---
title: "Lion vs polar bear — size, weight and speed compared"
description: "Polar bear is 2.4× lion on weight. Compared on 6 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/lion-vs-polar-bear/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Lion vs Polar bear

**Lion vs polar bear: Polar bear is larger on weight**

Polar bear is 2.4× lion on weight.

A lion and a polar bear can be compared on 6 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.*

|  | Lion | Polar bear |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | 120–250 kg | 150–700 kg |
| Height | 0.9–1.2 m | 1–1.6 m |
| Length | 1.6–2.5 m | 1.8–3 m |
| Top speed | 60–80 km/h | 40 km/h |
| Typical lifespan | 10–20 yr | 20–32 yr |
| Bite force | 650 psi | 1,200 psi |

## What the numbers say

- Polar bear is 2.4× lion on weight.
- Polar bear is somewhat greater than lion on height — about 1.2×.
- Polar bear is somewhat greater than lion on length — about 1.1×.
- Lion is 2× polar bear on top speed.
- Polar bear is 1.8× lion on typical lifespan.
- Polar bear is 1.8× lion on bite force.

*Weight compared.*

- Polar bear: 150–700 kg
- Lion: 120–250 kg

## Lion

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

## Polar bear

The largest living land carnivore, classified as a marine mammal because it hunts from sea ice.

> 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, lion or polar bear?

Polar bear is 2.4× lion on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

### How do lions and polar bears compare on height?

Lion: 0.9–1.2 m. Polar bear: 1–1.6 m. Polar bear is somewhat greater than lion on height — about 1.2×.

### How do lions and polar bears compare on length?

Lion: 1.6–2.5 m. Polar bear: 1.8–3 m. Polar bear is somewhat greater than lion on length — about 1.1×.

## Related pages

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## Sources

- Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (https://www.wikidata.org/) [CC0 1.0]
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)