Lions are majestic animals that roam around this planet. They have been a symbol of bravery, power, strength, and majesty. Lions are large cats belonging to the genus Panthera. They are mostly native to Africa and India. They are included in the big cat group, which also includes tigers, leopards, cheetahs, cougars, and jaguars. This shows that lions indeed are big. But have you ever been interested to know about the biggest lion in the world or the largest lion ever recorded in the world? If you have one curious head about lions, then you are at the right place. Let’s answer all your questions about lions one by one.
1. What is the Biggest Lion in the World?
There has been a great debate about how to measure the biggest lion in the world. Some go by weight, some go by length, and some prefer height. According to the Handbook of the Mammals of the World (2009), the biggest lion was a male lion from Kenya, considering the length. His recorded length was 3.3 meters, and he weighed about 270 kg.
Mostly, the biggest lion species in the world are found in Sub-Saharan Africa. The males can measure up to 1.8 and 2.5 m in length. And this is just their head-to-torso length. You will have to add another meter if you want to measure their head-to-tail length. The females are quite large, with a weight of around 190 kg, length of 1.9 m, and height of around 1.1 m.
However, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the biggest lion in the world in captivity is a male lion named Simba. The book considered shoulder height to determine the biggest lion. In 1970, this black-maned lion called Simba recorded a shoulder height of about 1.11 meters. At the time of this recording, this lion was living in an Essex Zoo. (See How much is a Pet Lion?)
2. What is the Largest Lion Ever Recorded?
Lions are often addressed as jungle kings, ferocious beasts, or beast kings. They are quite majestic in size and come only second to tigers in terms of size. Earlier, these beasts used to be found in Asia, Europe, and Africa. But now, their population is mostly concentrated in Africa and India.
The largest lion ever recorded was found in Kenya. It was a male lion weighing 600 pounds and about 11 ft long. He was seen near Mount Kenya in Kenya. However, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest lion weighed about 690 pounds. In 1936, it was killed in South Africa. (See What is the Largest Wolf?)
3. Which is the Strongest Lion in the World?
In wildlife, lions are among the deadliest predators. The strongest lion in the world was the Barbary lion or the North African Lion. This is an extinct species of lion found in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt. The lions in this subspecies were among the world’s largest, most powerful, and biggest creatures. Their lengths ranged between 9.8 and 10.8 feet, weighing over 200 kg. Must read the 7 Fun Facts About White Lions.
4. What is the Smallest Lion in the World?
Now that you know about the biggest lion in the world, let’s find out about the smallest lion in the world. The smallest lions in the world are the West African or Senegal lions. They are a highly endangered type of lion found in Western Africa, from the Central African Republic to Senegal. They have a very small population of about 1800 individuals fragmented in western Africa. (See Top 8 World’s Smallest Animals)
5. Which is the Biggest Cat in the World: Lion or Tiger?
The world is filled with big cats. Lion and tiger are among the prominent members of the cat family. It is often dilemmatic for people to decide which among the lion and tiger is the biggest cat. Let’s clear this thing for you. The biggest species of cats in the world are tigers. According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF), these felines can weigh up to 300 kg or 660 pounds and grow up to 10 feet long. (See How Strong is a Tiger Compared to a Human?)
On the other hand, lions are the second-largest species of cat in the world. These jungle kings are social felines and live in pride. Among lions, the males are relatively larger than the females. According to the National Zoo, male lions can weigh up to 550 pounds or 250 kg and grow up to 10 feet long.
6. Which is the Biggest Tiger in the World?
Tigers are the biggest feline species present on this earth. Among them, the biggest tigers belong to Amur or Siberian tigers. The males in this subspecies measure up to 10 ft long and can weigh up to 660 pounds. (Also read How Big is the Biggest Octopus?)
