Lion vs Natal orange

Panthera leo compared with Strychnos spinosa

Key Differences

• Lion is Vulnerable while Natal orange is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Lion	Natal orange
Kingdom	Animalia (животные)	Plantae (растения)
Phylum	Chordata (хордовые)	Magnoliophyta (магнолиофиты)
Class	Mammalia (млекопитающие)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Carnivora (хищные)	Gentianales (горечавкоцветные)
Family	Felidae (Cats)	Loganiaceae
Genus	Panthera (Big Cats)	Strychnos
Species	Panthera leo	Strychnos spinosa

Conservation Status

Lion

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~23.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Natal orange

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Lion	Natal orange
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	2.5 m	—
Average Weight	190.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic 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.

Natal orange

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Guinea and United States.

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.