---
title: "Bottlenose dolphin vs lion — size, weight and speed compared"
description: "Bottlenose dolphin is 1.6× lion on weight. Compared on 4 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/bottlenose-dolphin-vs-lion/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Bottlenose dolphin vs Lion

**Bottlenose dolphin vs lion: Bottlenose dolphin is larger on weight**

Bottlenose dolphin is 1.6× lion on weight.

A bottlenose dolphin and a lion can be compared on 4 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

## Side by side

*Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.*

|  | Bottlenose dolphin | Lion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | 150–650 kg | 120–250 kg |
| Length | 2–4 m | 1.6–2.5 m |
| Top speed | 35 km/h | 60–80 km/h |
| Typical lifespan | 30–60 yr | 10–20 yr |

## What the numbers say

- Bottlenose dolphin is 1.6× lion on weight.
- Bottlenose dolphin is somewhat greater than lion on length — about 1.3×.
- Lion is 2.3× bottlenose dolphin on top speed.
- Bottlenose dolphin is 2.9× lion on typical lifespan.

*Weight compared.*

- Bottlenose dolphin: 150–650 kg
- Lion: 120–250 kg

## Bottlenose dolphin

The dolphin most people picture, and the one most often kept in aquaria.

## Lion

The second-largest living cat and the only one that lives in permanent social groups.

> This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

## Common questions

### Which is bigger, bottlenose dolphin or lion?

Bottlenose dolphin is 1.6× lion on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

### How do bottlenose dolphins and lions compare on length?

Bottlenose dolphin: 2–4 m. Lion: 1.6–2.5 m. Bottlenose dolphin is somewhat greater than lion on length — about 1.3×.

### How do bottlenose dolphins and lions compare on top speed?

Bottlenose dolphin: 35 km/h. Lion: 60–80 km/h. Lion is 2.3× bottlenose dolphin on top speed.

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## Sources

- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — NOAA (https://www.noaa.gov/) [Public domain (US Government)]
- Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (https://www.wikidata.org/) [CC0 1.0]
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)