Sheep are quadrupedal mammals that are generally kept as livestock, while lions are the species of the family named Felidae and are the members of Panthera. The Scientific names of both the animals are different. The sheep’s scientific name is Ovis Aries, while the lion’s scientific name is Panthera Leo.
Sheep are the key animal in the history of farming and even have entrenched a place deep in the human culture too. While lions are one of the most widely recognized animal symbols in the human culture, it has even extensively depicted in the sculptors, painting, even in the national flags and symbols of some countries.
Sheep vs Lion
The main difference between sheep and lion is that a sheep does what it has been told to do and requires supervision, but a lion does not require any supervision or, in fact, anything at all. They walk with confidence all the time. Sheep are mostly found in the mountain area- middle east Asia, North America, and central Europe while lions are mostly found in the African region of the world.
Sheep are closely related to goats as they both are in the same subfamily. But they are totally different species, and hybrids in them rarely occur, and if they occur, they are always infertile.
Talking about the appearance of lions, they have a muscular body along with short and round heads. The color of its fur varies from dark brown to light buff too. They are the only members that are in the cat family and display obvious sexual dimorphism.
Comparison Table Between Sheep and Lion
| Parameters of Comparison | Sheep | Lion |
| Family and Belonging | They belong to the family of Bovidae. | They belong to the family of Felidae. |
| Scientific name | Ovis Aries | Panthera Leo. |
| Life span | From 10 years to about 12 years. | About 10 years to 14 years for an adult. |
| Length and mass | 1.3 meters and 45- 160 kgs respectively. | 1.2 meters and 190 kgs respectively. |
| Trophic level | Herbivorous | Carnivorous |
What is Sheep?
Sheep that are scientifically named Ovis Aries are domesticated ruminants that mean cud-chewing mammals that are generally raised for their meat, milk, and wool. The tails of the sheep are usually short in size. Rams are the male ones, while the female ones are called ewes, and the immature ones are called lambs. An adult sheep weighs from 35 to 160 kgs.
About the diet, sheeps being herbivorous, obviously eats only green grass and plants. As compared to the cattle, they graze more on grass, so the main part where attention should be paid is that they don’t overgraze a particular area. Basically, Sheep are quite timid animals, and they prefer grazing in flocks. They even almost every time lost protection from the predators and gets preyed on.