Most of the time, big cats do not target large-to-giant mammals like elephants, rhinos, and hippos as their preferred prey.

While big cats are renowned as some of the largest and most formidable apex predators in various ecosystems, they generally avoid hunting the largest herbivorous land mammals. This is because these giants are significantly larger and stronger than big cats and possess robust defenses such as tough hides, tusks, or horns.

In the rare instances when big cats do attempt to prey on these animals, it is usually when the rhino or elephant is weakened due to illness, injury, or if they are very young and vulnerable, as depicted below. In some cases, if the big cat itself is old or injured, or if there is a scarcity of resources available, they may take the risk. However, engaging with a larger animal’s defenses poses significant danger to the big cat, as they can easily sustain injuries or even lose their lives.

Instead, big cats typically prefer to target smaller and more manageable prey such as deer, antelope, and other small-to-medium-sized animals. Their diet is more diverse than commonly known, including fish, birds, and occasionally even plants. However, even when hunting these medium-to-large mammals like deer, the success rate for big cats is relatively low, ranging from 5% to a maximum of 50%.

Therefore, while big cats have a wider range of potential prey options compared to giant mammals like rhinos, dealing with these formidable creatures, with their defenses like antlers or horns, can still pose significant challenges.