Lion

Tiger

Kingdom

Animalia

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Chordata

Subphylum

N/A

Vertebrata

Class

Mammalia

Mammalia

Order

Carnivora

Carnivora

Family

Felidae

Felidae

Subfamily

Pantherinae

N/A

Genus

Panthera

Panthera

Species

P. leo

P. tigris

Average Recognized Subspecies

Around 12

Around 10

Binomial name

Panthera leo

Panthera tigris

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Endangered

Weight

375-496 lbs (males) 280-396 pounds (females)        

579 pounds (average male) 308 pounds (average female)

Coloring

coat: tan tail fur/mane: dark brown

Lion colouration varies from light buff to yellowish, reddish, or dark ochraceous brown. The underparts are generally lighter and the tail tuft is black. Lion cubs are born with brown rosettes (spots) on their body

orange with brown-black stripes

Tiger coloration varies between shades of orange and brown with white ventral areas and distinctive vertical black stripes, whose patterns are unique to each individual.

Average Speed

59 miles per hour

37 miles per hour

Average Litter Size

1-2

2-4

Distinctive feature

For males - mane that is colored tan to dark brown

Stripes all over the body

Teeth and Jaws

3 in. canines and heavy pressure jaws

Wide mouth that has strong teeth 4 in. canines

Brain size

Has the largest brain out of all the big cats except the tiger

Largest brain and reaches maturity faster than other big cats. Their brain is 25% larger than a lion

Description

Second largest living felid in terms of length and width. Has a similar skull to a tiger, but the frontal region is usually more depressed and flattened, with a slightly shorter postorbital region. Has a broader nasal opening. The breed shows sexual dimorphism – where the males and the females differ in terms of looks. The female lacks the mane and both their tails end in hairy tuffs.

Largest living felid in terms of length and width. Have muscular bodies with powerful forelimbs, large heads and long tails. The skull is similar to that of the lion, though the frontal region is usually not as depressed or flattened, with a slightly longer postorbital region.

The tiger also has fairly stout teeth; the somewhat curved canines are the longest among living felids with a crown height of up to 90 mm (3.5 in).

Body Length

Males: 170 to 250 cm (5 ft 7 in to 8 ft 2 in), tail lengths of 90–105 cm (2 ft 11 in–3 ft 5 in).

Females reported head-body lengths range from 140 to 175 cm (4 ft 7 in to 5 ft 9 in), tail lengths of 70–100 cm (2 ft 4 in–3 ft 3 in)

2000 – 3300 millimeters (2 - 3.3 meters)

Males vary in total length from 250 to 390 cm (98 to 154 in) and weigh between 90 to 306 kg (198 to 675 lb) with skull length ranging from 316 to 383 mm (12.4 to 15.1 in). Females vary in total length from 200 to 275 cm (79 to 108 in), weigh 65 to 167 kg (143 to 368 lb) with skull length ranging from 268 to 318 mm (10.6 to 12.5 in).[60] In either sex, the tail represents about 0.6 to 1.1 m (24 to 43 in) of total length.

Tail

700 – 1000 millimeters

600 – 1100 millimeters

Average Life Span

12 years in the wild for males and 15-16 years in the wild for females

15 - 20 Years

Habitat

Rich grasslands of East Africa to sands of Kalahari Desert, South Sahara to South Africa, excluding the Congo rain forest and India's Gir forest. Lions like to live in open woodlands and thick bush, scrub, and tall grassy areas

India to Siberia and South East Asia. They are also found in grassland and swamp margins. They require sufficient cover, a good population of large prey and a constant water supply

Behavior

Spend much of their time resting and are inactive for about 20 hours a day. They have bursts of energy from dusk till dawn. The females are more active as they hunt for the whole pack

Tigers establish and maintain territories much wider home ranges within which they roam and they lead solidary lives only in their home range. They do not leave their home ranges. The size of the home range mainly depends on prey abundance, and, in the case of males, on access to females. Tigers are strong swimmers and often deliberately bathe in ponds, lakes and rivers as a means of keeping cool in the heat of the day.

Social activity

Lions are the most socially inclined of all wild felids, most of which remain quite solitary in nature. Some lions are residents, living in groups of related lionesses, their mates, and offspring. Memberships only change with the birth and death of the lioness. An average pride can consist of 5 to 6 females, their cubs and one or two males. Some can be nomads, not belonging to any packs.

Young female tigers establish their first territories close to their mother's. The overlap between the female and her mother's territory reduces with time. Males, however, migrate further than their female counterparts and set out at a younger age to mark out their own area. Tigers are not territorial and prefer to avoid each other. An adult of either sex will sometimes share its kill with others, even those who may not be related to them.

Diet

Are scavengers and around half of their diet is provided by carrion. They scavenge animals either dead from natural causes (disease) or killed by other predators. The lioness hunts, while the male lion watches and protects the pride. Since they cannot run for long periods of time to chase their victims, they usually stalk them and sneak up on them in the night. The prey consists mainly of medium-sized mammals, with a preference for wildebeest, zebras, buffalo, and warthogs in Africa and nilgai, wild boar, and several deer species in India.

Tigers feed mostly on large and medium-sized animals, preferring native ungulates weighing at least 90 kg (200 lb). Sambar deer, chital, barasingha, wild boar, gaur, nilgai and both water buffalo and domestic buffalo are some of the eating preferences of the tiger in India. In other places, they also prefer sika deer, moose, roe deer, musk deer, brown bears, boars, orangutan and even certain types of fishes.

Sexual Maturity

24 - 28 Months in Captivity; 36 - 46 Months in Wild

24 - 28 Months in Captivity; 36 - 46 Months in Wild

Reproduction

Reproduction happens after the lioness turns 4 years of age. They mate year around and the lioness can mate year round. Average gestation period is 110 days.

Mating and reproduction happens year around, but is more common during months of November and April. A female is only receptive for three to six days. Gestation can range from 93 to 112 days, the average being 105 days.

Children

The cubs are born blind and do not have vision until a week after birth. They weigh 1.2–2.1 kg (2.6–4.6 lb) at birth and are almost helpless, beginning to crawl a day or two after birth and walking around three weeks of age. The children wean at the age of 6-7 months and reach maturity at about 3 years of age

A litter has around two to three cubs, with some ranging even to 6. Cubs weigh from 680 to 1,400 g (1.50 to 3.09 lb) each at birth, and are born blind and helpless. The females rear the cubs alone in a sheltered den. The cubs open their eyes at six to fourteen days old. By eight weeks, the cubs make short ventures outside the den with their mother. The cubs wean at the age of 3 to 6 months.

Dangers

Starvation, predation by jackals, hyenas, leopards, martial eagles, and snakes. Buffalos sometimes kill cubs by stampedes.

Starvation and poaching are the most common dangers for tigers. Many people in China believe various tiger parts have medicinal properties, including as pain killers and aphrodisiacs.

Purposefulness to humans

They were initially used for hides and meat, but today they are more useful as stuffed throw rugs, pets and spectators at zoos.

Initially used for their hides and for being trained and paraded and forced to fight humans and other exotic beasts.

Cultural depictions

The lion has been an icon for humanity for thousands of years, appearing in cultures across Europe, Asia, and Africa. They are also used to symbolize royalty and stateliness, as well as a symbol of bravery. They were also considered as gods in Egypt and India.

They are also considered one of the charismatic megafauna. It is also one of the 12 animals that are part of the Chinese Zodiac. The White Tiger is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. The Tungusic peoples considered the Siberian tiger a near-deity and often referred to it as "Grandfather" or "Old man". In Hinduism, the god Shiva wears and sits on tiger skin.