Last Updated on April 15, 2024 by Amin Tawar
Saber Tooth Tiger Height & Length
The saber-tooth tiger, also known as the saber-toothed cat or Smilodon, was a fossilized mammal that lived in the Pleistocene era (about 2.5 million to 11,000 years ago). It was a large carnivorous cat with distinctively long canines that were used to kill and tear apart prey, hence the name “saber-tooth.”
If you’re curious how these tigers differed from the modern tigers that we are aware of, I can tell you that while the size of saber-tooth tigers varied depending on the species, they were generally larger than tigers today.
The largest species, Smilodon populator, was reportedly about 6.5 feet (2 meters) long from head to tail and stood about 3.5 feet (1.1 meters) tall at the shoulder.
It’s important to keep in mind that these estimates might not be entirely accurate because there is not enough fossil evidence to back them up.
Because these dimensions are not well known, more research is needed to determine the more precise height and length measurements for the saber-tooth tiger.
| Species | Height | Length |
| Saber tooth tiger | 3.5 feet (1.1 meters) | 6.5 feet (2 meters) |
Saber Tooth Tiger Weight
One of the other quite interesting parameters we usually look at when analyzing the size of species is their weight.
Did you know that Smilodon populator, the largest species of the Saber tooth tiger, was thought to have reached weights of up to 1,200 pounds (545 kg) and measured about 3.5 feet (1.1 meters) tall at the shoulder?
It is thought that the Saber Tooth tigers were large carnivorous animals. However, because they are extinct and no complete specimens have been discovered, it is unknown how much saber-toothed tigers weighed.
Saber-toothed tigers are thought to have weighed between 200 and 400 pounds, which is slightly less than the weight of modern-day tigers. This estimate is based on fossil evidence and comparisons with living animals.
Moreover, given the lack of knowledge about the biology and behavior of saber-toothed tigers, it is unknown if there were significant weight differences between males and females. Males are typically bigger and heavier than females in today’s tigers, but this may not have been the case for saber-toothed tigers.1
| Saber tooth tiger | Weight |
| Average | 200 and 400 pounds |
| Smilodon populator | 1,200 pounds (545 kg) |
Saber Tooth Tiger Teeth Size
The “saber teeth,” or elongated canines, of the saber-tooth tiger, were one of its most recognizable and distinctive characteristics.
To kill and tear apart prey, these teeth—which were much longer and thicker than those of modern cats—were used.
The size of the saber teeth varied depending on the type of saber-toothed tiger, but they were typically enormous and impressive.
In the largest species, Smilodon populator, the saber teeth could measure up to 7 inches (18 cm) in length and were thick and sturdy, with a sharp, serrated edge.
In comparison, the teeth of a modern-day tiger measure about 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) in length.
Now you might be wondering why these species have such large and strong teeth. So, the long, curved, and finely honed saber teeth of the saber-tooth tiger allowed the animal to strike its prey with great force and accuracy.
The saber teeth were large and powerful, but they were also delicate and easily broke if the animal struck bone or other hard objects.
| Tiger | Teeth |
| Length | 7 inches (18 cm) |
Saber Tooth Tiger Size Comparison To Lion
Although both the saber-tooth tiger and the lion are large, strong carnivorous mammals, there are some notable differences in their size and appearance.
You can see from the table below that the saber-toothed tiger had a thicker and more muscular body than the lion, and was generally larger.
The male lions had a distinct mane and were taller and longer than the females. Although both creatures were strong predators, there were some notable differences in their size and appearance.
Despite their differences, the saber tooth tiger, and the lion were both fearsome predators and would have been feared by the animals that shared their habitats. Despite being smaller than the lion, the saber tooth tiger was still a strong and dangerous animal that posed a serious threat to its prey.
| Animal type | Height | Weight |
| Saber tooth tiger | Shoulder height: Up to 3.5 feet (1.1 meters) Length: 6.5 feet (2 meters) | 1,200 pounds (545 kg) |
| Lion | Male: 3.5 ft. and 4 ft Female: 3 – 3.5 ft | Male: 330 to 550 pounds (150 to 250 kilograms) Female: 265 to 395 pounds (120 to 179 kilograms) |
Saber Tooth Tiger Size Compared To Humans
As we have not seen the Saber tooth tiger ever, because it was extinct long before we existed, it could be hard to imagine and visualize its size.
