Many animals choose to migrate or hibernate during the winter. But when the snow falls, the predators on this list hunker down and show why they are at the top of the food chain. These animals have adapted many deadly tools and techniques to ensure they come out of the winter months better fed than when they went in.
1. Snow Leopard: Big Winter Cats
At number one of winter’s deadliest predators is the snow leopard. This beautiful creature resides high in the Himalayas and other mountainous regions of northern and central Asia. The snow leopard hits the scales anywhere between 60 to 120 pounds. While they are smaller in stature than the other land predators on this list, they make up for it in skills and speed.
The snow leopard’s paws-to-body ratio is more extensive than most animals, which helps the feline grip the wet and cold snow. The paw is three inches in size, and the claw is an inch long. These large paws, accompanied by the razor-sharp claw, ensure the leopard grips rock and flesh without fear of slippage.
The speed of the snow leopard is also to its advantage as these big cats have been known to reach nearly forty miles an hour. Their speed and elusiveness are what make them so deadly.
2. Great Horned Owl: An Airborne Hunter
The great horned owl is the only airborne hunter on our list. These apex predators have a multitude of adaptations that make them highly fatal in the winter.
The great horned owl is known to have hearing and sight that are 35 times stronger than a human being. This nocturnal animal’s keen senses detect anything that moves during the cover of night when it does most of its hunting.
Silent flight is also a tool the owl has developed over time. Unlike other birds, this owl has a velveteen edge. This edge, plus the great horned owl’s massive four-and-a-half-foot wingspan, makes the bird nearly silent in flight. It is a known fact that a silent predator is a deadly one.
Its ability to be a nocturnal hunter because of its heightened senses and silent flying capabilities is why it has landed at number two.
3. Polar Bear: Cute but Dangerous
The polar bear is the most iconic winter beast of prey, and for a reason. These bears have been notorious for their ability to thrive in winter conditions.
Size is by far the bear’s biggest weapon. The daunting size of the most prominent land hunter on this list is, to put it plainly, terrifying. An average polar bear will stand at eight to ten feet in height and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. To put it in perspective, that’s like one and a half grand pianos falling on your head.
Adaptation should also be highlighted when looking at the polar bear. Its notorious white fur helps it stay undetected and warm in arctic conditions. It is noted that the polar bear will hunt on land and in water alike; its territory of death knows no bounds.
The sheer size and ability to hunt in various conditions make the polar bear an icon among winter warriors. Unfortunately, climate change is forcing many polar bears out of their habitats—forcing this powerful animal near the brink of extinction.
4. Orca: The Killer Whale
It seems amiss to add an ocean creature to the list of winter warriors, but the threatened orca has matured one of the most exciting winter hunting techniques of any animal. Wave washing is the name dubbed for the highly effective and unique technique orcas will use to catch and kill winter prey.
It begins with a handful of these fast marine animals cornering a group of seals on a sheet of ice. A team of orcas will come out of the pod and push the ice into open waters while chipping away at the edges of the ice, making the surface area smaller.
When the ice is of sufficient size, the pod will then swim together at top speed towards the ice sheet, at the last moment submerging under, sending a wave that topples the surface, flipping it over, sending the prey to its inevitable death at the hands of the rest of the pod.
This technique and teamwork are why the orca is number four among the deadliest winter creatures.
5. Siberian Tiger: An Apex Cat
At the end of the list is the Siberian tiger. The tiger is the quintessential winter warrior and makes this list not for its size or ingenious hunting technique but for its ability to consume so much flesh and cover such a vast territory.
An average Siberian tiger will weigh 400 pounds and stand six to seven feet tall. Studies on these animals have shown that their regular diet consists of 20 pounds of flesh per day. Mainly deer is on the menu, but it does not stop there. They have been known to take on anything from small game to black and brown bears!
This predator’s range is what makes it truly astounding. Siberian tigers have been tracked traveling over 600 miles to find their next meal. They are just one of many animals unique to Asia.
This level of dedication is rarely seen from a predator in the wild, much less one in the winter. The ability to travel long distances is a twofold advantage for the tiger as the more area you cover, the more prey you encounter, and the constant movement keeps them warm in the arctic conditions.
Traveling hundreds of miles to maintain a 20-pound-a-day diet makes the Siberian tiger the number one winter warrior.
