Great Hammerhead vs Lion

Sphyrna mokarran compared with Panthera leo

Key Differences

• Great Hammerhead is Critically Endangered while Lion is Vulnerable.
• Great Hammerhead is 2.4x heavier than Lion.
• Great Hammerhead lives longer (40 years vs 15 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Great Hammerhead	Lion
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Sphyrnidae (Hammerhead Sharks)	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Sphyrna (Hammerhead Sharks)	Panthera (Big Cats)
Species	Sphyrna mokarran	Panthera leo

Evolutionary Relationship

Great Hammerhead and Lion share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Great Hammerhead

CR — Critically Endangered

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Lion

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~23.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Great Hammerhead	Lion
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	40 years	15 years
Average Length	5.0 m	2.5 m
Average Weight	450.0 kg	190.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Great Hammerhead

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Taiwan, and Venezuela. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Great Hammerhead

The largest hammerhead shark species, great hammerheads reach up to 6 meters and are found in tropical and subtropical coastal waters worldwide. Their distinctive T-shaped head (cephalofoil) dramatically increases sensory surface area for electroreception, enabling them to detect buried stingrays through sand with exceptional precision — stingrays are a preferred prey. Critically Endangered, with populations declining dramatically due to highly valued fins and bycatch mortality.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia