The maximum weight for a Sloth Bear is around 420 pounds. The maximum weight for the Bengal Tiger is on average around 570 pounds and in the northern parts of their range, in northern India and Nepal, male Bengal Tigers AVERAGE over 500 pounds, which is LARGER than the Sloth Bear.
Now, a big male Bear might be bigger than a Tigress, but if we’re comparing the largest specimens, the Tiger is LARGER. And the interaction isn’t a case of a bear attack. It’s a case of an attacked bear. The Sloth Bears show do attack… but it should be noted that in both cases, the Tiger had initiated the hunt and the conflict and was looking to make the k.i.ll.
The Bear’s ag.gre.ssion was then a fight response, knowing that if it didn’t do so, it’d be eaten. And Tigers will often back down when losing the element of surprise. A big male might still be able to kill a Sloth Bear that is aware of his presence, but he’d likely sustain serious inj.ury in making the k.i.ll which would then h.ar.m his later hunting at.te.mpts.
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