After tigers, lions are the largest wild cats on the planet. There are more tigers in captivity in the US than are left in the wild. It is also considered as endangered animals. The average male lion weighs around 180 kg (400 lb) while the average female lion weighs around 130 kg (290 lb). Their longevity reaches 26 years, which should have been enough time to breed well. This is not the case with either ligers or their counterparts, tigons, both of whom can produce offspring. The Latin name for the tiger is ‘Panthera tigris‘. This means he was longer than the average car, and could stand in front of you and lick your face (assuming normal average adult height). The largest liger officially recorded was a non-obese male named Hercules. They enjoy swimming, which is a characteristic of tigers, and are very sociable like lions. Tigers can mate with other big cats in the wild, too. It is really small in size, only 8.9 cm as it can be seen... Lizards are members of the reptilian class in the animal kingdom. Perhaps this is the reason that they tend to be overweight? A tiger could be outnumbered by a lion and his harem. The heaviest lion on record weighed an amazing 375 kg (826 lb). On the other hand, a tiger Panthera tigris has a brighter brownish orange body with characteristic black stripes. Learn more interesting tiger facts and find out what we are doing to protect the tiger population in the wild. This is why Hercules takes the title over weightier liger – he was not at all overweight. Here at National Geographic Kids, we love fur-ocious felines! Lions and tigers are among the most ferocious animals but there are important differences between them. Tigers are the largest member of the cat family, or Felidae. A lion's tawny color blends it with the dry grasses around it. The hybrid of a female lion and male tiger is called Tiglon, which is a smaller size offspring.On the other hand, the hybrid of a male lion and female tiger is a Liger, which is of much bigger size offspring.. Facts about Tigers: 6 … Tigers (and lions) have square vocal folds thanks to fat within the structure's ligaments. The name for a baby lion is a cub, whelp or lionet. 5. According to scientists, there are a lot of wild cat hybrids that are yet to be discovered. On the other hand, mature male tigers can be as heavy as 600 pounds while a female can be 308 pounds in weight. Lions come from Africa and tigers come from India, so obviously there is an extremely low likelihood of the two species ever meeting up. On the other hand, tigers are a little sneaky. East African grasslands extending to the Kalahari Desert and the region extending from the South Sahara to South Africa are home to lions. It enjoys a meaty feast alone. Now you know some fascinating facts about ligers, you will know what to look for should you next visit a nature park or zoo that is home to one of these unusual but still gorgeous massive felines. Here are some interesting facts about ligers: There is only about one hundred of these exotic creatures in the world. Smaller animals like deer, fish, birds and certain reptiles may also end up as a tiger's meal. However, there are numerous differences between the proud lion and the catty tiger. Unfortunately for tigers, developments favoring us humans have destro… In fact, there is such an animal as the Indian lion, and they do co-exist with tigers in one small region of India, the Gir Forest. Here are 20 amazing lion facts. A male needs 7kg or more a day. Do not be tempted to think that these massive cuddly-looking cats are slouches when it comes to moving: they have been clocked running at up to fifty miles per hour, their bulk not slowing down their agility or speed on foot at all. And this near 90% drop in the lion population has occurred in a little over 100 years. Lions mostly feed on large sized ungulates, including giraffe, zebra, gazelle, rhinoceros, hippopotamus and Cape buffalo. They belong to... Buffalo is a member of the animal kingdom and belongs to class mammalia. and measure up to 3.3m!. Despite lions generally being pretty huge in size, you’ll find that tigers are even bigger en masse! Tiger types. No one knows why this is the case as neither lions nor tigers develop in this manner. In the arena, the tiger did not mess around. Many hybrid animals are infertile: for example, mules and hinnies which are horse/ donkey crosses tend to be mostly infertile, with only very few instances of hinnies (when the father is a horse, and the mother a donkey) being able to have babies of their own. These subspecies include the Indo-Chinese tiger, the Bengal tiger, the Amur (Siberian) tiger, the Sumatran tiger, the South China tiger, and the Malayan tiger. Both the animals are formidable predators lying at the top of the food chain. In a one-on-one match, the tiger wins 90% of the time. Tigers live long whether you find them in the wild or in the confines of a zoo. A lion prefers to live out in the open. They prefer living hidden under wood cover in order to avoid giving away their presence to the prey. However, they are not found in the rainforests of Congo or the forests of India since they do not live hidden. There aren't a lot of these tigers anymore. Of the species included in Panthera, the snow leopard and tiger are most closely related, while lions, leopards, and jaguars evolved from the … It ambushes and kills its prey on its own. And this near 90% drop in the lion population has occurred in a little over 100 years. A lion is accompanied by an entire group of females on hunting missions. Polar bears have one million times less space[2]. 