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.
--- Peter Broekhuijsen ---

  • 3 Vote(s) - 3.33 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Zoos, Circuses, Safaris: A Gallery of Captivity

India Hello Offline
Senior Member
****

(08-28-2019, 11:25 PM)Shadow Wrote:
(08-27-2019, 02:04 PM)Hello Wrote: 0:17 giant




That video made me curious and I contacted Givskud zoo and asked if they can tell weight of this lion Nkosi and Tau. I got reply from biologist working there. He said, that both, Nkosi and Tau were very big males and he didn´t have shoulder height but both weighed about 250 kg. He didn´t have exact weights to share at the moment and he is now on short holiday.

Interesting part was, that when I replied to him and said that only fit captive lion which I could remember weighing 250 kg was (or is) Aslan from Kristianstad zoo in Norway, he replied that "Aslan is the son of Tau, so that makes sense". It seems that phrase "like father like son" was once again spot on. @Pantherinae  did you know about this? 

Anyway interesting to know now more. If seeing videos of these three lions, Aslan, Tau and Nkosi in Kristianstad zoo and Givskud zoo, then you can see what big lion look like. Even though that won´t help too much when seeing other lions alone somewhere...

Also Aslan's father was caught from Kenya according to @Pantherinae,250 kg is very large for a wild lion.
Reply

India Hello Offline
Senior Member
****
( This post was last modified: 08-29-2019, 10:13 AM by Rishi )

A decent comparison between male species,We can see the anatomical difference.The lion is taller at the shoulder while tiger being longer and heavier.



Reply

Finland Shadow Offline
Contributor
*****

(08-29-2019, 10:10 AM)Hello Wrote: A decent comparison between male species,We can see the anatomical difference.The lion is taller at the shoulder while tiger being longer and heavier.




If you don´t know weights of these animals from zoo, you can´t say that tiger is heavier. Tigers and lions overlap a lot in weights and these lions can be heavier than those tigers. I don´t know are they, so I don´t say that they are. But you don´t know either. So don´t say like you would. Or have you asked from this zoo weights of these lions and tigers?
1 user Likes Shadow's post
Reply

India Hello Offline
Senior Member
****

(08-29-2019, 10:22 AM)Shadow Wrote:
(08-29-2019, 10:10 AM)Hello Wrote: A decent comparison between male species,We can see the anatomical difference.The lion is taller at the shoulder while tiger being longer and heavier.




If you don´t know weights of these animals from zoo, you can´t say that tiger is heavier. Tigers and lions overlap a lot in weights and these lions can be heavier than those tigers. I don´t know are they, so I don´t say that they are. But you don´t know either. So don´t say like you would. Or have you asked from this zoo weights of these lions and tigers?
I mean the tiger looks bulkier than the lion
Reply

India Hello Offline
Senior Member
****

There is a lion named Chuk weighing 300 kg Bigger than these lions. He is the biggest there, I am not sure about the weight.I guess it is an estimate But he looks nearly that much.






2 users Like Hello's post
Reply

Finland Shadow Offline
Contributor
*****

(08-29-2019, 10:55 AM)Hello Wrote:
(08-29-2019, 10:22 AM)Shadow Wrote:
(08-29-2019, 10:10 AM)Hello Wrote: A decent comparison between male species,We can see the anatomical difference.The lion is taller at the shoulder while tiger being longer and heavier.




If you don´t know weights of these animals from zoo, you can´t say that tiger is heavier. Tigers and lions overlap a lot in weights and these lions can be heavier than those tigers. I don´t know are they, so I don´t say that they are. But you don´t know either. So don´t say like you would. Or have you asked from this zoo weights of these lions and tigers?
I mean the tiger looks bulkier than the lion

Well that is then quite different thing. When I look this video I don´t dare to make estimations because lions look like to be robust individuals and tigers are there on background more. So in this I disagree a bit with you, I don´t see this video too good for comparisons. There are videos, where lions and tigers are in same enclosure and side by side. But problem is always it, that there are bigger and smaller tigers and lions. So in one comparison tiger can look bigger and in another it is lion. It is easy to find captive tigers and lions in weight range 180-250 kg, but heavier than that starts to be much more challenging. Some are, but not too many.
1 user Likes Shadow's post
Reply

Finland Shadow Offline
Contributor
*****
( This post was last modified: 08-29-2019, 02:00 PM by Shadow )

(08-29-2019, 11:01 AM)Hello Wrote: There is a lion named Chuk weighing 300 kg Bigger than these lions. He is the biggest there, I am not sure about the weight.I guess it is an estimate But he looks nearly that much.







