Gorillas and elephants are known for their intelligence and their shared range in parts of Africa. For the most part, these creatures stay away from each other as they seek out plants for food. That doesn’t mean we can’t or shouldn’t use our imaginations to think about what would happen if they met and decided to kill each other instead of indulging in peaceful ways. In a gorilla vs. elephant match, many factors come into play.
Luckily, we’ve gathered all the relevant data to make an educated guess as to what to expect in this battle of two intelligent beings. Find out if a gorilla or an elephant walks away with a giant rumble in the jungle.
Comparing Gorillas and Elephants
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| gorilla | elephant | |
| size | Weight: 220 lbs – 440 lbs Height: 4.4ft – 5.1ft | Weight: 6,500 lbs – 12,000 lbs Height: 7′ – 12′ Shoulders: 18′ – 21′ |
| speed and movement type | – 25 mph – Can move quickly with knuckle walk | – Land speed 9-25 mph – Charge to chase the enemy |
| Bite Force and Teeth | – 1,300 PSI bite force – 32 teeth including 2 inch canines | – Elephants are herbivores with no apparent bite force |
| the senses | – Human-like vision – good sense of smell – Human-like hearing | – able to hear well – Can smell food from miles away – Poor eyesight. |
| defense | – Threat display – speed | – Huge size scares away predators as adults. – tough skin |
| offensive ability | – Unarmed strikes (no real punches) – biting | – impales foes with tusks – devastating stomp – Use head and torso to knock down enemies and kill them – High IQ makes them wary and wary of others |
| predatory behavior | – opportunistic predators as omnivores | – is not a predator, only attacks enemies – Grazing more than 16 hours a day |
The key factor in the gorilla-elephant fight
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What determines which mammal will win a fight between a gorilla and an elephant? As with most fights in the animal world, the biggest factor will be each creature’s body and how they use it to defeat their opponent.
To do this, we decided to examine seven different qualities, which fall into two categories: physical characteristics and offensive ability. Take a look at how each of these factors affects the overall fight, and see which animal has the advantage in a variety of different situations.
Physical Characteristics of Gorillas and Elephants
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The carcasses of the gorilla and the elephant had a profound effect on the battle between the two. The size, speed and attack power of different creatures, and how they fight. Learn what advantages these creatures have over other creatures.
Gorilla vs Elephant: Size
Gorillas are very large great apes, standing up to 5 feet tall and weighing more than 400 pounds. The largest gorilla ever recorded weighed 860 pounds. It was a huge animal. The Elephant is much bigger, though. They can reach a height of 12 feet at the shoulder and weigh over 12,000 pounds!
Big images have a size advantage.
Gorilla vs. Elephant: Speed and Movement
While gorillas may look like stocky, lumbering animals, they can reach 25 mph while walking on their knuckles, their preferred form of locomotion. That’s unbelievably fast, and rivals the speed of an elephant while charging.
Elephants and gorillas are tied for speed and movement.
Gorilla vs Elephant: Bite Force and Teeth
Elephants are herbivores and don’t have much bite force, while gorillas are omnivores and have plenty to spare. They can bite at 1,300 PSI and drive all 32 teeth, including the 2-inch fangs, into an opponent.
Gorillas have an advantage when it comes to teeth.
Gorilla vs. Elephant: The Senses
Elephants have some great senses, such as hearing and smell. They use these senses to compensate for poor vision and to know when a predator is lurking nearby.
Gorillas have a lot like humans, only they have a better sense of smell.
Gorillas have average senses, but elephants have some super senses.
Elephants get a sensory advantage.
Gorilla vs. Elephant: Physical Defense
Both gorillas and elephants are social animals that live in packs, and that alone can be a deterrent to predators. However, on an individual level, elephants display strong physical defenses with their large size and thick skin. They can also run away when trouble starts.
Gorillas use their speed and menacing displays to end fights before they begin, and they are rarely hunted as prey.
Elephants have an advantage in defense.
Gorilla and Elephant Fighting Skills
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Having a strong body is one factor in fighting between these creatures, but another major consideration is combat skill. How did each animal perform in the fight? This is an important and necessary aspect of exploration, which we will examine in light of potential and real-world practices.
Gorilla vs Elephant: Offensive Capabilities
In combat, the gorilla will use its powerful arms and hands to exchange foes, almost fist-slamming them. They can also use their tusks to inflict some serious damage.
Elephants can knock down enemies with their trunks and heads, and dig holes with their tusks. The most common attack method they use is to trample enemies with their massive legs and the weight they support.
Elephants are much better offensively and have the upper hand here.
Gorilla vs. Elephant: Predation
The elephant has no predatory behavior, but it will act aggressively towards any animal that trespasses in its area. If the enemy does not back down, they will use the threat display of fake charges that will turn into real charges.
Gorillas are opportunistic predators that eat their food. Sometimes gorillas make tools to help them get food. When it comes to fighting, they often bluff their enemies like other gorillas to avoid a dangerous fight. If the other creature doesn’t back down or continues to exhibit threatening behavior, the gorillas will attack.
The gorilla has an advantage when it comes to predation behavior because it is the only animal with these instincts.
What is the main difference between gorillas and elephants?
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Elephants are herbivorous mammals that can weigh up to 12,000 pounds and stand more than 10 feet tall, while gorillas are omnivorous bipedal mammals that can weigh more than 400 pounds and reach a height of 5 feet.
Their bodies vary widely, but they are all known for their high IQs. As far as the two play against each other, the biggest difference lies in their attacking methods. Elephants prefer to use their weight to kill other humans, while gorillas tend to use their enormous strength, especially in their jaws.
Who would win in a fight between a gorilla and an elephant?
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Elephants would win a battle with a gorilla. Gorillas are certainly powerful and intelligent animals, but they lack any sure means of killing elephants. Unless they happen to come across a lying elephant and manage to inflict a nasty bite on them, the gorillas have no chance at all.
However, that won’t happen. The elephant will most likely hear or smell the gorilla’s approach, so it won’t catch the big quadruped off guard.
More likely, a gorilla strays into the wrong territory and finds itself facing a charging elephant, which flips its relatively lightweight body into the air before trampling it to death. Elephants are in a completely different league in terms of size and strength, which is enough to definitively say they won the battle.
However, we cannot ignore the intelligence of gorillas. This factor comes into play before a fight when the gorilla sees an elephant and decides to backtrack to avoid a fight.
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