Leatherback Sea Turtle vs Leao

Dermochelys coriacea compared with Panthera leo

Key Differences

• Leatherback Sea Turtle is 2.6x heavier than Leao.
• Leatherback Sea Turtle lives longer (50 years vs 15 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Leatherback Sea Turtle	Leao
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (cordados)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Reptilia (réptil)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Testudines (Tartaruga)	Carnivora (carnívoros)
Family	Cheloniidae (Sea Turtles)	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Chelonia (Green Sea Turtles)	Panthera (Big Cats)
Species	Dermochelys coriacea	Panthera leo

Evolutionary Relationship

Leatherback Sea Turtle and Leao share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (cordados)

Conservation Status

Leatherback Sea Turtle

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~35.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Leao

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~23.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Leatherback Sea Turtle	Leao
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	50 years	15 years
Average Length	2.0 m	2.5 m
Average Weight	500.0 kg	190.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Leatherback Sea Turtle

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Costa Rica, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Trinidad and Tobago. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Leao

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.

Leatherback Sea Turtle

A tartaruga-de-couro é a maior tartaruga viva e o quarto réptil mais pesado. Ao contrário das demais tartarugas, possui uma carapaça mole e coriácea.

Leao

O maior felino selvagem da África, o leão pode atingir até 250 kg e é o único felídeo social, vivendo em grupos nas savanas e pastagens da África Subsaariana. Os machos se distinguem por suas icônicas juba. Como predadores de topo, regulam as populações de herbívoros e mantêm o equilíbrio do ecossistema. Classificado como Vulnerável devido à perda de habitat e ao conflito entre humanos e vida selvagem.