Two of the most iconic animals from Africa are elephants and lions. Known as the king of the jungle, the lion is able to hunt and kill anything it sees on the savannah. Standing tall and hulking, elephants are in the same range as lions, a pack herbivore. What happens when these two decide to stop being friendly and fight? We’ll explore elephant vs lion and show you who’s going to be the winner.
We’ll explore all the different physical and predatory aspects of these creatures, and show you who will survive the heat of battle. For the sake of accuracy, we’re comparing African elephants to lions, as they often fight in Africa.
Comparing Elephants and Lions
© AZ-Animals.com
| elephant | lion | |
| size | Weight: 6,500 lbs – 12,000 lbs Height: 7 feet – 12 feet at the withers Length: 18ft – 21ft | Weight: 264 lbs – 550 lbs Height: 3.5 feet – 4 feet at the shoulders Length: 4.7ft – 8.2ft |
| speed and movement type | – 9-25 mph – able to charge | Typically -35 mph, up to 50 mph – Dash enemies |
| Bite Force and Teeth | – Elephants have weak teeth and don’t use them for defense. | -650 PSI Bite Force -30 teeth, including up to four 4-inch canines |
| the senses | – good hearing – poor eyesight – Can smell food from miles away | – Amazing déjà vu, especially night vision. – Good sense of smell to be able to smell the marks of other lions. – Good hearing allows them to hear prey from miles away. |
| defense | – Huge size and weight – tough skin | – large size – live in groups |
| offensive ability | – Ivory can pierce enemies – devastating stomping – Can use head and torso to bring down prey – High animal intelligence | -paw -claw strike – bite |
| predatory behavior | – Non-predator but will violently attack intruders. – Grazing most of the day | – Mainly stalking and jumping on opponents – Use groups to take down prey |
Key Factors in Elephant and Lion Fights
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When a lion meets an elephant in a fight, the outcome comes down to two main factors with multiple dimensions: physical component and fighting ability. We built seven different pieces of information within these categories to determine the winner. See how each factor will affect the fight.
physical characteristics
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First, we had to look at the physical characteristics of lions and elephants to determine their strengths in battle. Size and speed have a major impact on a fight between the two animals, but they’re not the only factors that matter when these creatures fight.
Elephants and Lions: Size
The size of the two animals can be a good insight into which creature will win the fight. The elephant weighed 12,000 pounds, stood 12 feet tall and was over 20 feet long.Biggest elephant ever weighed 12 tons! Its vastness is immeasurable compared with that of a lion.
Compared to other members of the cat family, the lion is massive, weighing up to 500 pounds, standing 4 feet tall and over 8 feet long. The largest lion ever recorded weighed “only” 827 pounds.
Large elephants can easily gain an advantage in size.
Elephants and Lions: Speed and Movement
Lions run at gallop, reaching speeds of up to 50 mph in short bursts. This creature can catch most other creatures in its range, including elephants. Although elephants themselves are fast, sprinting at 25 miles per hour, they cannot match the speed of lions.
The Lions gained a speed advantage.
Elephants and Lions: Bite Force and Teeth
Elephants don’t use their teeth defensively, and their bite is nothing special. After all, they are herbivores. However, the lion has a powerful 650 PSI bite that can sink its 4 inch canines into the body of an enemy, thereby breaking bones and killing the prey.
Lions have a clear advantage in bite force.
Elephants and Lions: Senses
Elephants don’t have the fine senses of a predator. They can hear and smell food from miles away pretty well, but they don’t have very good eyesight. This puts them at risk of sneak attack by the enemy.
Lions are top predators with amazing vision even at night, a good sense of smell that can sense the markings of other animals, and a wonderful sense of hearing that allows them to find prey from great distances.
Lions have the upper hand when it comes to the senses.
Elephants and Lions: Physical Defense
Lion defenses include group living, large animals, and aggression against animals much larger than them. These defensive elements scare away many creatures. Elephants’ defenses are based on their size, thick skin and ability to run fast.
Both animals are very effective in physical defense, so they are a tie.
fighting skills
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Physical traits help animals stay safe and give them the tools they need to fend off enemies. However, knowing how to use their physical traits in combat can change the outcome of a fight. See how these animals fight.
Elephants and Lions: Offensive Capabilities
Lions fight bears. With its long teeth, strong jaws, sharp claws and speed, this mammal is able to overwhelm many animals. Elephants have long tusks and a heavy stomp that can kill creatures that threaten them.
The Lions have the advantage in terms of offensive ability.
Elephants and Lions: Predatory Behavior
Elephants do not have predatory behavior, but they know when danger is approaching and act accordingly. They don’t hesitate to charge and stop enemies before they get too close.
Lions are amazing ambush predators that can seek out and kill other animals at night. They are good at hiding their large size and know how to bring their friends along to keep their prey safe.
Lions have an advantage in predator behavior.
What is the main difference between an elephant and a lion?
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Elephants are herbivores while lions are carnivores. Elephants weigh over 10,000 pounds, while lions weigh only 500 pounds. The elephant is also taller and longer than the lion. Lions, however, have sharper senses.
These differences have a profound effect on determining which creatures will win in battle.
Who would win a fight between an elephant and a lion?
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Elephants will win in an elephant vs. lion fight. A lion is not much of a threat to an adult elephant. The elephant is too big for the lion to handle. The only way it can win a fight is if it manages to bite and claw all over the elephant and cause it to bleed to death.
However, that won’t happen. The elephant either turned the lion over and stomped it to death, or used the tusks (if any) to impale the cat. A lion is massive, but it can’t handle 20 times its own body weight being pushed into its body by a raging beast.
Multiple lions can kill an elephant, or one big lion can kill a small elephant. However, in a one-on-one setting, there is no competition between elephants and lions.
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