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Panthera spelaea, also known as the Eurasian cave lion is an extinct Panthera species which evolved in Europe, around 600,000 years ago. Analysis of Cave Lion fossils show that it developed distinctly as its own species and it is not related to today's African Lion.
The name Cave Lion is a bit misleading, as many more fossilized remains have actually been found outside of caves, as Panthera spelaea was extremely well suited for outdoor survival in cold weather. However, many remains have indeed been found in caves, as the this cat would explore caves in search of temporary shelter and / or to try capturing a Cave bear cub for nutrition.
This formidable critter could reach lengths of over 6 feet long, 4 feet in height and could weigh over 700 lb. However, even with those impressive measurements, Panthera spelaea was not alone as an apex predator. It needed to compete for food and territory with Cave Hyena and another large cat named Homotherium. Also, if Panthera spelaea found itself in a Cave Bear's den, it might had found a fully grown Cave Bear a formidable foe as well
It's theorized that the development of other carnivorous species, the depletion of large prey and the introduction of primitive humans all contributed to the extinction of panthera spelaea.
