The Cave Lion (Panthera spelaea and Panthera fossilis)

[peter]

AMATEUR SPECIALISTS 

In the days I visited one museum after the other, I met a number of people interested in Pleistocene big cats. Some of them had collected a lot of information over the years. Every now and then, we discussed Pleistocene big cats and those of today. At times, conservators joined and showed us a number of great skulls. Based on the measurements I had, we concluded that European lions had been larger than the largest wild big cats measured in the last 2 centuries or so. 

We never got to a satisfying conclusion on size because of a lack of data, but the bones and skulls I saw were large, dense and heavy. Most were found in southern and eastern parts of Europe. Judging from the info recently posted by Tigerluver, those found in central Europe could have been even larger. 

Many of these amateur specialists, all of them well-educated and well-informed, thought the size of European lions had declined during the Pleistocene. Climate change could have been a reason. The changes had a profound effect in that forests replaced plains. The result was the large herds moved south and east. Some lions followed. 

Lions remaining in the northwestern part of Europe showed a greater decline in size than lions who followed the herds. They also hunted different animals. Bones of European lions found in the west of Europe and in the sea that separates Europe from the UK are smaller than those found in southern and central parts of Europe. Based on what I read and heard, however, males still reached impressive dimensions. One of the few who tried to get to a bit of insight in dimensions concluded that the male found in the western part of Germany some decades ago reached a length only seldom seen in the big cats of today (200-210 cm. in head and body in a straight line).

THE SIZE OF PLEISTOCENE EUROPEAN LIONS

It's difficult to imagine a big cat with a greatest skull length ranging between 370-500 mm., let alone get to a decent guesstimate on body dimensions.

If we want to give it a try, we have no option but to use information about big cats shot between 1850-1950 in Africa and Asia. The reason is there are enough records and details. The problem is we have no clue as to the correlation between size and mass in Pleistocene big cats. As they could have been more robust than big cats of today (likely), we could contemplate adding reliable info about brown bears (if we know how they compare to big cats). The problem is there is no study. Furthermore, there are significant differences between big cats and bears. Big cats are full-time hunters, whereas bears are omnivores.

For a hunter, weight is important. The limit, apart from individual variation, depends on the local conditions. Today, a big cat of 400 pounds is a large animal everywhere. The only regions that would qualify are India, Nepal, parts of Indochina, Russia and some parts of Africa. If we raise the bar to 450, India, Nepal and, perhaps, a few hotspots in Africa remain. If the bar is raised to 500, not one region, except for a few hotspots, would qualify. For this reason, I propose to use 475 pounds as the limit of today (averages for adult males). Based on what we have, only some parts in India and Nepal would qualify. 

How use what we have to get to a guesstimate for European Pleistocene lions? here's some ideas. 

ASSUMPTIONS, PROPOSALS AND CALCULATIONS 

We know that the largest representatives of a species can be 30-40% larger than average (big cats). This means the expected 'normal' maximum would range between 602,5 (30% of 475) and 700 (40% of 500) pounds.

Any details known about these giants? Yes. Extra-large tigers nearly always are longer (referring to total length and not head and body length) than average, but not to the degree seen in mass. An extra length of 10-15% seems to result in an extra mass of 30-40%. This means that mass, when length is increased, increases by a factor 2, if not more. 

Have lions of 600 pounds or thereabout been shot, measured and weighed? Yes. Same for tigers ranging between 650-700 pounds or even a bit over? The answer again is affirmative, meaning the hypothesis above can't be rejected directly. Anything known about the greatest skull length of extra-large individuals? Yes. The longest tiger skulls most probably reach 16 inches or a bit over. Lions can reach 16,5-17,0 inches with less mass. Anything known about the correlation between greatest skull length and mass or other dimensions in tigers? Yes. Although some individuals, like the Hasinger tiger of 10.7 straight in total length who had a greatest skull length of 14 inches only (about average), seem to point in another direction, reliable data from Cooch Behar showed a positive correlation between greatest skull length, body dimensions, age and mass. 

