Lion vs Polar bear

Panthera leo compared with Ursus maritimus

Key Differences

• Polar bear is 2.4x heavier than Lion.
• Polar bear lives longer (25 years vs 15 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Lion	Polar bear
Kingdom same	Animalia (动物界)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum same	Chordata (脊索动物门)	Chordata (脊索动物门)
Class same	Mammalia (哺乳動物)	Mammalia (哺乳動物)
Order same	Carnivora (食肉目)	Carnivora (食肉目)
Family	Felidae (Cats)	Ursidae (Bears)
Genus	Panthera (Big Cats)	Ursus (Bears)
Species	Panthera leo	Ursus maritimus

Evolutionary Relationship

Lion and Polar bear share a common ancestor at the Order level: Carnivora. (食肉目)

Conservation Status

Lion

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~23.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Lion	Polar bear
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	15 years	25 years
Average Length	2.5 m	2.4 m
Average Weight	190.0 kg	450.0 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.

Polar bear

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Lion

非洲最大的野生猫科动物，体重可达250公斤，是撒哈拉以南非洲稀树草原和草地中唯一营群居生活的猫科动物。雄狮以其标志性的鬃毛著称。作为顶级捕食者，狮子调节草食动物种群，维持生态系统平衡。因栖息地丧失和人兽冲突被列为易危物种。

Polar bear

北极熊是地球上最大的陆地食肉动物，体重可超过700千克，分布于从加拿大到俄罗斯的北极海冰区。是高度特化的海洋哺乳动物，依赖海冰捕猎环斑海豹和髯海豹。是优秀的游泳者，能够横渡广阔的开阔水域。被列为易危种，因气候变化导致北极海冰迅速减少，种群正受到严重威胁。