What eats elephants?

Tigers and lions occasionally eat elephants, though attacks are rare. Since the repercussions of a failed attack are fierce, the big cats tend to only prey on very weak and young elephants. Scavengers, such as hyenas, often feed on dead or dying elephants.

The biggest deterrent to predators is the elephant's herd lifestyle, which keeps the young under the watchful eye of their mothers and other relatives. Even a lone, healthy elephant can easily kill a lion or tiger, so the cats generally only strike out of desperation, when food is scarce. Attacks on young elephants by crocodiles do sometimes occur, as the species spends a lot of time in the water.