Animal
Lion
Africa's largest big cat.
120 cm (3'11")
- Measured
- Shoulder height: 3.5–4 ft (1–1.2 m).
- Source
- Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute: Lion · checked 19 September 2026
Compare Lion
Beside the average adult and its neighbours, on one scale. Add anything else from the catalog.
Size comparison: Lion
55 cm difference (1 ft 9.7 in). Average US adult man is taller than Lion.
About Lion
Lion: Africa's largest big cat.
Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute: Lion gives 120 cm (3'11") (Shoulder height: 3.5–4 ft (1–1.2 m)).
Next to the average US adult man (175 cm (5'9"), CDC), lion is 1.46 times shorter: a difference of 55 cm (1'10").
On this page you can put lion beside african elephant, bengal tiger, blue whale or anything else in the catalog, all on one scale.
Comparisons
- Human vs Lion — 175 cm (5'9") vs 120 cm (3'11")
Related animals
Frequently asked questions
How tall is a lion?
120 cm (3'11") (Shoulder height: 3.5–4 ft (1–1.2 m)), according to Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute: Lion.
Is a lion taller than a person?
No. The average US adult man is 175 cm (5'9") (CDC), so a lion at 120 cm (3'11") is 55 cm shorter.
Source
Measurement read from Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute: Lion on 19 September 2026. Shoulder height: 3.5–4 ft (1–1.2 m). HeightViz draws the figure the source gives and does not measure anything itself; if the source changes, this page is updated from it.
More height and size tools
- Height ComparisonCompare the heights of up to 10 people side by side on one accurate scale.
- Height Comparison ChartBuild a shareable height chart for friends, family or a team.
- Body VisualizerSee how height, weight and body type change a body's proportions.
- Size ComparisonCompare people with animals, objects, vehicles and buildings.
- Height Difference CalculatorTwo heights in any unit, the difference in every unit, drawn to scale.
- Height ConverterConvert between cm, metres, feet and inches, with a reference table.
- BMI CalculatorBody mass index from height and weight, with the published ranges.
- Height–Weight ChartThe weight range for each height that falls in the healthy BMI band.
- Average Height by CountryMen's and women's averages in 200 countries, from NCD-RisC, with a page each.
- Height PredictorEstimate a child's adult height from both parents' heights with the published mid-parental method.
- Planet Size ComparisonThe planets, the Moon and Pluto as discs on one scale, from NASA's diameters.
- Height Percentile CalculatorA child's height percentile and z-score for their age on the WHO or CDC reference.
- Growth ChartHeight-for-age percentile curves for boys and girls, WHO and CDC, with a plotted point.