Midgets v. Lion

Dear Sir or Madam (come on, I know women don't talk about crap like this),

Here is my input regarding your web-based query (http://lionvs40midgets.tripod.com/). I will admit, my friends and I have had MANY conversations like this, so I find this kind of debate particularly interesting:

First, your query:

What do you think the outcome between a fight between 40 midgets and 1 lion would be? Here are the terms of the fight:

• Fight takes place between 1 full-grown, male African lion and 40 midgets
• The midgets are unarmed (no guns, baseball bats, tasers, etc.)
• The fight takes place in a closed arena (a racquetball court for example)
• Fight is over when either a) the lion is dead, or b) all 40 midgets are dead
• Lion is agitated/hungry, midgets know there's no way out until the lion is dead (they have to fight).

My response:

First of all, one more assumption: the midgets get no body armor and can only wear a Tarzan-esque loincloth.

I have a house cat that weighs, I dunno, 10 lbs or so. I am not a large man, but am about the size of 2-3 midgets. I'm in pretty good shape, but am not a muscle head by any means. If the way my cat play fights is any indication, A fight to death between the 2 of us would probably result in my winning, but at a terrible cost in terms of blood, pain and suffering.

Now an African lion is basically a HUGE house cat weighing up to 200kg, or the equivalent of 45 house cats (http://www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/aucklandzoo/animal_search_detail.php?id=0). It is fast, it is strong and it is tough. I think it rips through the first 10-20 midgets in something like 60 seconds. The rest of the midgets get scared - REAL scared at that point. The lion is a tired, but not putting his guard down any time soon. A few midgets get feisty, step in, and then - BAM! - the lion kills or maims a few more. Repeat as necessary. Within 12 hours all the midgets are dead or on their way there. The lion has plenty of meat to eat, so he's in no hurry to get out of the racquetball court.

Imagine a best case for the midgets - they get one strong guy around the lion's neck and other midgets start pummeling the lion. Great. Are they really going to strangle it before the lion gets his claws up around his neck? My cat can lick his anus without even stretching out first. And as for punches, this lion can fend off crushing blows from water buffalo hooves and still be relatively OK - a couple of baby fists aren't going to even register.

Ultimately, this is a disaster of epic proportions for midget-kind. Lion: 40, Midgets: 0.