Two teeth categories are particularly important: Lion’s teeth are perfectly designed for cutting into meat and crushing smaller bones. A lion’s teeth and jaw bones affect the bite force The pterygoid muscles play a lesser function but also contribute. The two muscles responsible for most of the bite force are the temporalis and masseter.
#LIONESS BITING LION NUTS FULL#
If there is pain in a tooth or the mouth (from an abscess, wound, or rotten tooth), a lion will be less likely to bite at its full potential, which, over time, might reduce the lion’s effective bite force (muscle atrophy and loss of strength). The lion’s muscle development and past injuriesĪ lion’s genetics also influence its muscle development.Īside from genetics, what the lion ate and what injuries they might have sustained during their lifetime (particularly to the face from fighting or by prey defending itself) play a role in determining a lion’s bite force. This size difference, along with other physical features, means that males have a stronger bite force than females. Males are usually more muscular and stronger than females.
While males and females range between 3.5 and 4 feet at the shoulder, male lions grow up to 10 feet (3 meters) in length (excluding the 2 to 3-foot tail) and weigh 330 to 550 pounds (150 to 250 kilograms).įemales are slightly shorter, reaching roughly 9 feet (2.7 meters) and weighing 265 to 395 pounds (120 to 179 kilograms). Sexual dimorphism in certain animals is a well-defined scientific fact. Lions usually reach maximum growth (particularly skeletal) after 3 to 4 years. However, as the lion ages past its prime, it also begins to lose some of that force.īigger lions (due to their superior genetics) would also have slightly higher bite forces than smaller lions as their muscles are larger.Ĭonsequently, most of the debate surrounding the commonly accepted 650 lb.-f bite force of lions comes from measuring a sub-adult lion. It stands to reason that a full-grown lion has a stronger bite force than an adolescent. Several factors contribute to how much force a lion applies when biting, including: The age and size of the lion An animal needs a strong bite force to cut, rip, hold onto, kill, or chew its food. An animal’s bite force is the amount of force they apply through their jaws and teeth. Factors influencing a lion’s bite forceĪ bite force is important for all animals (with jaws). Lions in the wild are usually relatively “skittish,” and may not bite the instrument correctly or repeat the experiment multiple times before moving away.Ĭaptive lions are also not the best for these experiments as the forces contributing to jaw muscle development in wild lions are often absent from captive lions, making their bite less potent. Unfortunately, this multiple sampling is not always feasible. Scientists may not always get accurate results in the first attempt, so they need to take multiple samples from as many individuals as possible for accuracy. Measuring an animal’s bite force is challenging and potentially hazardous (particularly those in the wild). Tigers ( Panthera tigris) are close relatives of lions and have a bite force of around 1050 lb.-f. While a lion’s commonly accepted bite force is 650 pounds of force (lb.-f), various sources indicate that lions apply a bite force of up to 1000 lb.-f (roughly 4450 newtons) or more under the correct conditions.įor an animal the size of a male lion, a bite of 1000 lb.-f seems far more likely than a measly 650 lb.-f. However, they are not the “top dogs” regarding biting power. As one of the most iconic denizens of the African plains, lions have an aura around them of regality and fame (or infamy). Lions ( Panthera leo) are the largest of Africa’s “big cats”.
All You Need to Know About a Lion’s Bite Force While their bite force might not seem impressive, lions can pull off some incredible displays of power with their teeth.īelow you’ll explore some factors contributing to a lion’s bite force, why they need this force, and how a lion’s bite compares to some of the other “big biters” of the African bush. Several factors contribute to the bite force strength, including the age of the lion, its sex, which teeth you’re measuring, and the method you’re using to calculate the force. While it’s a team effort, there’s usually a lion with its jaws locked around the buffalo’s neck, crushing the windpipe.īut have you ever wondered to yourself how much strength it takes to asphyxiate a buffalo? Or maybe you asked, what is the bite force of a lion?Īlthough considerable debate exists, a lion’s bite force averages between 6 lb.-f. One of the truly incredible moments while on safari in Africa is when you observe a pride of lions stalk up to a buffalo, explode from the grass, pounce on the startled bovid and wrestle it to the ground.
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