Therefore, while comparing the size of this species with others like humans, we can draw some conclusions about how large or small it was.
The saber-tooth tiger was considerably larger than the average person in terms of size. A mature male saber-tooth tiger would typically weigh 200 to 400 pounds, compared to the average male weight of 150-180 pounds in the modern world.
The average person is between 5.5 and 5.9 feet tall, whereas the saber-toothed tiger measures about 6 to 8 feet from head to tail.
Moreover, when compared with the largest saber tooth tiger species, Smilodon populator, it was estimated to weigh up to 1,200 pounds (545 kg) and stand approximately 3.5 feet (1.1 meters) tall at the shoulder. Average humans would look tiny in front of them.
| Animal type | Height | Weight |
| Saber tooth tiger | Shoulder height: Up to 3.5 feet (1.1 meters) Length: 6.5 feet (2 meters) | 1,200 pounds (545 kg) |
| Average adult human | 5.5 to 5.9 feet | 132 to 176 pounds (60 to 80 kgs) |
Saber Tooth Tiger Size Vs Tiger Size Comparison
The tigers that we know of today are the modern species of tigers, these are still alive while the saber tooth tigers got extinct long back.
If we compare the two based on their size, we would not just understand what is the difference between the two, but would also understand how modern tigers have evolved in order to survive longer.
So, an adult male saber tooth tiger would typically weigh between 200 and 400 pounds, while a modern tiger can weigh up to 660 pounds.
In terms of length, the saber tooth tiger measured around 6 to 8 feet from head to tail, while modern tigers can reach lengths of up to 10 feet.
Despite their differences in size, the saber tooth tiger and the modern tiger were both powerful predators and would have posed a serious threat to their prey.
However, overall it is thought that the modern tigers are larger in height and length, but the saber tooth tigers were much much heavier.
| Animal type | Height | Weight |
| Saber tooth tiger | Shoulder height: Up to 3.5 feet (1.1 meters) Length: 6.5 feet (2 meters) | 1,200 pounds (545 kg) |
| Tiger | 2.6-3.6 ft | Male: 150 kg (330 lbs) Female:110 kg (240 lbs) |
Saber Tooth Tiger Vs Mammoth Size Comparison
As I said earlier, Saber tooth tigers, also known as smilodon, were large predatory cats that lived during the Pleistocene epoch. Mammoths, on the other hand, were large, herbivorous mammals that also lived during the Pleistocene epoch.
Mammoths were significantly larger than saber tooth tigers, with some species reaching lengths of up to 5.5 meters (18 feet) and weighing up to 10 metric tons. In terms of size, then, mammoths were much larger than saber tooth tigers.
| Animal type | Height | Weight |
| Saber tooth tiger | Shoulder height: Up to 3.5 feet (1.1 meters) Length: 6.5 feet (2 meters) | 1,200 pounds (545 kg) |
| Mammoth | 4 m (13.1 ft) at the shoulder Length: 5.5 meters (18 feet) | 5,500 and 7,300 kg (between about 6 to 10 tons) |
Saber Tooth Tiger Vs Dire Wolf Size Comparison
Moving on to discussing the size difference between the saber tooth tiger and a type of wolf such as the dire wolf. Like the mammoths, Saber tooth tigers and dire wolves were also large, predatory animals that lived during the Pleistocene epoch.
In terms of size, the dire wolf is large and some of the adult dire wolves were roughly the same size as the largest gray wolves, which have a body length of 69 inches and a shoulder height of 38 inches.
To be more specific, the dire wolves are one of the largest northern wolves, that on average have a shoulder height of up to 38 in (97 cm) and a body length of 69 in (180 cm). Moreover, the male and female dire wolves were nearly identical in size, so we can take the same size for both
| Animal types | Height | Weight |
| Saber tooth tiger | Shoulder height: Up to 3.5 feet (1.1 meters) Length: 6.5 feet (2 meters) | 1,200 pounds (545 kg) |
| Dire wolf | Shoulder height: 38 in (3.1 ft) Body length: 69 in (180 cm) | 130 to 150 pounds (60-70 kg) |
Conclusion
And that was everything you need to know about the size of Saber Tooth Tiger. I hope this article was informative and your queries were answered.
Thank You For Reading!
Related Articles You May Like