I have seen also somewhere mentioned, that in that zoo/park there would be one 300 kg lion. But I haven´t  seen confirmation for it yet. When looking at that video of Chuk and how it looks like. And then thinking about Aslan who was that 252 kg and was very fit looking lion, why not. Thinking what Aslan looks like when 252 kg and then thinking there 50 kg more, Chuk looks like that, what it could be. Starting to have just a little bit extra, but not yet looking like.... hmmm.... "meatball" :)

So could be. I don´t personally see 300 kg for a lion impossible but without any doubt that big lion, if more or less fit, is something special.
Reply

India Hello Offline
Senior Member
****

(08-29-2019, 11:40 AM)Shadow Wrote:
(08-29-2019, 11:01 AM)Hello Wrote: There is a lion named Chuk weighing 300 kg Bigger than these lions. He is the biggest there, I am not sure about the weight.I guess it is an estimate But he looks nearly that much.







I have seen also somewhere mentioned, that in that zoo/park there would be one 300 kg lion. But I haven´t  seen confirmation for it yet. When looking at that video of Chuk and how it looks like. And then thinking about Aslan who was that 252 kg and was very fit looking lion, why not. Thinking what Aslan looks like when 252 kg and then thinking there 50 kg more, Chuk looks like that, what it could be. Starting to have just a little bit extra, but not yet looking like.... hmmm.... "meatball" :)

So could be. I don´t personally see 300 kg for a lion impossible but without any doubt that big lion, if more or less fit, is something special.

To my eyes Chuk reminds me of Simba (the largest lion in captivity).They maybe of same dimensions.I think Aslan has giant frame than both Simba and Chuk.If Aslan is added 50 kgs.He looks more fit than Chuk.Not fat,overweight and too lean.
Reply

Finland Shadow Offline
Contributor
*****

(08-30-2019, 12:00 PM)Hello Wrote:
(08-29-2019, 11:40 AM)Shadow Wrote:
(08-29-2019, 11:01 AM)Hello Wrote: There is a lion named Chuk weighing 300 kg Bigger than these lions. He is the biggest there, I am not sure about the weight.I guess it is an estimate But he looks nearly that much.







I have seen also somewhere mentioned, that in that zoo/park there would be one 300 kg lion. But I haven´t  seen confirmation for it yet. When looking at that video of Chuk and how it looks like. And then thinking about Aslan who was that 252 kg and was very fit looking lion, why not. Thinking what Aslan looks like when 252 kg and then thinking there 50 kg more, Chuk looks like that, what it could be. Starting to have just a little bit extra, but not yet looking like.... hmmm.... "meatball" :)

So could be. I don´t personally see 300 kg for a lion impossible but without any doubt that big lion, if more or less fit, is something special.

To my eyes Chuk reminds me of Simba (the largest lion in captivity).They maybe of same dimensions.I think Aslan has giant frame than both Simba and Chuk.If Aslan is added 50 kgs.He looks more fit than Chuk.Not fat,overweight and too lean.

Simba was of course simply obese. You mean this one I think:


*This image is copyright of its original author


When comparing "what if" we are naturally speculating. When seeing photos of Aslan, even though he is still fit in 250-260 kg, he isn´t as ripped like wild lions often are, imo. Not fat by any means but more weight to that and also fat starts to develop more. I see Chuk as in the middle of Aslan and Simba. That´s why I assume, that if Aslan would gain weight to 300 kg, his looks would also start to show first warning signs telling, that upper limit for healthy lion have been reached. Or almost there. 

