Panthera spelaea, commonly known as the cave lion (or less commonly as the steppe lion), is an extinct Panthera species that was native to Eurasia and northwest North America during the Pleistocene epoch.

Cave lions are large extinct carnivorous felids that are classified either as subspecies of the lion (Panthera leo), or as distinct but closely related species, depending on the authority. The subspecies or species known by this name include:

Oct 28, 2019 · The Eurasian cave lion (Panthera spelaea) is a species of lion that went extinct around 12,000 years ago. It was one of the largest species of a lion to have ever lived. Only its North American cousin, the extinct American lion (Panthera atrox), was bigger.

Jan 6, 2023 · A nearly 28,000-year-old cave lion cub, discovered frozen in the Siberian permafrost, is so well preserved, you can still make out each and every one of her whiskers. Researchers in Sweden suggest the cub, nicknamed Sparta, is among the best preserved Ice Age animals ever uncovered.

Cave lion, also known as European cave lion and Eurasian cave lion, is the common name for a extinct, large, wild felid, Panthera leo spelaea (or P. spelaea), which lived from about 370,000 to 10,000 years ago.

Jun 12, 2024 · The European cave lion (Panthera spelaea), also known as the Eurasian cave lion and steppe lion was an ancient lion belonging to the extinct Panthera genus. This lion became extinct over 13,000 years ago during the Pleistocene period.

Panthera spelaea usually called the ‘The Cave Lion’ or ‘Steppe lion’ is a species or subspecies of Felidae and belongs to the genus Panthera which includes most of the extant big cats. There are 3 subspecies recognized based on morphology occurring in succession.

Mar 4, 2025 · The simple answer is that they went extinct. Specifically, the cave lion (Panthera spelaea) disappeared from most of its range around 10,000 years ago, marking the end of a reign that had lasted hundreds of thousands of years. This extinction, however, is not a simple story.

May 27, 2024 · The cave lion is an extinct species that resembled, but was distinct, from the modern lion. Cave drawings of the lion give some idea of what they may have looked like. For example, cave drawings that date back over 15,000 years suggest that make cave lions did not have a significant mane and they may not have had one at all.

Apr 11, 2025 · The cave lion is believed to have roamed the Earth around 370,000 to 10,000 years ago, thriving in colder climates that characterized the Ice Age. Unlike its modern relatives, cave lions were not forest dwellers but rather occupied open habitats like steppe regions.