion, it will just walk away unless the pittie tries to attack the lion. The royal feline will surely kill the pit bull if that leads to a fight.
