There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
I've tried that email and never received any response. Its the same one Benton used.
If any body else wants to give it a try, let us know how it turns out.
Edit: Tigerluver confirming it is enough for me.
But the regression theory used on the chest girth of the 6 lions measured, never actually weighed and gave a rough estimate of 190-225kg and Chest girth isn't the best correlation to body weight I believe.
Peter wrote:
"Regarding Ngorogoro lions. In spite of many decades of research in many regions in Africa and in spite of countless tables with weights, only one Ngorogoro male was actually weighed. It was a young adult, who scaled 146 kg. Very different from the computed average for young adults in the page above (206 kg.). A disappointing result, but there you have it.
Anything to add? Yes. The regression equation was debated on AVA. Apollyon contacted Packer. The conclusion they got to was the equation was inadequate. More? Yes. I saw a few documentaries in which lions were measured. I noticed that chest girths were not taken in the proper way. They only measured half of the girth, as this meant they didn't have to move the lion. I understand (a male lion is a heavy animal), but I wouldn't get to satisfactory. There's one more thing. Everything I have on wild lions suggests adult males outaverage adult females by about 60-70 kg. Let's assume the average for Ngorogoro females (127 kg.) was right and let's also assume that Ngorogoro lions are big animals. I propose to take 70 kg. as the average difference. That would result in 197 kg. at best. Different from 212 kg. Maybe the relation between chest girth and weight is different in lions, tigers and bears.
Are Ngorogoro lions smallish animals then? No. One can't exclude they could be heavier than in other regions, but I have doubts. After everything I read, saw and heard, I think lions in South Africa are the largest at the level of averages. The Ngorogoro's could be as heavy, but this would be a result of a large prey base. Not body dimensions. And that's all there is to say about Ngorogoro lions for now, I think."
While 200+ kg is a large lion, many lions from all over have reached that weight. So its not like you are seeing Crater lions bottoming out scales that no other lions from different areas aren't.
Their weights are attainable by other lions from other areas, 225kg for a lion is large, but if that is the largest weight than it fits in with lions measured from other areas. Their max usually hits around 225kg.
And the fact that none have actually been weighed outside of the 146kg male, there really is no way to prove any of it.
So my conclusion is, Crater lions are large lions, if chest girth was a end all sign of body weight I would agree that they are the top tier. But since they are estimates and chest girth is not fool proof when determining weight of lions, I don't think I'm ready to throw in the towel just yet.
190kg-225kg is a large size for lions but if the max is 225kg, I don't think that is the largest lion walking in africa. There are just to many discrepancies between lions in the same area, some larger than 225kg from other areas outside of the crater so by all accounts, they would be larger but those same areas would have smaller lions as well.
It would hold true in the crater as well, imo.
BODY SIZE AND MASS OF NGORONGORO CRATER LIONS