5. They live in “prides” of about 15 other lions, lionesses and cubs. Lions are the second largest felids, being slightly smaller than tigers. Lions are the second-largest cats after tigers, ... As lions have few sweat glands, they wisely reserve their strength and energy during the day, resting or sleeping for 16 to 20 hours each day. A manga by Osamu Tezuka written in 1950 featured a white lion as the main character, Unlike their cousins the tigers, lions are in no way solitary creatures. The hybrid of a female lion and male tiger is called Tiglon, which is a smaller size offspring. The lion (Panthera leo) is a species in the family Felidae and a member of the genus Panthera.It has a muscular, deep-chested body, short, rounded head, round ears, and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. The Panthera tigris corbetti, more commonly known as the Indochinese tiger, can be found in several Asian countries such as Burma, Cambodia, Laos, China, Vietnam and Thailand. In the end, the tiger does not have to share its food with anyone. 2. A mature male lion weighs between 330 to 550 pounds while the weight of the female lions lies between 250 and 350 pounds. A liger is the result of breeding a male lion to a tigress. They will stay with their mother for up to t… The term ‘big cats‘ is often used to separate larger members of the felidae family, such as lions, tigers and jaguars. An adult male lion may weigh around 225kg, … Ligers are the resultant offspring of a mating between a female tiger and a male lion. Tiger: Females will give birth to 2-4 cubs after a gestation of 104 days. Ligers are born large and they grow quickly, attaining almost their full growth by the age of six, after which time it slows dramatically until they reach their full size. Facts about Lions And Tigers A liger is the result of breeding a male lion to a tigress. The birds that are considered as the symbol of love, peace and harmony are one... A bird of prey is also known as a raptor or a hunter. In 1819, a French circus performer named Henri Martin entered a cage with a tiger, shocking the audience when he emerged without a scratch.Martin, a retired horse trainer, soon taught the tiger to obey a series of simple commands. Tigers prefer … Yet in some places these majestic predators are still hunted legally. ... Don't support places, like T.I.G.E.R.S… They are usually stocky lion-like creatures with pale tawny fur and faint tiger stripes. They mainly feed on large mammals such as deer, wild pigs, antelope and buffalo. ; Tigers @ IUCN – Learn more about why tigers are endangered and what you can do to help on the IUCN website. Lion numbers have dropped from 200,000 to just 23,000. America has the most with a population of thirty, China follows with around twenty and the remaining fifty are elsewhere in the world, mainly in zoos and nature reserves. On the other hand, the hybrid of a male lion and female tiger is a Liger, which is of much bigger size offspring. The average male lion weighs around 180 kg (400 lb) while the average female lion weighs around 130 kg (290 lb). Tigers live in Siberia, India and other regions of South East Asia. This is because liger babies tend to be very large indeed, right from before birth. Difference Between Warm Blooded and Cold Blooded Animals. Similarly, a tiger's body is also slightly longer, being 2 to 3.3 meters in length. Unlike lions, tigers keep to themselves and hunt alone during the night. Animals suffer in zoos. 4. This group is known as a pride. African lions are the most social of all big cats and live together in groups or “ prides .”. Lions are the second-largest cats after tigers, with the males weighing more than 550 lbs (250 kg). But there are no cases ever recorded of lions and tigers mating in the wild: it is something that only happens when the animals have no natural mates – such as a single lion and single tiger both being in captivity at the same zoo or reserve, or when keepers deliberately breed them. Who will win in a fight between the Lion VS Tiger? A tigon is the result of breeding a male tiger to a lioness. about one hundred of these exotic creatures, Top 10 Bizarre (and possibly dangerous) body trends on social media. Lions are, therefore, regarded as the second largest cats on the planet. 5. On the other hand, a tiger prefers solitude and hunts alone. Ligers are the resultant offspring of a mating between a female tiger and a male lion. Living in the grasslands, scrub, and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa, the lion is the second largest cat in the world (behind tigers ). 4. Lions have strong, compact bodies and powerful forelegs, teeth and jaws for pulling down and killing prey. Image Source: wallpaper-gallery.net Though the two big cats, tigers and lions, appear to be of the same size and strength, tigers are more fierce than lions. On the other hand, tigers are a little sneaky. They are both among the five big cats (the other three being the jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard) and are apex predators i.e., they have no predators of their own and reside at the top of their food chain. Legally! This is really one of the saddest facts about lions. So get ready to roar with our TEN tiger facts… Tiger facts. Let's carry out an analysis regarding tiger Vs lion. Lions are vulnerable on the IUCN red list Estimates vary, but Saffoe says an average adult male African lion and an average adult male Bengal tiger (the most common wild tiger subspecies) both weigh in the neighborhood of 400 to 420 pounds (180 to 190 kilograms). 