Known as the king of the jungle, the lion is one of the largest land mammals in the world. Whether you’re watching them at the zoo or on the silver screen, there’s no question they’re captivating. But, did you know the biggest lion ever kept in a zoo?
If you don’t, don’t worry. We’ll introduce you to him, and many other supersized lions. Ready to learn more? let’s start!
common lion
Before you move on to some of the largest lions, it’s important to know the average size of a lion. It helps you get an idea of how big some of these lions below are compared to lions you might encounter in the wild or even in a zoo.
The average lion is 6 to 7 feet long and about 4 feet tall at the shoulder. As for their weight, they’re not as heavy as you might think. Lions tend to weigh less than 500 pounds, with a maximum weight of 280 pounds for females and 420 pounds for males.
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Biggest lion ever at the zoo
If you visited Ireland around 1959, you would have been able to see the largest lion ever seen in a zoo. The lion was found at Dublin Zoo weighing 827 pounds. It’s not just tires for monster trucks! This giant lion is also very long, about 10 feet long.
Due to its size, the lion is believed to be the largest ever seen at the zoo. He also happens to be one of the largest lions ever lived, both in the wild and in captivity.
Largest living lion in captivity
While few lions ever reach the size of the largest lions a zoo has ever seen, supersized lions are not history. In fact, even today you can find exceptionally large lions.
The largest living lion is named Hercules. You can find him at the Myrtle Beach Wildlife Park in South Carolina on the east coast of the United States. However, he is no ordinary lion.
Hercules was actually a hybrid known as a liger. These animals are the product of mating between male lions and female tigers. If a female lion mates with a male tiger, their offspring are known as tigons. Unlike many other animal hybrids, ligers and tigons are not sterile. A lion-tiger hybrid, Hercules could still claim to be the largest living lion the zoo has ever seen.
Hercules stands 4.1 feet tall at the shoulders. He weighed 920 pounds—almost half a ton! It’s the same with some grizzlies.
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other supersized lions
Now that you’ve met some of the biggest captive lions, it’s time to meet some of the biggest lions in the wild. There are actually several species of lions, not all of which are still alive (existing). You’ll be able to meet the largest of the two worlds below, including living and extinct lions.
largest wild lion
The world’s largest lion was shot in South Africa in 1936. While that was almost a century ago, we have yet to find a lion bigger than this one. Posthumously, the lion weighed 690 pounds. That’s almost double the average maximum size!
largest extinct lion
The lions of the past were not quite the same as the lions we know and love today.
When you think of lions, you probably think of the Eastern Hemisphere. Both African and Asian lions exist, and it’s hard to imagine them existing anywhere else. However, the largest extinct lion species can actually be found in the Western Hemisphere!
American cave lion (black panther) actually has many names, including cougar or North American lion. Fossils of them have been found from Alaska to Mexico, and they are estimated to have lived 340,000 years ago.
We’re actually not quite sure where these super-big cats went after their extinction about 11,000 years ago. However, they appear to have become extinct at the same time as many Ice Age animals.
It is estimated that the North American lion can reach a height of five feet at the shoulder. They are also 12 feet long and can average up to 800 pounds.
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next
- Discover the world’s largest lion!
- Types of Lions: Every Lion Species and Lower Classifications
- Cave Lions vs. Modern Lions: Who Will Win in a Fight?
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
