ENVIRONMENT
In for the kill
After the take-down comes the dispatch, a grizzly yet necessary part of the hunt When big cats get a hold on their prey and they have paws on the prize, the next step is crucial: the kill. Almost all of the big cats use the method of asphyxiation to kill their prey. This is the quickest method to make sure that the prey does not get away, and that all of the energy these animals have expended on stalking and chasing doesn’t go to waste. Big cats have incredibly strong jaws, powered by efficient musculature in their head and neck. To complement a strong jaw are sets of super-sharp teeth, perfect for piercing flesh and holding prey down. For lions, the kill is usually a team effort. Because they often hunt in groups, one lion will frequently assume the role of clamping its colossal jaws around a prey animal’s snout, attempting to suffocate it while the rest of the hunting team hang on its flanks to bring it to the
Killer blow
How a leopard secures its prey in one huge burst of power
Tigers use their strong front legs to tackle and immobilise their prey, before biting down on the neck
ground. This is sometimes called the ‘lion kiss of death’, and they can bring down very large prey in this way. It’s very often thought that big cats automatically ‘go for the jugular’ to dispatch their prey, but this isn’t the case. When their teeth aim for the neck, it’s the animal’s windpipe that the cat is aiming for, rather than the veins. Their vice-like jaws clamp onto the windpipe and crush it, suffocating the prey for a quick kill. Tigers use this method for larger prey. By biting the neck and using the animal’s strength against itself in order to drag it to the ground, they can bring down very large animals single-handedly. For smaller critters they may bite the nape of the neck in order to sever the spinal column. Leopards also use this supereffective technique.
Jaguars, on the other hand, do things a little differently; these animals are the only big cats to prey on reptiles, and it’s thought that their killing style has evolved to take down dangerous and armoured prey. The jaguar, instead of going for the throat, directly bites its prey in the back of the neck or head, severing the spinal cord and puncturing the braincase. By using this technique, the jaguar can get past the thick hides of caiman and pierce the strong shells of turtles.
Strong bite
The leopard holds its prey at the neck, where it delivers the killer blow.
Muscular legs
Strong legs provide bursts of energy for jumps and lunges.
Eye on the prize
Leopards’ eyes have a specialised membrane that allows them to focus even in low light.
“Their vice-like jaws clamp onto the windpipe and crush it, suffocating the prey for a quick kill” 020 | How It Works
Sharp claws
Claws help immobilise prey and climb to safety.
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