The Cooch Behar tables I posted a year ago said males averaged 461 pounds and 295 cm. in total length 'over curves' about a century ago. I propose to assume they averaged about 14 inches (about 353 mm.) in greatest total skull length. I also posted a table which had information on long-skulled male tigers. Same region. These males averaged 375 mm. in greatest total skull length, 493 pounds in weight and 10 feet in total length (measured  'over curves'). They were about 3% longer than an average male in total length (measured 'over curves'). In greatest total skull length and weight, they had about 6-7% on an average male.

RESULTS

If we use the data from Cooch Behar to get to an assessment on the size of Pleistocene big cats, we have to assume that European lions compared to Cooch Behar tigers in all respects. This, most definitely, was not the case, but we have no other option for now.

I propose to use an average greatest total skull length of 450-460 mm. for starters. This means the Pleistocene European lions had about 30% on Cooch Behar tigers. It also means they were about 15% longer (total length measured 'over curves') and 35% heavier. If we use everything we have, an average Pleistocene male European lion would have averaged 600-620 pounds and 339 cm. in total length 'over curves'. If we assume that extra-large individuals, weightwise, also had 30-40% on an average male (of 610 pounds), just like today, they would have maxed out at 780-860 pounds, maybe a bit more (the outcome of the calculations was based on very conservative assumptions). Giants of that weight, if they had been similar to Cooch Behar tigers in all respects, would have been 375-385 cm. in total length measured 'over curves' (12.4-12.8). Measured in a straight line, they could have reached 11.6-12.0 (350-366 cm.).

DISCUSSION

There's no doubt that Pleistocene European lions and Cooch Behar tigers were very different animals. If we include everything we know about density, mass and size, the European lions might have been a bit shorter than what was assumed above (11.6-12.0 in total length in a straight line), but more robust and, as a result, less agile. Not saying they would have compared to brown bears of today, but they would have been very robust. This is what the bones and skulls suggest. It's difficult to imagine. A true cat of 800 pounds and over would have needed large herbivores close to home to stand a chance.

On the other hand. When the British entered India and started hunting big cats in earnest, they, not seldom, were amazed at what they saw. How many writers reported about tigers reaching 11 and even 12 feet in total length? Did all of them, as many seem to think, escape from an asylum where they had been taught that a foot has 11 inches? Were they released on the condition they would move to India and target tigers only? Did those who had a position in life agree to cheat everyone at every possible opportunity? This in the days a position and responsability were connected and still had some meaning? Why is it the calculations above produced results that, to a degree, support the information about size in the countless reports about extra-large tigers shot in the 18th and the first half of the 19th century? Why is it that Nepal male tigers lost 4 inches in total length when they had been hunted for a decade only? And why is it that two of the few males actually weighed still bottomed a 600-pound scale (Nepal has about 200 tigers only)?   

As to the size of Pleistocene European male lions. My guess is they didn't need 780-860 pounds to produce skulls with a greatest total length of 450-460 mm. (at similar size, lions produce longer skulls than tigers). Those who got to 500 mm., however, might have reached or exceeded the weights mentioned. Also remember the weights were based on conservative assumptions. 

Tigers living in regions that have big herds of large herbivores are more robust than tigers elsewhere. Some males seem to be out of this world. In these hotspots, males could reach an average of 500 pounds. What would happen when the reserve would be tripled in size and humans would be removed for a long time? If we add serious protection and severe legislation, anything is possible. Protection and good conditions apparently had an effect on the size of tigers in the Imperial Hunting Reserve in the extreme east of China (see 'The Tiger's Claw'). Not saying an average male would exceed 600 pounds In Assam in a decade from now, but they could surprise us. Size is a bit of a mystery in big cats.  

Returning to Pleistocene European lions. The bones found recently suggest they might have been among the largest big cats ever. Similar to the Pleistocene Java tigers or even larger? Could be. Bones of jaguar-like cats found recently also point in the direction of a very large cat, quite a bit larger than his relatives in South America. Europe wasn't the cradle of big cats, but it could have produced the largest big cats ever. Reply