Pardus 1,610 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 35 minutes ago, mackem said: Different species,it's adapted to the high peaks above the treeline,where prey is scarceit's like comparing apples and bananas. I was actually wondering why a leopard population in a quarry rich environment like the UK would shrink in physical stature over a 50 year period,genuine question. The snow leopard is most closely related to the tiger and they diverged millions of years ago, as I said, it's not a leopard. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Greyman 31,239 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 29 minutes ago, mackem said: Different species,it's adapted to the high peaks above the treeline,where prey is scarceit's like comparing apples and bananas. I was actually wondering why a leopard population in a quarry rich environment like the UK would shrink in physical stature over a 50 year period,genuine question. I would suggest the lack of competition from other predators would be one contributing factor and as I’ve suggested if there is a uk population evolving it will be made up of different subspecies from different continents I have personally seen one very large male in the flesh and if you accept that the crokem park picture is what it is then it’s also a good size male but I would suspect like with Fox’s they would settle at a size that’s the most suitable to there habitat and chosen prey species 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 29,522 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 6 minutes ago, Greyman said: if there is a uk population evolving it will be made up of different subspecies from different continents That would promote hybrid vigour though no?The resultant offspring of those diverse bloodlines would be larger than the parents? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Franks dad 1,889 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 11 hours ago, mackem said: Question……..why would a cat evolve in the UK at all,leopards are already the supreme predator,and why “evolve” into a smaller species? So they could fit through the cat flap … 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pardus 1,610 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 10 minutes ago, Greyman said: I would suggest the lack of competition from other predators would be one contributing factor and as I’ve suggested if there is a uk population evolving it will be made up of different subspecies from different continents I have personally seen one very large male in the flesh and if you accept that the crokem park picture is what it is then it’s also a good size male but I would suspect like with Fox’s they would settle at a size that’s the most suitable to there habitat and chosen prey species The mental gymnastics is crazy mate, come on now don't be silly. Now you're talking about different subspecies mating, make your mind up, we only have every had black panthers haven't we, these are mostly found in southeast Asian forests and occasionally in Africa? We never see spotted Leopards so no, we won't have loads of different subspecies as you are now implying. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Greyman 31,239 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 5 minutes ago, mackem said: That would promote hybrid vigour though no?The resultant offspring of those diverse bloodlines would be larger than the parents? Hybrid vigour gives you athletic ability like mixed race people perform well in sports but it doesn’t make them bigger ?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Franks dad 1,889 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 (edited) 1 hour ago, mackem said: Different species,it's adapted to the high peaks above the treeline,where prey is scarceit's like comparing apples and bananas. I was actually wondering why a leopard population in a quarry rich environment like the UK would shrink in physical stature over a 50 year period,genuine question. I don’t know nothing about nothing ,but could it be that because there’s a small amount and therefore a small gene pool that it’s not a case of biggest and fittest get chosen as mates … it’s a bit of a that’s your shag get on with it … soon be like wrong turn with interbreeding.. Edited March 27 by Franks dad 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 29,522 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 3 minutes ago, Greyman said: Hybrid vigour gives you athletic ability like mixed race people perform well in sports but it doesn’t make them bigger ?? Liger? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pardus 1,610 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 10 minutes ago, Franks dad said: I don’t know nothing about nothing ,but could it be that because there’s a small amount and therefore a small gene pool that it’s not a case of biggest and fittest get chosen as mates … it’s a bit of a that’s your shag get on with it … soon be like wrong turn with interbreeding.. If it got that bad and inbreeding caused such a drastic loss of vigour that they showed signs of dwarfism then they would become infertile and the line would collapse. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Franks dad 1,889 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 1 minute ago, Pardus said: If it got that bad and inbreeding caused such a drastic loss of vigour that they showed signs of dwarfism then they would become infertile and the line would collapse. How many are out there to not cause inbreeding….. sensibly… there can’t be more than 100 in the uk surely …. Or it would be all over BBC news … How do we know it hasn’t as it’s around 50 Years that we are talking about ….. getting smaller … signs of dwarfism ( porg) … then they should soon collapse… ? Or am I way off .. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Greyman 31,239 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 16 minutes ago, Franks dad said: I don’t know nothing about nothing ,but could it be that because there’s a small amount and therefore a small gene pool that it’s not a case of biggest and fittest get chosen as mates … it’s a bit of a that’s your shag get on with it … soon be like wrong turn with interbreeding.. That is a strong possibility but I have only heard of one or two animals showing signs, there are populations of mountain lions in the states that suffer inbreeding were they are confined by urbanisation and display kinked tails as an early indication of it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Greyman 31,239 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 16 minutes ago, mackem said: Liger? Pumards were popular as they were tiny, but it’s not a point scoring exercise and until a body is put on the slab most of this is theory 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 29,522 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 1 minute ago, Greyman said: until a body is put on the slab most of this is theory Correct,it's all theory until there's 100% concrete proof. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pardus 1,610 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 2 minutes ago, Franks dad said: How many are out there to not cause inbreeding….. sensibly… there can’t be more than 100 in the uk surely …. Or it would be all over BBC news … How do we know it hasn’t as it’s around 50 Years that we are talking about ….. getting smaller … signs of dwarfism ( porg) … then they should soon collapse… ? Or am I way off .. We are just talking hypotheticals with no good evidence of their existence. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pardus 1,610 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 1 minute ago, mackem said: Correct,it's all theory until there's 100% concrete proof. In theory the Loch Ness could be a relic from the Cretaceous that survived an extinction event that wiped out 3/4's of all species on earth. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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