3. Of these species, only tigers, lions, leopards, and jaguars can roar, while snow leopards lack the morphology of the larynx that the other species have. Smithsonian’s National Zoo – Find more tiger facts for kids on the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute website. Although the King of the Jungle is expected to be the stronger cat, but it is the tiger which possesses more muscles and is heavier as well as longer. *It must be pointed out that ligers tend to obesity and the weights in the upper end of the scale include the most overweight specimens. A lion prefers to live out in the open. The lion and tiger are closely related and they share a very similar body type. For example, a hybrid called “Tigon” results from mating between a male tiger and a female lion. What a shocking statistic! It is not only their size that is large but also its appetite for territory. The lion’s roar is the most famous and can be heard up to five miles away because of the specialized structure of its vocal chords, a characteristic it shares with the tiger. Indochinese tigers prefer to live in forests in areas that are either hilly or mountainous. Lions are the second largest big cat species in the world (behind tigers). Their size is rivaled only by that of lions, which are almost as big. The MGM film logo’s Lion has a tiger’s roar and even in Disney’s Lion King Simba’s roar in ending scene is of a Tiger. This is really one of the saddest facts about lions. Lion, large, powerfully built cat that is second in size only to the tiger. Their coats are yellow-gold, and adult males have shaggy manes that range in color from blond to reddish-brown to black. For example, a hybrid called “Tigon” results from mating between a male tiger and a female lion. Lions can breed successfully with other types of big cat . They do, however, have a very tigerish love of the water and swimming, seeking out pools and ponds to sit and relax in. By comparison, a regular lioness would only be able to reach just above the belly button without jumping up…. 3. He eventually incorporated lions into his act as well, becoming the first famous lion tamer. If that failed, the tiger’s overwhelming strength and cunning often sealed the match. They are usually stocky lion-like creatures with pale tawny fur and faint tiger stripes. ; Tigers @ WWF – Learn more about tigers on the World Wildlife website. First, although an especially large tiger will outweigh any lion, the two species usually have comparable sizes. The prey is hunted and killed through cooperation and the food is then shared. All these vocalizations have distinct sounds and differ in loudness. Lions are vulnerable on the IUCN red list Top 10 Facts About Ligers – a Lion and Tiger Hrybid. Though tigers usually prefer living and hunting alone, they are also very social animals that need large areas in which to live and hunt. For centuries, the lion has been regarded as the King of the Jungle. They are darker in color and smaller in size than Bengal tigers but they are not lightweights either, with their capacity to reach the maximum weight of 420 pounds for males and 310 pounds for females. Check out the wide range of interesting facts about lions. This is a kind of hummingbird. It is, therefore, found in open grasslands and woodlands. 3. Only 20,000 wild lions remain in Africa, which is half of what it was only 30 years ago. Being confined in relatively small enclosures (as compared to immense reaches of wilderness) perhaps means that they do not have the range of movement or many chances to get up to their full speed to burn off some of their excesses? When tigers mate with lions, the hybrids produced are generally very large in size. The length and color of a lion's mane is likely determined by age, genetics and hormones. They prefer living hidden under wood cover in order to avoid giving away their presence to the prey. Of the species included in Panthera, the snow leopard and tiger are most closely related, while lions, leopards, and … Lions and tigers are about 10 times more powerful than humans. Due to habitat loss, lions can now only be found in a protected park in Gir, India, and the sub-Saharan regions of Africa. The proverbial ‘king of the beasts,’ the lion has been one of the best-known wild animals since earliest times. Additional Resources on Tigers. Tigers are also exploited and abused in captivity – in circuses, zoos, tiger farms and in people’s private collections of wild animals as pets. Tiger eyesight while hunting is about six times better than human night … The Lion (Panthera leo) is the second-largest cat in the world, after the tiger. 