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Have you ever wondered what makes a big cat like that? big cat? What about which of these ferocious felines is the biggest of them all? This big cat size comparison covers these facts and more – all while using everyday objects so you can see how big they are!
Some of the largest land predators in the world belong to the big cat family. By lions until tigers until leopards and more, their diversity allows them to exist in different shapes and sizes. Read more about how big some of these big cats are below.
lion size
Lions are also the fourth largest land predators, falling behind the polar bear, the grizzly bear, and another big cat on this list (talk about a big cat size comparison!).
On their shoulders, male lions can reach almost four feet in length. If you take their neck and head into account, you would most likely come face to face with these kings of the jungle! Like many other big cats, they can grow up to 3 meters in length.
Lions can also weigh up to 550 pounds, with smaller lions weighing just 330 pounds. however, the biggest lion once registered, passing in 1936, weighed a whopping 690 pounds – the same as the average motorcycle!
Lions are actually divided into several types of lions, or subspecies, which vary slightly in appearance and size. The smallest lions are the West African lion, and the largest is the Barbary lion, although it is now believed to be extinct.
Tiger Size
Tigers are the third largest land predator and the largest of the big cats.
The largest tiger is the Siberian tiger, and it is also the tiger world record holder. A Siberian tiger, a captive tiger named Jaipur, weighed over 900 pounds measured nearly 11 feet from nose to tail. That’s the same weight as a wing, and only a few feet shorter than the length of a giraffe!
However, Jaipur is a bit of an outlier, although not too much.
On average, most tigers weigh anywhere from 140 to 700 pounds. That is certainly a big difference, but it explains the different types of tigers.
For example, Siberian tigers like Jaipur are more likely to weigh about 690 pounds, about the same as a large automaton, and only about 9 to 10 feet long. Sumatran Tigershowever, are the smallest subspecies. Although they can reach about the same length, their maximum weight is 300 pounds – half that of the Siberian tiger!
The most common tiger subspecies is the Bengal or Indian tiger. These are the tigers you probably know best, and they account for nearly half of all wild tigers. On their shoulders, Bengal tigers are about 3.6 feet tall, or 43 inches. For reference, the largest dog, the Irish Wolfhound, is only 32 inches at the shoulder. Bengal tigers can also grow up to 10 feet in length and weigh as much as 490 pounds.
leopard size
When it comes to big cats, modern leopards aren’t a record setting, especially when compared to their other wild cousins. While leopards once rivaled even the largest lions, today’s leopards have a maximum weight of 200 pounds.
The largest subspecies of leopards is the Persian leopard. These ferocious felines can grow to nearly three feet long from nose to tail and weigh as much as 200 pounds – or about 15 times the size of your house cat!
The Arabian leopard is the smallest subspecies. They have a head to tail size of 6 to 7 feet and can weigh as little as 44 pounds as an adult.
snow leopard size
The snow leopard is a endangered species found in the high mountains of Asia.
While still smaller than the Persian leopard, the snow leopard is larger than the Arabian leopard. Born for the cold climate of the mountain peaks, snow leopards reach an average weight of about 70 pounds, although they can weigh as much as 90 pounds.
On their shoulders, snow leopards are about 2 feet tall, which is common for the leopard family. As for their body size, snow leopards are usually about 2 meters in length.
Human vs Big Cat Size Comparison
After learning how big some of the biggest big cats are, you may be wondering how big they are compared to you.
When it comes to shoulder height, you’ll find yourself taller than most of these big cats. The tallest here is the lion, which is still only four feet tall at the shoulders. That’s about the height of your average 8-year-old! However, leopards, including snow leopards, won’t be much larger than your typical canine companion. In fact they tend to be the same height as furry pups like Golden Retrievers.
However, on their hind legs, even the smallest of these felines can tower over you. The smallest leopard grows to at least 6 feet tall, which is several inches taller than the average human height. For large cats that can grow up to 3 meters in length, such as the tiger, they can be almost double the average adult human!
Humans can outweigh the largest leopards and eve
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some of the smallest subspecies of others included in this big cat size comparison. However, when it comes to the average weight of these big cats, humans hardly come close. Take both the heaviest lions and tigers for example – it can take almost 5 people to weigh the same as one of them!
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