Telling them apart
Jaguar vs Lion
These two are in the same family, so the differences are in the detail.
Jaguar
Panthera onca
Lion
Panthera leo
Field marks
Jaguar
Lion
build
Build is compact and muscular, on legs noticeably shorter than other big cats of the same weight.
en.wikipedia.orgNot recorded
coat
Rosettes are large and dark with a small central spot visible inside each.
en.wikipedia.orgAdult coat is plain tawny with no spots or rosettes; cub spots fade by adulthood.
en.wikipedia.orgface
Not recorded
Males carry a prominent mane covering the head, shoulders, and chest.
en.wikipedia.orgtail
Tail is proportionally very short, the shortest of any big cat.
en.wikipedia.orgTail tip carries a dark hairy tuft shared by all lions.
en.wikipedia.orgVitals
Jaguar
Lion
Mass
50.4 to 83.9 kg
98 to 175 kg
Height
57 to 81 cm
100 to 120 cm
Lifespan
up to 28.4 yrs
up to 30 yrs
In the field
Jaguar
Lion
Active
Night (nocturnal)
Night (nocturnal)
Status
Near threatened
Vulnerable
Recorded in
Costa Rica
Namibia
Their recorded ranges do not overlap in the atlas, so a sighting is very unlikely to be ambiguous in the field.