The Ultimate Hunter

Lions versus tigers, wolves versus bears – these are the apex predators of the animal kingdom.

But which ones are the best hunters?

According to a new extensive study on land-based carnivores, solitary hunters, such as tigers, bears and lynx outpace their more social counterparts when it comes to sheer hunting efficiency.

Researcher Luke Emerson and his team conducted a review of 196 studies on 31 terrestrial carnivores, shining light on the differences in how they hunt, kill and influence ecosystems.

While wolves and lions may get the glory for their coordinated attacks, smaller predators – such as cheetahs and pumas – kill more frequently than larger ones.

“Our research shows solitary carnivores like the Eurasian lynx kill every four days, while a grey wolf might only make a kill once every 27 days,” they wrote in the Conversation.

This difference is connected to how social animals tend to rely on teamwork to bring down larger prey, meaning each individual doesn’t need to hunt as frequently.

But despite having a higher “kill rate,” smaller predators often don’t get to enjoy their meal in peace.

“Larger predators like lions and bears are notorious for stealing these kills,” the researchers noted.

Pumas, for instance, lose so much prey to scavengers, such as bears, that they end up providing over 3.3 million pounds of carrion per day across the Americas.

The review also revealed some biases in existing research: More than 55 percent of studies focused on North American carnivores, particularly grey wolves. Meanwhile, Asia – home to more than half of the world’s large carnivore species – was seriously underrepresented, with just seven percent of studies conducted there.

The authors said their research also shows the vital roles these carnivores play in the ecosystem.

Large predators help regulate herbivore populations, preventing overgrazing and promoting plant diversity. Meanwhile, smaller carnivores can provide carrion that supports scavengers.

In turn, these hunters help control populations and eliminate disease-carrying animals that benefit humans too, the Smithsonian magazine wrote.

“Apex predators don’t just eat prey,” the researchers said. “They shape entire ecosystems by influencing species behavior and distribution.”