Head to head
Tiger vs Lion
The tiger and the lion are the two largest cats alive, and they almost never meet — tigers hold Asia, lions hold Africa. The one place their ranges still overlap is a sliver of India. Here is how the "king of the jungle" and the biggest cat of all actually compare.
| Tiger | Lion | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | Forests and grasslands of Asia | African savanna; ~700 Asiatic lions in India |
| Weight | 90–300 kg (Siberian males heaviest) | 120–190 kg (male), 90–130 kg (female) |
| Body length | 2.5–3.9 m with tail | 1.7–2.5 m plus a ~1 m tail |
| Social life | Solitary and territorial | The only social big cat — lives in prides |
| Who hunts | The individual, always alone | Mostly the lionesses, cooperatively |
| Top speed | 49–65 km/h | ~80 km/h in short bursts |
| Swimming | Strong swimmer, seeks out water | Avoids water, swims only when it must |
| Roar range | Up to ~3 km | Up to ~8 km |
| Conservation status | Endangered (~4,500 wild) | Vulnerable (~23,000–39,000 wild) |
Tiger vs Lion: common questions
Who would win in a fight, a tiger or a lion?
One-on-one, most historical accounts and the size difference favour the tiger — it is heavier, and a solitary hunter used to fighting alone. But lions usually operate in coalitions, and two or three cooperating males would likely overpower a single tiger.
Is a lion or a tiger bigger?
The tiger. The largest subspecies, the Siberian (Amur) tiger, can reach 300 kg, while a big male lion tops out around 190 kg. Bengal tigers also generally outweigh lions.
Did tigers and lions ever live together?
Yes. Both once ranged across the Middle East, the Caucasus, and India. Today the only overlap is the Gir Forest region of India, and even there tigers and Asiatic lions occupy largely different areas.