Field reference
The same species records used across WildlifeDB, aligned side by side so differences in size, habitat, diet, and behavior are easier to verify.
Pick any two of the 178 species on the site. Mass, length, speed and lifespan are converted to one unit system and the ratio between them is computed, so “twice as heavy” is a number rather than an impression.
| Measure | Lion | Tiger | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body mass (adult range) | 249.5 kg265 pounds – 550 pounds | 299.4 kg220 pounds – 660 pounds | 1.2× heavier (right) |
| Body length (max) | 2.44 m4.5 feet – 8 feet | 3.05 m6 feet – 10 feet | 1.3× longer (right) |
| Top speed | 80.5 km/hUp to 50 mph in short bursts | 64.4 km/hUp to 40 mph in short bursts | 1.3× faster (left) |
| Lifespan in the wild | 14 yr10 to 14 years | 15 yr10 to 15 years | 1.1× longer-lived (right) |
| Class / order / family | Mammalia · Carnivora · Felidae | Mammalia · Carnivora · Felidae | Same family |
| Diet | Carnivore | Carnivore | Same diet type |
| IUCN status | Vulnerable · Decreasing | Endangered · Decreasing | — |
| Continents | Africa, Asia | Asia | Overlap: Asia |
| Biomes | Savanna | Tropical Forest, Temperate Forest, Savanna, Mangrove | Overlap: Savanna |
Ratios are computed from the upper end of each published adult range, so they compare typical large adults rather than record individuals. Where a value is descriptive rather than measured — most speeds — the row says so instead of inventing a number. The raw wording behind every figure is shown under it, and the whole table is downloadable from the species dataset.
19 comparisons
01
African elephants and white rhinoceroses share savanna landscapes and large body size, but their anatomy, feeding, social structure, and conservation pressures are different.
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African Elephant
White Rhinoceros02
A field comparison of the American alligator and Nile crocodile, including the physical clues that separate them and the limits of those shortcuts.
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American Alligator
Nile Crocodile03
The Arctic's two monodontid whales share an ice-shaped body plan, yet differ sharply in appearance, seasonal habitat use, communication, and diving behavior.
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Beluga Whale
Narwhal04
Caracals and servals are medium-sized African cats often confused with each other, but the caracal has plain fur and long black ear tufts while the serval is spotted with very tall legs and huge rounded ears.
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Caracal
Serval05
Despite the shared name, clouded leopards and snow leopards are different Asian cats: the smaller clouded leopard is a forest climber with cloud-shaped blotches, while the larger snow leopard is a thick-coated cat of high mountains.
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Clouded Leopard
Snow Leopard06
Coyotes and gray wolves are related Canis species, but wolves are larger pack hunters while coyotes use more flexible social groups and a broader diet.
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Coyote
Wolf07
Dugongs and manatees are slow-moving aquatic herbivores, but tail shape, snout form, range, and freshwater tolerance separate them.
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Dugong
Manatee08
Emus and ostriches are the two largest flightless birds, but the ostrich is the bigger and faster African species with two toes, while the emu is a smaller Australian bird with three toes whose males raise the chicks alone.
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Emu
Ostrich09
Foxes and wolves are both canids, but their size, social systems, prey choices, and use of territory make them very different animals in the field.
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FoxWolf10
Gharials and crocodiles are both crocodilians, but the gharial has an extremely narrow fish-catching snout and is harmless to people, while the broad-snouted crocodile is a powerful generalist predator that can be dangerous.
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GharialNile Crocodile11
They share bamboo forests and a misleading name, but giant pandas and red pandas are very different mammals with separate evolutionary lineages.
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Giant Panda
Red Panda12
Jaguars and leopards both have rosettes, but their continents, coat details, body build, prey, and relationship with water separate them.
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Jaguar
Leopard13
These spotted African cats are often confused, but coat pattern, body shape, climbing ability, speed, and hunting style separate them quickly.
Read the comparisonLeopard
Cheetah14
A data-led comparison of two Panthera cats, focused on body size, social systems, hunting, habitat, and conservation—not a speculative fight.
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Lion
Tiger15
Both are short-tailed Lynx species, but they live on different continents and differ in size, ear tufts, and typical prey.
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Eurasian Lynx
Bobcat16
Both animals are immense filter feeders in warm seas, but one is a ray with wing-like fins and the other is the world's largest fish.
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Giant Oceanic Manta Ray
Whale Shark17
Orcas and great white sharks can hunt some of the same marine prey, but one is a social air-breathing mammal and the other is a solitary gill-breathing fish.
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Orca
Great White Shark18
Polar bears and grizzly bears are close bear relatives, but one is a sea-ice seal hunter and the other is an omnivore of northern land ecosystems.
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Polar Bear
Grizzly Bear19
Sloth bears and sun bears are both small Asian bears with pale chest marks, but the sloth bear is larger and shaggy with a termite-eating snout, while the sun bear is the smallest bear, sleek-coated, and the most tree-dwelling.
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Sloth Bear
Sun Bear