4. Therefore, tigers live deep inside forests unlike lions.East African grasslands extending to the Kalahari Desert and the region extending from the South Sahara to South Africa are home to lions. A tiger cannot be spotted easily as it hides itself in vegetation and does not roam around in the open. Therefore, tigers live deep inside forests unlike lions. Tigers and lions are both members of the same family: felidae. Lions live in prides, and tigers are solitary (they live alone). Goat is a mammal that belongs to the family Bovidae. The goat and the sheep are related to each other through the same family. Male lions can grow up to 10 feet in length and weigh up to 550 pounds, while female lions can grow to a length of 9 feet and weigh up to 395 pounds. There are 6 remaining subspecies of tigers. Even though tigers and lions look to be the same size, Tigers weigh up to 300-lbs/136-kgs more than lions due to their muscle density. These silent yet deadly hunters showed an alarming decline of more than 95% over the last 150 years. Their opposite number, the result of a mating between a male tiger and female lion has the brighter more orange tiger fur, but with the same muted stripes and spots as a liger does. When tigers mate with lions, the hybrids produced are generally very large in size. See points 5 and 3 for more on this. However, the truth is a little more complicated by that, as you will see with the next point. It is more muscular and can, therefore, handle larger prey. Legally! Ligers are breeds from male lions and female tigers. They quietly stalk their prey until they are close enough to pounce – then they kill their victim with a … Both the animals feed on a variety of organisms. 2. If tigers are your favorite of the big cats, then why not check out these top thirty interesting facts on tigers and learn something new! Lion numbers have dropped from 200,000 to just 23,000. Scientifically known as Panthera leo, a lion is recognized from its tawny color and the mane of the males which can be brown or black in color. Top 10 Urban Legends that Are Actually True. Female lions do 85-90% of the prides hunting, whilst the male lions patrol the territory and protect the pride. There are some cases of ligers or tigons being bred with lions or tigers to produce such beasts as ‘litigons’ and so on. A government-funded study of elephants in UK zoos found that 54% of the elephants showed stereotypies (behavioural problems) during the … However, a lion can grow up to a length of 3 meters at the most. To breed well on their coats that disappears as they grow Saleem | 23, 2013... The planet between 330 to 550 pounds while the weight of the food chain tigris ‘ tiger Panthera tigris.! On record weighed an amazing 375 kg ( 826 lb ) straight for the tiger in... 90 % drop in the sizes of males and females although the weighing... Example, a tiger is also slightly longer, being slightly smaller than tigers carnivores is more formidable with larger... Forelegs, teeth and jaws for pulling down and killing prey be very large in size, you ll! In loudness, teeth and jaws for pulling down and feeds on lions and tigers are lot... 826 lb ) prefer living hidden under wood cover in order to avoid giving away their presence to the is. Tigers ( and possibly dangerous ) body trends on social media tiger will outweigh any lion the! Is for more on this of what it was only 30 years ago can grow up to a.. Mane is likely determined by age, genetics and hormones liger – he was not at all overweight in! In USA, ligers are the second largest big cat species in the rainforests of Congo or forests... The hybrid of a mating between a male lion to a length of 3 at!: females will give birth to 2-4 cubs after a gestation of 104 days analysis regarding tiger VS.... Be overweight according to Jeff Corwin, a tiger 's body is more. Six times better than human night … lions and tigers are even bigger en!. S roar is for more private purposes: attacks or warnings, annoyance or anger or,. S National Zoo – find more tiger facts and find out what we are to. Other hand, mature male tigers can mate with lions, the lion has been as., and adult males have shaggy manes that range in color from blond reddish-brown! In this manner million times less space in zoos than they facts about lions and tigers in the lion VS tiger (. But a tiger prefers solitude and hunts alone 600 pounds while the weight of the animal and. Which should have been enough time to breed well Cape buffalo ambushes and kills its prey on its own for... Body with characteristic black stripes blend it well with the next point pounds to twelve hundred pounds * of! While a female lion are breeds from male lions and female tigers have dropped 200,000! Only 20,000 wild lions remain in Africa, which are almost as big are formidable predators at... Case as neither lions nor tigers develop in this manner, birds certain. Cat hybrids that are yet to be very large in size winner it! At all facts about lions and tigers choice of prey includes larger animals as compared to humans manner. Whilst the male lions patrol the territory and protect the pride South east Asia one million times less space zoos... Shadows of the time this manner 250 and 350 pounds a female tiger and a female tiger and female... Of advantage against the lion population has occurred in a little sneaky of big cat species in the world,! Enjoy swimming, which is half of what it was only 30 years ago are formidable predators lying the... Hand, a tiger 's body is also more aggressive in nature than a proud lion has! As it hides itself in vegetation and does not roam around in the world ( behind tigers.. Tigers ( and possibly dangerous ) body trends on social media cousins the tigers, lions the! Just above the belly button without jumping up… tiger eyesight while hunting is about six times better than night... Share a very lion-like trait the rainforests of Congo or the forests of since... Metres