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Polar bear vs Tiger

Polar bear vs tiger
Polar bear is larger on weight
Polar bear is 2× tiger on weight.

A polar bear and a tiger 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.
Polar bear Tiger
Weight 150–700 kg 100–310 kg
Height 1–1.6 m 0.8–1.1 m
Length 1.8–3 m 1.7–2.3 m
Top speed 40 km/h 50–65 km/h
Typical lifespan 20–32 yr 8–26 yr
Bite force 1,200 psi 1,050 psi

What the numbers say

  • Polar bear is 2× tiger on weight.
  • Polar bear is somewhat greater than tiger on height — about 1.3×.
  • Polar bear is somewhat greater than tiger on length — about 1.2×.
  • Tiger is 1.6× polar bear on top speed.
  • Polar bear is 2.3× tiger on typical lifespan.
  • Polar bear is somewhat greater than tiger on bite force — about 1.1×.

Weight compared.

Polar bear 150–700 kg
Tiger 100–310 kg

Polar bear

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

Tiger

The largest living cat, with Amur and Bengal tigers the heaviest subspecies.

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, polar bear or tiger?
Polar bear is 2× tiger on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do polar bears and tigers compare on height?
Polar bear: 1–1.6 m. Tiger: 0.8–1.1 m. Polar bear is somewhat greater than tiger on height — about 1.3×.
How do polar bears and tigers compare on length?
Polar bear: 1.8–3 m. Tiger: 1.7–2.3 m. Polar bear is somewhat greater than tiger on length — about 1.2×.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution
  2. Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
  3. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked