National Park Service White Sands U.S. Department of the Interior

White Sands National Monument American Lion

American Lions / Panthera atrox; Panthera leo atrox (NPS photo) ou have probably heard about African lions, but did you know lions once lived around the world? During the YPleistocene epoch (the last ice age), lions lived in Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America, giving them one of the largest ranges of any mammal! The lions that lived in North America were called American lions.

For paleontologists, these lions are American lions formidable hunters White Sands National Monument. At a source of debate; their taxonomy as well, similar to modern lions. Long that time, they would have found a (classification) and how they are legs would have allowed American giant lake called Lake Otero instead of related to other big cats is uncertain. lions to sprint very fast, possibly up sand dunes. A recent genetics suggests that to 30 miles (almost 50 km) per hour! American lions evolved from Eurasian However, it is probable that they American lions roamed across North cave lions that crossed the Beringia could not sprint for long periods of America for thousands of years. land bridge into North America. time and had to rely on ambushes. Around 10,000 years ago, however, Being a carnivore, American lions they went extinct, alongside a lot of Atrox, in the lion’s scientific name would have probably hunted various other Pleistocene megafauna. The Panthera leo atrox, means “cruel” or other Pleistocene animals, such as exact reasons are unknown. Their “frightful” in Latin, and from what horses, deer, camels, ground sloths, extinction may have been due to we can tell, this certainly describes young mammoths, and bison. They human interference (humans hunting American lions! Standing at almost might have hunted and lived alone or the prey American lions relied on), four feet (1.2 m) tall at the shoulder, in small prides, kind of like modern climate change, or both. Whatever the almost eight feet (2.5 m) long, and lions. cause, the reign of the lions in North over 500 pounds (230 kg) in weight, America came to an end. Today, these American lions were bigger than Whether the American lion hunted by animals are still studied and imagined modern lions. They had long, slender itself or in groups, it must have been through the clues they left behind. legs with retractable claws, and they successful. During their time walking could roar. Although it is not certain the earth, American lions walked if American lions had manes or not, themselves all across North America. their large size and bulk, sharp teeth Fossils have been found from Canada and claws, and long legs would have to as far south as Chiapas, Mexico. made them a frightful sight indeed. With this range, American lions likely made it to the Tularosa Basin in New These long legs would have made Mexico, which is today home to

Revised 09/5/2016