brown bear vs Lion

Ursus arctos compared with Panthera leo

Key Differences

• brown bear is Extinct while Lion is Vulnerable.
• brown bear is omnivore while Lion is carnivore.
• brown bear is 1.6x heavier than Lion.
• brown bear lives longer (25 years vs 15 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	brown bear	Lion
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order same	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Ursidae (Bears)	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Ursus (Bears)	Panthera (Big Cats)
Species	Ursus arctos	Panthera leo

Evolutionary Relationship

brown bear and Lion share a common ancestor at the Order level: Carnivora. (Carnivorans)

Conservation Status

brown bear

EX — Extinct

Population: ~200.0K

Trend: Stable →

Lion

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~23.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	brown bear	Lion
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	25 years	15 years
Average Length	2.0 m	2.5 m
Average Weight	300.0 kg	190.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

brown bear

Habitat

Typically found in a wide range of habitat types.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries).

Lion

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Kenya. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

brown bear

The world's most widely distributed bear species, brown bears range from North America and Europe across Russia to Japan, occupying forests, tundra, and alpine meadows. Adults can weigh up to 700 kg in coastal Alaskan populations. Omnivores that consume berries, roots, fish, and carrion, brown bears are a keystone species that distribute nutrients across landscapes. Most populations are stable, though some subspecies are threatened.

Lion

The largest wild cat in Africa, lions reach up to 250 kg and are the only social felids, living in prides across sub-Saharan savannas and grasslands. Males are distinguished by their iconic manes. As apex predators, they regulate herbivore populations and maintain ecosystem balance. Listed as Vulnerable due to habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict.