Gorillas and hippos both live in Africa. The gorillas live in the tropical forests, with the hippos calling the rivers and swamps their home. These two animals never meet in the wild, but what would happen if they did? It’s time for another animal fight article, gorilla vs hippo. Who will win?
Gorilla vs Hippo: Fact Sheet
| Gorilla | Hippo | |
| Size | weight 136 – 227 kg height 1.4 – 1.8 m | weight 1,500 – 2,000 kg height 1.3 – 1.7 m length 3 – 5 m |
| Speed | 20 mph | 19 mph on land 5 mph in the water |
| Attack | bite force 1,300 psi 5 cm long canines lift/throw objects weighing 815 kg can shatter bone with one punch | bite force 1,800 psi tusks 40 – 50 cm |
| Defence | display their strength to scare off rival | 5 cm thick skin |
| Habitat | Africa tropical forests | Africa rivers, swamps |
| Diet | herbivore | herbivore |
| Lifespan | 35 – 40 years | 40 – 50 years |
| Predators | leopards | none |
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Gorilla vs Hippo: Size
Gorillas are giant apes, with the heaviest weighing between 136 – 227 kg (300 – 500 lbs). They have a shoulder height of 1.4 – 1.8 m (4.6 – 5.9 ft). They have long, muscular arms. They span 2.3 – 2.6 m (7.5 – 8.5 ft) when fully stretched open.
Hippos are the third largest land animal after the elephant and rhino. A hippo has an average weight of 1,500 – 2,000 kg (3,300 – 4,400 lbs). They have a shoulder height of 1.3 – 1.7 m (4.2 – 5.5 ft) and a length of 3 – 5 m (9.8 – 16.4 ft). The hippo has the size advantage over the gorilla.
Gorilla vs Hippo: Movement Speed
Gorillas can reach a top speed of 20 mph (32 kph) while running on their knuckles. A hippo can charge at 19 mph (30.5 kph) on land. Even though hippos spend most of their time in the water, they can’t swim. In shallow water, they walk across the swamp floor to get around. They take a deep breath in deep water and sink to the bottom. They continue walking or running along the swamp bed.
Gorillas can’t swim and wouldn’t survive long in deep water, but they can climb trees. They must make sure the tree they choose to climb supports their weight. On speed, the gorilla only beats the hippo. Where agility is concerned, the gorilla wins because it is lighter than the hippo, so it can out-manoeuvre the hippo in a fight.
Gorilla vs Hippo: Attack Power
Gorillas are strong animals, way stronger than you or me. They can pick up an object weighing 815 kg (1,797 lbs). They can throw a punch with 1,300 – 2,700 pounds of force that’s strong enough to shatter bone. Gorillas are mainly herbivorous, but that doesn’t stop them from having large canine teeth. They are usually 5 cm (2 in) long. They have a bite force stronger than that of a lion of 1,300 psi. With their canines and powerful bite, they can quickly kill an animal without resorting to their brute strength.
A hippo has a more substantial bite force than a gorilla of 1,800 psi. If you have seen a hippo yawn, you would have realised its teeth are enormous, with the incisors and canines referred to as tusks. The incisors can be 40 cm (15.7 in), and the canines can be 50 cm (19.7 in). The lower canines are what are used in battle. The tusks grind together whenever they open and close their mouth, making them incredibly sharp.
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Gorilla vs Hippo: Defence
A gorilla relies on its strength for defence and its display of power. When a gorilla is threatened, they beat their chest and throw objects around sometimes. This is enough to scare off their opponent. A hippo’s defence lies in its huge body size and tusks they charge to scare off animals. Also, hippos have skin 5 cm (2 in) thick which protects them from the hot African sun but helps protect them from predator bites and when sparring with other hippos.
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Gorilla vs Hippo: Differences
The most significant difference between the two animals is the hippo’s vast size compared to the gorilla. The hippo is nearly ten times as heavy and is longer than the gorilla. The gorilla can pick objects up to use in the fight. Only the hippo can survive for an extended period in water.
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Gorilla vs Hippo Who Will Win In A Fight?
In a gorilla vs hippo fight, the hippo would always win, and the poor gorilla doesn’t stand a chance. For starters, the hippo has the advantage of size. If it were to charge at the gorilla, that would be enough to scare it off.
If the gorilla didn’t back down and decided to fight, it would be for a world of pain. The gorilla’s muscular body wouldn’t protect it against the hippo’s tusks. One bite would be fatal for the gorilla. It would be useless for the gorilla to bite back as its teeth would not be able to inflict enough damage because of the hippo’s thick skin.
The only advantage the gorilla has in the fight is it can use a tree branch as a weapon, but this depends on where the battle takes place, as there may be nothing for the gorilla to use. So you see, the gorilla had better never pick a fight with a hippo.
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