Post by Lion Boss on Oct 29, 2008 12:28:01 GMT -5
There seems to be a lot of misconseption about the size of the two cats. So I thought I would post a topic that clears a few things up.
LENGTH
Commonly people seem to think the tiger is longer. Lions are usually depicted as short and stocky while the tigers as slender. It's actually the other way around. Lions are built more slender to accomodate more frequent running in the open terrain of Africa. The tigesr have a dense jungle to rely on for cover so, they have a more stocky build to deal with rivers/swamps (or snow). Lions that are found in the swampy areas of Africa have a much stockier build, very similar to tigers.
Lion Head/Body Length: 4.5 - 6.5 ft (1.4 - 2.0 m)
Tiger Head/Body Length: 5.0 - 6.0 ft (1.5 - 1.8 m)
Lion Tail Length: 2.2 - 3.3 ft (0.7 - 1.0 m)
Tiger Tail Length: 2.0 - 3.0 ft (0.6 - 0.9 m)
Lion Total Length: 6.7 - 9.8 ft (2.0 - 3.0 m)
Tiger Total Length: 7.0 - 9.0 ft (2.1 - 2.7 m)
Those stats are taken from the Nationl Geographics site. It seems to concentrate on giving normal ranges without looking at the extremes as both cats have been known to be well over 10 feet in total length. Wikipedia quoted several sources on the matter and has 3.5 m as the highest total length for the lion and 3.3 m as the highest for the tiger. Animal Face-Off listed the lion as 10.8 feet and the tiger at 10.2 feet. The general consensus is that the tiger is actually the shorter out of the two.
SHOULDER HEIGHT
This is rarely debated. The lion general stands taller at the shoulder, up to 4 ft (1.2 m). The tiger is a bit shorter, 1.0 - 1.1 m (3.3 - 3.6 ft). The way the cats walk also enhances the appearance. The tiger usually is lower to the ground while the lion has a higher/"regal" walk that makes him look taller. Again, not much between them
So, in terms of measurements, the lion is actually a bigger cat. It's a bit longer and a bit taller. Both of these factors are confirmed by various books and the Animal Face-Off show.
WEIGHT
Easily the most fought-over topic in the debate. The biggest problem is that some quotes, while truthful, are making an unfair comparison. For example, a very common saying is, "Well, a tiger goes up to 650 lbs while the lion only averages about 400 lbs". Somewhat truthful statement. But a tiger over 600 lbs is a rarity, an extreme. So comparing a record size tiger with an average size lion is inacurate.
There is also a concern over how accurate some of the documented average really are. Lions are easier to find and measure then tigers. As such, a lot more individuals have been recorded to compose the lion average. Tiger averages are based on far fewer speciments so the accuracy of the calculations is dubious. This is doubly true for the Siberian Tiger. The old myths of 700 lbs tigers have been disprooved by the Siberian Tiger Project that started in 1992:
Lion (African | Asiatic): The common range given to this cat is 330 - 550 lbs (150 - 250 kg). Various sources documented that a healthy male lion would weigh in between 170 and 200 kg (380 - 440 lbs).
Tiger (Bengal | Siberian): The common range given to this cat is 400 - 660 lbs (180 - 300 kg). Various sources documented that a healthy male tiger would weigh in between 190 and 220 kg (420 - 480 lbs).
Both cats have been recorded over 500, over 600, and even up to 700 lbs in the wild. In captivity both have went over 800 lbs. Animal Face-Off listed the lion at 530 lbs, the Bengal tiger at 570 lbs, and the Siberian tiger at 600 lbs. Animal Planet has a "Ask An Expert" page with Peter Jackson. Jackson states this on the matter:
CONCLUSION
The lion is a bit longer and a bit taller than the tiger, thus having a slightly larger skeletal frame. The tiger generally weighs about 20-25 kg (50 lbs) more than the lion. Climate and terrain plays a role in the size and measurement differences. The tiger, especially the Siberian, would generally have a higher fat content due to a colder climate.
Overall, there really isn't much between the two cats. Both have the strength to kill animals over 500 kg (1100 lbs). Therefore, both have MORE THAN enough power to kill one another. I don't believe the slight size advantages they have over each other would be a decisive factor in a confrontation.
LENGTH
Commonly people seem to think the tiger is longer. Lions are usually depicted as short and stocky while the tigers as slender. It's actually the other way around. Lions are built more slender to accomodate more frequent running in the open terrain of Africa. The tigesr have a dense jungle to rely on for cover so, they have a more stocky build to deal with rivers/swamps (or snow). Lions that are found in the swampy areas of Africa have a much stockier build, very similar to tigers.