My opinion is, that 300 kg is approximately as big as big cats can get and still be in fit condition. I know old records about 380-390 kg tigers, but I think (no matter what anyone says so no need to start debate to convince me, my opinion) that those are combinations of exceptional individuals in a bit fat shape and gorged. Or then there have been mistakes when making notes etc. But I have never seen any photos of those so difficult to know what those claimed monsters looked like really. Actually quite odd when knowing, that one was from 1967. Camera wasn´t that new invention anymore. If someone would happen to know a photo from that 1967 case it would be nice to see, I haven´t searched too much.

Anyway these photos/videos concerning Aslan, Chuk and Simba are, imo, good examples to show, what captive lion looks like when still fit, then with first signs of overweight and last Simba and clearly obese. When there is a big cat with average weight about 200 kg, even exceptional individuals have limits how much weight they can gain until too much is too much.
4 users Like Shadow's post
Reply

Virgin Islands, U.S. Rage2277 Offline
animal enthusiast
*****

blackjaguarwhitetiger-
To the left, a Tiger rescued by PROFEPA, and to the right, Alcyone. The difference is super noticeable, although this particular Tiger is in way better shape than the majority of the Tigers rescued from the circus. And he has a gorgeous face. That Tiger was living with a Lion and they still live together :) Obviously, if I were to put Alcyone together with this male, Alcyone would kill him. It’s a matter of size, and the other Tiger was declawed before arriving to us :)
3 users Like Rage2277's post
Reply

India Hello Offline
Senior Member
****
( This post was last modified: 11-15-2022, 07:49 PM by Hello )

700 pounds, I Guess it is an estimate and it is a private zoo,Healthy looking animal for its age.Very tall and lean
I estimate him to be 220-230 kg.In his prime he could have weighed slightly more.



1 user Likes Hello's post
Reply

India Hello Offline
Senior Member
****

Huge Retic



2 users Like Hello's post
Reply

Finland Shadow Offline
Contributor
*****
( This post was last modified: 08-31-2019, 09:33 PM by Shadow )

(08-31-2019, 10:51 AM)Hello Wrote: 700 pounds, I Guess it is an estimate and it is a private zoo,Healthy looking animal for its age.Very tall and lean
I estimate him to be 210-215 kg.In his prime he could have weighed slightly more.




These are always difficult estimations. But it looks like Zamba might have been one of the really big ones. Then again many examples show, that newspaper articles and media overall can´t be taken as 100% reliable sources. Reporters can put there figures, which are rounded upwards.

Anyway here two different articles, one says 700 lbs (317,5 kg) and then another article 650 lbs (295 kg). And articles are from approximately same time period and are both about that dental treatment.

700 lbs in this:

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/jan/01/roaring-back/

650 lbs here:

https://dentistry.llu.edu/about/school-news/lions-endodontist

Edit: In one blog he is mentioned to be 600 lbs (272 kg) lion by a person, who visited there to take photos of Zamba and paint him. Looks like that have to ask from that zoo to get some clearance. Still it looks like, that he really was a big boy (died 2012).
3 users Like Shadow's post
Reply

India Hello Offline
Senior Member
****

Weighing some animals at Indianapolis zoo.



3 users Like Hello's post
Reply

India Hello Offline
Senior Member
****




2 users Like Hello's post
Reply






Users browsing this thread:
2 Guest(s)

About Us
Go Social     Subscribe  

Welcome to WILDFACT forum, a website that focuses on sharing the joy that wildlife has on offer. We welcome all wildlife lovers to join us in sharing that joy. As a member you can share your research, knowledge and experience on animals with the community.
wildfact.com is intended to serve as an online resource for wildlife lovers of all skill levels from beginners to professionals and from all fields that belong to wildlife anyhow. Our focus area is wild animals from all over world. Content generated here will help showcase the work of wildlife experts and lovers to the world. We believe by the help of your informative article and content we will succeed to educate the world, how these beautiful animals are important to survival of all man kind.
Many thanks for visiting wildfact.com. We hope you will keep visiting wildfact regularly and will refer other members who have passion for wildlife.

Forum software by © MyBB