Have you ever wondered which animals are the most muscular? Some animals are known for their immense strength and muscular bodies that enable them to lift heavy objects, run at incredible speeds, or overpower prey. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the most muscular animals in the world and what makes them so strong. From primates to cattle, these animals have incredible physiques.
Gorillas
One of the first muscular animals that comes to mind is the gorilla. Gorillas are very large primates that can weigh up to 200kg for males. Their substantial size comes from having a lot of muscle mass, particularly in their arms and chest. This muscle allows gorillas to climb trees, break branches, and lift up to 1,800kg!
Gorillas have hugely defined pectoral muscles across their chest, which gives them an intimidating appearance. Their biceps and triceps are also huge and rippling. You certainly wouldn’t want to get into an arm wrestle with a silverback gorilla! All this upper body strength helps them walk on all fours and hang from trees.
Chimpanzees
Our ape cousins, chimpanzees, are also powerful for their size. Weighing 40-60kg, chimps are much smaller than gorillas but still have remarkable muscular physiques. Their strength comes from having many fast-twitch muscles, which provide explosive power.
This allows chimps to leap high into trees, display aggression by throwing objects, and rip branches off trees. Their powerful hands can crush fruits and squeeze a gun’s trigger! Chimps may not look as bulky as gorillas, but their wiry muscles still make them incredibly strong.
Horses
Equines like horses are synonymous with athleticism and muscle. Horses have approximately 200 muscles, with their hindquarters and shoulders being particularly muscular. Years of selective breeding have produced horses with lean muscle definition and sheer power.
The hind legs of a horse contain their largest muscles, including the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. These muscles propel the horse forward, allowing it to run at speeds over 60km/hr. Their shoulders and neck are also sturdy, which helps support the weight of a rider. It’s easy to appreciate the muscularity of a horse rippling under a glossy coat.
Red Kangaroo
For their size, red kangaroos are impressively muscular animals. Weighing up to 90kg for males, roos have powerful hind legs containing enormous quadriceps and calf muscles. This allows them to travel long distances by hopping up to 9 metres in a single bound!
Their tails are also 100% muscle and counterbalance when hopping rapidly. Upper body-wise, red roos have excellent core strength to control their bounding. Their forearms are also very muscular, which helps them grapple during fights. Overall, the muscular build of kangaroos enables their unique mode of locomotion.
Gaur
The gaur is a wild cattle species native to South and Southeast Asia. It is one of the largest bovine species, weighing over 1,000kg for males. Due to their hulking size, gaur have heavily muscular necks, chests and shoulders. They use their massively built forequarters to charge predators and fight rivals.
Given their substantial bulk, gaur have extremely muscular hindquarters to provide power when traversing their dense jungle habitats. Their legs are short but very robust, allowing them to speed up when needed.
Polar Bears
In the frozen Arctic, polar bears are adapted for strength. Adult males can weigh over 700kg, requiring immense muscle power. They have broad front shoulders with large muscles for paddling through water. This gives polar bears a distinctive muscular hump.
Their hindquarters are smaller but still muscular to propel them across ice and snow. Long-distance swimmers polar bears use their front and back legs much like oars. Their necks and jaw are also very thick, allowing them to take down robust prey like seals. No doubt their white fur coats conceal some serious muscles!
Siberian Tigers
The Siberian tiger is the largest tiger subspecies, with males growing over 300kg. They require extremely muscular bodies to hunt large prey and defend territory. Their forelimbs are heavily built with big paws to grab large prey like bears or moose.
Powerful jaw muscles allow them to subdue such robust animals. Siberian tigers also have athletic hindquarters for pouncing and short bursts of speed. Their broad chests and necks contain muscles which help them take down prey larger than themselves. Truly, the Siberian tiger is a feline powerhouse.
Lions
The king of the jungle is certainly well-equipped with muscles, too. Weighing 190-225kg, lions rely on power to catch and subdue some of the fastest herbivores. Their forequarters are very burly, with a deep chest and big front legs. This provides strength for grappling prey and wrestling it to the ground.
Lions also have incredible core strength to twist and turn during a hunt. Their hindquarters are leaner but still muscular for jumping and short chases. A male lion’s mane isn’t for show either – it protects their neck muscles during fights with rivals. Overall, lions have the perfect muscular build for their predatory lifestyle.
Cape Buffalos
The African cape buffalo may appear stocky, but don’t be fooled – they are extremely muscular beasts. Weighing 700kg, buffalos have thick necks and shoulders that are pure muscle. This helps them charge opponents with immense force. Their broad chests also allow them to trample small predators like lions.
Given their bulk, cape buffalos require powerful hindquarters to provide propulsion over grasslands. Their heavily muscled legs allow them to break into bursts of speed when threatened. With their robust physique, cape buffalos are rightfully considered one of Africa’s most dangerous animals.
Belgian Blue Cattle
Lastly, a bovine breed developed for its insanely muscular physique – the Belgian Blue. Through selective breeding, Belgian Blues have a mutated myostatin gene, which allows their muscles to grow far beyond normal. This results in an extraordinarily muscular and lean beast.
Belgian Blues have bulging chests, broad shoulders, and huge leg muscles. Their hindquarters are especially muscular and rounded. Every inch of their body seems to ripple with defined musculature. The Belgian Blue takes muscularity in cattle to the absolute extremes.