Lion
Panthera leo
Lion is found around Emerald Ranch, one of 1 habitat the compendium records for it.
Everything else that breathes, swims or flies. Habitat and loot are what the compendium asks you to fill in; the three-star carcass is what the trapper asks for.
- Scientific name
- Panthera leo
- Habitats
- Emerald Ranch
- Carcass yields
- Lion's Paw
- Subspecies
- Panthera leo melanochaita
Player notes
The Lion is a unique, unnamed animal in Red Dead Redemption 2, based on Panthera leo melanochaita. It is a genuine exotic lion from Margaret's circus, rather than one of the altered North American animals presented as exotic acts. Margaret describes the lion as his star attraction and claims that it came from "Tanganyiki".
There is only one Lion, and it appears at Emerald Ranch in The Heartlands during the Stranger mission "He's British, of Course". Once Margaret's false "zebra" and "tiger" have been dealt with, the animal is reported at the ranch. Two ranch hands hold a barn closed and warn people away before the lion bursts out from the roof, killing a ranch hand and several cattle.
The Lion leaves the barn area and is tracked across Emerald Ranch to the stables. It emerges there, sees its pursuer and charges. It is an aggressive, one-time encounter that must be killed as the final animal connected to Margaret's circus. Its Lion's Paw can be taken after the kill and used for the Lion's Paw Trinket, while Margaret still pays with an Emerald.
Trivia
- โThe Lion has a unique character model in spite of only appearing briefly in the game. The model moves and operates similarly to that of a cougar and panther.
- โThe Lion is the only member of its species which appears in the entirety of Red Dead Redemption 2 due to being a non-native species. As such, it is not included in the compendium.
- โIt is also the only non-american exotic animal seen in the Red Dead Redemption franchise.
- โThe Lion is one of the few enemies which can instantly kill the player, others include the Vampire, Sheriff Freeman, the Night Folk, the Hermit, and the Legendary Giaguaro Panther.
- โAside from the Legendary Giaguaro Panther, it is the only animal that can kill the player instantly.
- โThe exact subspecies of the Lion is unknown. Margaret makes reference to "Tangyaniki" when describing where the lion is from, which may be referring to Tanganyika - modern day Tanzania. This implies it is an East African Lion although it is unknown if Margaret actually knew where it was from.
- โA special animation for the player can be seen if they fail to shoot the lion, where the lion lunges and slices the player's throat and they collapse and die.
Wildlife
6
Last verified September 14, 2026