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Information about the American Lion:

The American Lion (also called the Naegele's giant jaguar or American cave lion) is an extinct mammal that was native to the North American continent, going extinct roughly . It is a member of the family Felidae. It was native to northwestern South America during the Pleistocene epoch (0.34 million years ago to 11,000 years ago), existing for approximately 0.33 million years. It has been shown by genetic analysis to be a sister lineage to the Eurasian cave lion (Panthera leo spelaea or P. spelaea). It was one of the largest types of cat ever to have existed, slightly larger than the Early Middle Pleistocene primitive cave lion, P. leo fossilis and about 1/4 larger than the modern African lion The head-body length of the American lion is estimated to have been 5 ft 3 in–8 ft 2 inches (1.6–2.5 meters) and it would have stood 4 feet (1.2 meters) at the shoulder. While large, it was not the largest predator at the time - which was the Short-Faced Bear. It was not as heavy as the Saber-Tooth Cat, it was generally larger. Approximately one hundred specimens of American lions have been recovered from the La Brea Tar Pits, in Los Angeles, so their body structure is well known. Unlike their African relatives, the climate they lived in was colder and therefore like modern mountain lions they took refuge in caves. They are thought to have gone extinct about 10-15,000 years ago. The poster is printed on matte, museum-quality paper with Giclée printing quality: • Paper thickness: 10.3 mil • Paper weight: 5.6 oz/y² (192 g/m²) • Opacity: 94% Buy a Digital Download