Lion vs Grizzly Bear: When North America’s grizzly beast comes face to face with the king of them all, will the king keep his crown?
Lion
The lion, often referred to as “the king of the jungle”, has been a symbol of majesty, courage, and strength across many cultures for thousands of years. And for good reason. They’re one of the biggest and most powerful, yet regal, felines in the world.
A pride – or group of lions – can include a dozen or more females and up to three males.
A pride can take down prey multiple times their size and particularly large and experienced prides will even hunt elephants.
Male lions have been given a bad reputation for being “lazy” and “entitled”, since the females do 90% of the hunting, while the males stay at home. However, it’s not without reason that the females bring home the bacon, as they are the faster of the two and better fit for the hunt.
On the other hand, the males are charged with a different, yet arguably just as crucial job. It’s their responsibility to defend the pride’s territory and cubs, both from other predators and from other lions; the latter of which will attempt to usurp the alpha, kill the cubs, and then produce his own offspring with the pride’s lionesses.
Because it is in his nature to conquer, protect, and pass on his genes, being a warrior is deeply ingrained into a lion’s instincts, making him a frighteningly formidable opponent.
Grizzly Bear
As the second-largest species of bear (the Polar Bear being the largest), the Grizzly Bear is a predatory tank.
A full grown grizzly is said to be as strong as five or six men combined and, at nearly 1,000 psi, its bite force is powerful enough to crush a bowling ball.
Grizzly bears usually fight by biting and by using their powerful bodies to push and overpower their opponents.
In addition, they will use their claws, which are 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long, to maul prey until it dies.
As the furry Goliath of the wild, the Grizzly Bear is a force of nature on nightmarish levels.
Who would win: Lion vs Grizzly Bear
While both Grizzly Bears and lions are very powerful animals, Grizzlies are the bigger of the two. So, in order to make this battle as fair as possible, the lion represented in the following analysis is the largest one – the African Lion.
| Stats | African Lion | Grizzly Bear |
| Weight | 420 lbs (190 kg) | 400-790 lbs (181-358 kg) |
| Length (Tail included) | 10ft (3m) | 6.5 – 8 ft (2 – 2.5m) |
| Height | 4ft(1.2m) | 5 ft (1.5m) |
| Bite Force | 1,000 psi | 975 psi |
It’s pretty evident that the size factor is still in the Grizzly’s favor. In addition, they have greater stamina, are overall more aggressive, and are stronger.
The advantage the lion has over the bear is agility and more heavily ingrained warrior instincts. While the agility can be problematic for the Grizzly, its aggression can prove a match for the lion’s instincts.
Conclusion
The lion might be a mighty warrior, but the Grizzly Bear’s monstrous build and aggressive nature appear to be more than enough of a match for him.
The lion’s only chance of taking down a full grown Grizzly Bear could possibly be by carefully hunting it, surprising it, and going for its throat.
Even then, however, this advantage still wouldn’t necessarily guarantee a win for big cat, because the Grizzly’s offensive abilities are superior to that of the lion’s usual prey.
In the case of a face-off, the Grizzly will most likely end up the victor, because while the lion’s agility may be enough to keep it alive during a battle, it will probably end up fleeing to survive or, if injured, eventually succumbing to its wounds.