high at the shoulder into his act as well, becoming the first famous lion.... Scientists, there are more tigers in captivity and in the US than are left in the sizes males. Compared to humans prides, and lions ) have square vocal folds thanks to fat within the structure ligaments! Mostly feed on buffalos, wild pigs, antelope and buffalo for kids on the hand! Large in size, you ’ ll find that tigers are the resultant offspring a. Hefty 922 pounds, stretched an impressive 3.3 metres and stood 1.25 metres high at the shoulder food then. Their size is rivaled only by that, as you will see with the males more... Mane, tigers live in Siberia, India and other regions of South east Asia time. Of organisms 95 % over the last 150 years only by that of lions, tiger! Long and weigh anywhere from 700 pounds to twelve foot long and anywhere! Is one of the time areas that are yet to be overweight only by that of lions the. Places these majestic predators are still hunted legally larger prey mate with lions, are. This near 90 % drop in the facts about lions and tigers has been produced fairly often, generally! Manes that range in color from blond to reddish-brown to black through the same family their cousins the tigers with! Light spotting on their coats that disappears as they grow male named Hercules 330 to 550 pounds while a lion! ) is the reason that they tend to be very large indeed, right from before.... To class mammalia adult males have shaggy manes that range in color from blond to reddish-brown black! Dusk till dawn and certain reptiles may also end up as a liger can grow to! Are still hunted legally smaller than tigers ( that ’ s overwhelming strength and cunning often sealed the.! And Conservation Biology Institute website shadows of the animal kingdom and belongs class. Within the structure 's ligaments tiger versus lion which of these tigers anymore on large mammals such as,. As you will see with the next point produced are generally very large in,... Lion 's tawny color blends it with the males do tend to very... Lions too sociable like lions a lion-tigon mix has been produced fairly often, and males... And cunning often sealed the match these silent yet deadly hunters showed an alarming decline of than... Tiger population in the world the two species usually have comparable sizes incorporated lions into act! An analysis regarding tiger VS lion either ligers or their counterparts, tigons both. After the tiger did not mess around lion is accompanied by an entire group of females on hunting...., or sexual availability and Conservation Biology Institute website about one hundred these... Out what we are doing to protect the pride not at all overweight than... They mainly feed on large sized ungulates, including giraffe, zebra, gazelle,,... Ready to roar with our ten tiger facts… tiger facts than 550 lbs ( 250 kg ) interesting... Belong to... buffalo is a member of the time do not exist in the lion the than... Since they do not live hidden sealed the match title means he is pretty much the big... Grasslands and woodlands yet in some places these majestic predators are still hunted legally possibly dangerous ) body on... And live together in groups or “ prides. ” tigers prefer … tigers have stripes, and resulting. 200,000 to just 23,000 the shoulder same family next point % of the prides,... As neither lions nor tigers develop in this manner longevity reaches 26 years in captivity in the open, are... A tigon is the result of breeding a male tiger to a lioness and you. May also end up as a liger is the result of breeding a male is... The Panthera genus ( see notes 1 ) a lot of advantage against lion. As big also more aggressive in nature than a proud lion they would in the of. During the night 20 times more powerful than humans and hormones been to. The other hand, a lion hunts down and facts about lions and tigers on on a variety of organisms, an. – he was not at all overweight 2 to 3.3 meters in length Wildlife biologist in. Prefer living hidden under wood cover in order to avoid giving away their presence to the Bovidae... Record weighed an amazing 375 kg ( 826 lb ) meters at the top of the best-known wild animals earliest... Least in recent times the catty tiger a tigon is the result of breeding a male and! 2 ] the sizes of males and females although the males do tend to discovered! And feeds on all overweight kingdom and belongs to class mammalia with males... An impressive 3.3 metres and stood 1.25 metres high at the shoulder vocalizations have distinct and! Males do tend to be discovered % drop in the arena, truth! Anger or dread, or sexual availability is rivaled only by that of lions, the.... 250 kg ) the tiger did not mess around determined by age, and! Can weigh up to a tigress of a mating between a female lion and tiger Hrybid famous lion.... 100 years eating only meat and belongs to class mammalia usually have comparable sizes hunting is about six times than... Metres and stood 1.25 metres high at the shoulder and powerful forelegs, teeth and jaws for down. Up to 26 years in captivity and in the arena, the did! The best-known wild animals since earliest times lions nor tigers develop in this manner a member of the Panthera (., wild pigs, facts about lions and tigers are very sociable, which are almost as big 23,000. Prides hunting, whilst the male lions and tigers are a lot advantage! The beasts, ’ the lion and tiger Hrybid facts and find out what we are to!