Polar bears are the largest and arguably strongest bears in the world. They live in the northernmost mountains of the Northern Hemisphere, including the Arctic Circle. Elephants are large herbivores that live in Africa and Asia. The odds of a polar bear fighting an elephant are slim, but fun to think about. What happens when you pit a fearsome predator against a large but docile mammal?
We collected data and used our imaginations to bring this battle to life. Consider various data points to see if the polar bear or elephant will get away alive!
Comparing polar bears and elephants
© AZ-Animals.com
| polar bear | elephant | |
| size | Weight: 330 lbs – 1,300 lbs Height: 3.5 feet – 5 feet at the shoulder Length: 6 feet – 9.5 feet | Weight: 6,500 lbs – 12,000 lbs Height: 7′ – 12′ Shoulders: 18′ – 21′ |
| speed and movement type | – 25 mph top speed – gallop while sprinting – 6 mph swim | – 9-25 mph – A sprinting, running gait that is not a trot or a gallop. |
| Bite Force and Teeth | 1200 PSI Bite Force – 42 teeth, sharp, some slightly hooked – 2 inch canines | – Elephants have weak teeth and don’t use them for defense. |
| the senses | – A strong sense of smell is used to find seals from miles away – Sensitive hearing can detect a wide range of frequencies. – Human-like vision, able to distinguish depth and color. | – good hearing – poor eyesight – Can smell food from miles away |
| defense | – large size – Roaring can scare people – Thick, insulating fur and skin – Ability to swim in cold waters | – Huge size and weight – tough skin |
| offensive ability | – Sharp, curved claws, about 4 inches long, for grasping – Strong bite | – Ivory can pierce enemies – devastating stomping – Can use head and torso to bring down prey – High animal intelligence |
| predatory behavior | – Predators that ambush seals, waiting on the ice above the holes where they surface – Will hunt down and kill terrestrial prey, including humans, directly when very hungry. | – Non-predator but will violently attack intruders. – Grazing most of the day |
The key factor in the fight between polar bears and elephants
© Zhiltsov Alexander/Shutterstock.com
Figuring out which of these mammals will win each other’s battles requires examining a lot of data. The most important key factor in this battle is undoubtedly the physical characteristics of the animals and the way they attack the enemy.
We collected and analyzed seven points of data, grouped into two categories: physical characteristics and combat skills. Consider each of these elements to see the main advantages of one creature over another
Physical Characteristics of Polar Bears and Elephants
Both polar bears and elephants are large, fast, and powerful creatures. However, the only way to determine which of these creatures is better suited to combat the other is to parse their physical statistics.
We’ll look at five different physical traits to see which animal has the real edge in this fight.
Polar Bears vs. Elephants: Size
Size and weight are very important characteristics when considering two competitors. A cursory glance at these creatures reveals that polar bears are battling animals of a completely different weight class, which is bad news.
Elephants can grow up to 12 feet tall and weigh 12,000 pounds, while polar bears can reach 5 feet at the shoulder and weigh 1,300 pounds.
The largest elephant ever built weighed about 24,000 pounds and is on display at the Smithsonian today. Compare that to the largest polar bear ever recorded, weighing 2,209 pounds!
Elephants have obvious advantages over polar bears in size.
Polar Bears and Elephants: Speed and Movement
A charging elephant can reach speeds of up to 25 mph, which means it can run over many different foes. Polar bears can also gallop at 25 mph and swim as fast as 6 mph.
The speed and movement of polar bears and elephants are too close, so it is a tie.
Polar Bears Versus Elephants: Bite Force and Teeth
For one thing, elephants only use their teeth to chew on plants, so their bite force isn’t as pronounced compared to carnivores.
Polar bears, on the other hand, have one of the strongest bite forces in the animal kingdom at 1,200PSI. Their teeth are only 2 inches long, but are slightly curved to tear the flesh of prey and hold it firmly.
Polar bears have an advantage in bite strength and teeth.
Polar Bears vs Elephants: The Senses
Elephants have excellent hearing, which helps alert them to invading predators, but they also have poor eyesight. They found that food has a very powerful sense of smell and can detect food from miles away.
Polar bears, like other predators, have a keen sense for finding prey. Under the right conditions, they can also smell prey from miles away. Their eyesight is excellent, similar to that of humans, and they are able to see in the ultra-bright conditions of the snowy Arctic. Their hearing is one of the few that has been studied and measured in humans, and it is sensitive to a wide range of frequencies, so they can hear other animals very well.
Polar bears have an advantage over their senses.
Polar Bears vs. Elephants: Physical Defenses
Polar bears have a wide range of defenses, using their large size, keen senses, ferocious roar, and ability to flee dangers on land or in water to stay safe.
The elephants are so big that predators don’t bother them at all out of fear.
Polar bears have a more diverse physical defense system than elephants, so they have an advantage.
Polar Bear and Elephant Fighting Skills
As we said before, the physical characteristics of an animal are only part of the equation. Animals must know how to use their bodies to win battles. Fortunately, this turn there are two creatures that know how to easily wipe out other animals.
Polar Bears vs Elephants: Offensive Capabilities
Elephants don’t have much attack power, but are very effective. Elephants will use their tusks to flip and then head against enemies, or they will simply use their body weight to crush enemies, especially by stomping.
Polar bears grab prey with their talons and strength, while tearing at them with their powerful jaws and teeth.
Both animals are very aggressive, so they’re tied on this one.
Polar Bears and Elephants: Predation
Elephants have no predatory behavior, only the defensive measures they employ against predators. They will charge and feign an attack to drive off predators or kill those who get close enough.
Polar bears are natural carnivores, chasing and killing their prey, or waiting for their prey to eat by the seal’s icebreaker.
Polar bears are more effective predators than elephants.
What are the main differences between polar bears and elephants?
Elephants are herbivores that are 12 feet tall, weigh more than 10,000 pounds and can reach lengths of 20 feet, while polar bears are carnivores that are 5 feet tall, weigh more than 1,000 pounds and reach lengths of more than 9 feet.
These mammals also vary widely in how they forage for food and in how aggressive they are. Polar bears are very aggressive, even towards humans. Elephants also pose a threat to humans, but they will only actively kill them if they get too close. Polar bears can sometimes hunt and kill humans.
Who would win in a battle between a polar bear and an elephant?
© David Steele/Shutterstock.com
Elephants would win in a polar bear vs elephant battle. Elephants are too big for bears to handle anything meaningful. The polar bear can’t jump on the elephant’s back accurately, so it can only attack the elephant’s legs and abdomen. They can do serious damage to that part of the body, but they put themselves in dire danger hoping to get hit.
The battle could end with elephants ramming and trampling polar bears. A bear may inflict some wounds or bites on an elephant, but it’s not enough to kill it. Polar bears don’t even have the benefit of a large herd to bring down an elephant.
Almost everything an elephant does to attack a polar bear is fatal, either stabbing it or stomping it to death. Either way, the elephant wins.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
