Velociraptors gained a fair amount of popularity due to the Jurassic Park film series. They’re portrayed as incredibly smart, deadly hunters. However, that depiction is not all that accurate. That is why we’re going to pit them in a hypothetical battle against tigers. Discover the winner of a Velociraptor vs. tiger bout and see how they would overcome the other creature!
Comparing a Velociraptor and a Tiger
| Velociraptor | Tiger | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Weight: from 20 to 50 pounds, perhaps 100 pounds Height: 1.5 to 2.5 feet Length: from 4.5 to 6.5 feet | Weight: 220 to 770 pounds Length: 7 to 11 feet long Height: 2.5 to 3.5 feet |
| Speed | – Estimated 10 to 25 mph | – 40 to 50 mph |
| Defenses | – The creature’s speed and agility would have helped it escape some danger – Good hearing would help it detect enemies | – Stealthy animals with a fur pattern and coloration that helps them stay camouflaged – Tigers have very large bodies that make it hard for other animals to hurt them – Have great speed along with the ability to run and swim away |
| Offensive Capabilities | – Had a 3-inch-long claw on each of its feet – May have used the claws to help restrain prey rather than slash them – Had 28 sharp, teeth less than ¼ inch long, serrated on the back end for tearing flesh | – Bite force of 1,000 psi – Largest teeth measure 3 inches long, allowing them to deliver fatal bites to their prey – Has very powerful forelegs and claws measuring 4 inches long |
| Predatory Behavior | – Scientists now believe it was a lone hunter contrary to movie myths – Would pursue and attack prey, hooking them with their long claws, bearing their weight on them, and biting them to death | – Ambush predators – Typically bite prey on the neck to deliver a fatal blow |
What 2 Are Key Differences Between a Velociraptor and a Tiger?
Tigers are large, deadly predators.
©Michal Ninger/Shutterstock.com
The key differences between a Velociraptor and a tiger are found in their morphology and size. Velociraptors were feathered, bipedal dinosaurs that stood about 2.5 feet tall and weighed between 20 and 50 pounds, but tigers are quadrupedal mammals that weigh between 220 and 770 pounds, stand up to 3.5 feet tall, and grow up to 11 feet long.
These differences will have a profound impact on the battle between the dinosaur and the mammal, but they are not the only things that matter.
What Are the Key Factors in a Fight Between a Velociraptor and a Tiger?
Velociraptors most likely had feathers.
©SciePro/Shutterstock.com
Most fights in the animal kingdom, even hypothetical ones, come down to a handful of factors. In this case, like most others, those factors include the combatants’ size, speed, defenses, offensive capabilities, and predatory behavior.
We’ll explore each of these animals relative to those factors. We’ll compare the two creatures, see which one has the advantage in each case, and then use the sum of the data gained to determine the animal that is most likely to battle.
Velociraptor vs. Tiger: Size
The average tiger can weigh anywhere between 220 and 770 pounds, at least in the case of the Siberian tiger. The tiger may also grow between 7 and 11 feet long, and they can stand 2.5 to 3.5 feet tall at the shoulder. Meanwhile, the average Velociraptor is nothing like in the movies. These creatures are only 1.5 to 2.5 feet tall, not 6 to 8 feet. Also, they weighed between 20 and 50 pounds, maybe up to 100 pounds at their greatest measure. They also grew 4.5 to 6.5 feet long.
Tigers have the size advantage in this bout.
Velociraptor vs. Tiger: Speed
Scientists believe that the average Velociraptor could reach speeds between 10 and 25 miles per hour, making them fairly speedy at their top estimated speeds. Meanwhile, tigers are much faster and capable of running at speeds of 40 to 50 miles per hour.
Tigers have the speed advantage in this fight.
Velociraptor vs. Tiger: Defenses
Tigers are the largest of all the big cats, and their size alone is enough to dissuade other animals from attacking them. However, they also have fur patterns and colors that help them blend into their surroundings, giving them some camouflage. They’re also very fast and can swim well, so they can move in environments where some animals cannot.
Meanwhile, velociraptors had good hearing that would allow them to detect other animals in their range, even dangerous predators. Also, they were somewhat fast, allowing them to flee from danger.
Tigers have a defensive advantage in this fight.
Velociraptor vs. Tiger: Offensive Capabilities
Tigers are very powerful hunters that rely on their deadly bite as their primary method of attack. These creatures have a bite force of about 1,000 psi, and their largest teeth are 3 inches long. That makes their bites incredibly deadly, capable of penetrating bones and tearing deep into flesh. They also have 4-inch-long, retractable claws that they use in conjunction with their powerful forelegs to grasp prey and keep them from running.
Velociraptors had a long claw on each foot that measured 3 inches long. Although scientists initially believed that these claws were used to disembowel prey, they now believe that the velociraptors used them to dig into prey and stop them from moving. The dinosaurs would instead kill prey with their serrated teeth.
Tigers have an offensive advantage in this battle.
Velociraptor vs. Tiger: Predatory Behavior
Tigers are ambush predators that stalk their prey before unleashing a sudden, deadly assault on them. Once they attack their prey, they attempt to bite them on the neck. Meanwhile, scientists believe that the dinosaurs were lone hunters who would spot and pursue prey. They would attack prey, pin them while grasping them with their long claws, and bite them to death.
Neither creature has a distinct advantage in its predatory behaviors.
Who Would Win in a Fight Between a Velociraptor and a Tiger?
The tiger’s size advantage would be too much for a
Velociraptor.
©Charlie Unggay/Shutterstock.com
A tiger would win a fight against a velociraptor. Although this fight would be much different if the dinosaur was the size of those in the Jurassic Park films, the real Velociraptor would be too small to fight the tiger. The size disparity is too great for the dinosaur to overcome.
Once the tiger became aware of the Velociraptor, it would begin to stalk it. As soon as it got close enough to the dinosaur or the Velociraptor began to flee, the tiger would run it down, bite its throat, and take it to the ground, ending its life. The Velociraptor would have basically no chance of winning this fight. Â
The photo featured at the top of this post is © kamomeen/Shutterstock.com
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