Lion Head/Body Length: 4.5 - 6.5 ft (1.4 - 2.0 m)
Tiger Head/Body Length: 5.0 - 6.0 ft (1.5 - 1.8 m)
Lion Tail Length: 2.2 - 3.3 ft (0.7 - 1.0 m)
Tiger Tail Length: 2.0 - 3.0 ft (0.6 - 0.9 m)
Lion Total Length: 6.7 - 9.8 ft (2.0 - 3.0 m)
Tiger Total Length: 7.0 - 9.0 ft (2.1 - 2.7 m)
Those stats are taken from the Nationl Geographics site. It seems to concentrate on giving normal ranges without looking at the extremes as both cats have been known to be well over 10 feet in total length. Wikipedia quoted several sources on the matter and has 3.5 m as the highest total length for the lion and 3.3 m as the highest for the tiger. Animal Face-Off listed the lion as 10.8 feet and the tiger at 10.2 feet. The general consensus is that the tiger is actually the shorter out of the two.
SHOULDER HEIGHT
This is rarely debated. The lion general stands taller at the shoulder, up to 4 ft (1.2 m). The tiger is a bit shorter, 1.0 - 1.1 m (3.3 - 3.6 ft). The way the cats walk also enhances the appearance. The tiger usually is lower to the ground while the lion has a higher/"regal" walk that makes him look taller. Again, not much between them
So, in terms of measurements, the lion is actually a bigger cat. It's a bit longer and a bit taller. Both of these factors are confirmed by various books and the Animal Face-Off show.
WEIGHT
Easily the most fought-over topic in the debate. The biggest problem is that some quotes, while truthful, are making an unfair comparison. For example, a very common saying is, "Well, a tiger goes up to 650 lbs while the lion only averages about 400 lbs". Somewhat truthful statement. But a tiger over 600 lbs is a rarity, an extreme. So comparing a record size tiger with an average size lion is inacurate.
There is also a concern over how accurate some of the documented average really are. Lions are easier to find and measure then tigers. As such, a lot more individuals have been recorded to compose the lion average. Tiger averages are based on far fewer speciments so the accuracy of the calculations is dubious. This is doubly true for the Siberian Tiger. The old myths of 700 lbs tigers have been disprooved by the Siberian Tiger Project that started in 1992:
The "Siberian Tiger Project", which has operated from Sikhote-Alin Zapovednik since 1992, found that 215 kg (474 lb) seemed to be the largest that they were able to verify, albeit from a limited number of specimens. According to modern research of wild Siberian tigers in Sikhote-Alin, an average adult male tiger (>35 months) weighs 167.3 - 185.7 kg (the average asymptotic limit, computed by use of the Michaelis-Menten formula, gives 222.3 kg for male tigers) and an adult tigress – 117.9 – 122.6 kg, respectively. The mean weight of historical Siberian tigers is supposed to be higher: 215.3-260 kg for male tigers. At least one authority suspects that this is the difference between real weights and hunter's estimates. Dale Miquelle, program director of the Siberian Tiger Project, writes that, despite repeated claims in the popular literature that the Siberian is the largest of all tigers, their measurements on more than fifty captured individuals suggest that body size is, in fact, similar to that of Bengal tigers. He also was quoted as saying that his finds for male Siberian tigers (5 measured speciments)averaged 430 lbs.
Lion (African | Asiatic): The common range given to this cat is 330 - 550 lbs (150 - 250 kg). Various sources documented that a healthy male lion would weigh in between 170 and 200 kg (380 - 440 lbs).
Tiger (Bengal | Siberian): The common range given to this cat is 400 - 660 lbs (180 - 300 kg). Various sources documented that a healthy male tiger would weigh in between 190 and 220 kg (420 - 480 lbs).
Both cats have been recorded over 500, over 600, and even up to 700 lbs in the wild. In captivity both have went over 800 lbs. Animal Face-Off listed the lion at 530 lbs, the Bengal tiger at 570 lbs, and the Siberian tiger at 600 lbs. Animal Planet has a "Ask An Expert" page with Peter Jackson. Jackson states this on the matter:
Q: How big is a Siberian tiger when compared with an African lion? Also how big is a full-grown Siberian tiger when compared with a human?
A: The biggest Siberian tigers and African lions are about the same size, and there is controversy about which is the larger. The largest wild lion on record, found in South Africa, weighed 313 kilograms (688 pounds). A wild Siberian tiger weighed 384 kilograms (845 pounds). The trouble is that very few wild lions or tigers have been weighed, and weights can vary substantially depending on whether the cat has just fully fed or has an empty belly.
Peter Jackson
A: The biggest Siberian tigers and African lions are about the same size, and there is controversy about which is the larger. The largest wild lion on record, found in South Africa, weighed 313 kilograms (688 pounds). A wild Siberian tiger weighed 384 kilograms (845 pounds). The trouble is that very few wild lions or tigers have been weighed, and weights can vary substantially depending on whether the cat has just fully fed or has an empty belly.
Peter Jackson
CONCLUSION
The lion is a bit longer and a bit taller than the tiger, thus having a slightly larger skeletal frame. The tiger generally weighs about 20-25 kg (50 lbs) more than the lion. Climate and terrain plays a role in the size and measurement differences. The tiger, especially the Siberian, would generally have a higher fat content due to a colder climate.
Overall, there really isn't much between the two cats. Both have the strength to kill animals over 500 kg (1100 lbs). Therefore, both have MORE THAN enough power to kill one another. I don't believe the slight size advantages they have over each other would be a decisive factor in a confrontation.
