The Gorilla and the Lion… two of the strongest and most well-known animals in the whole animal kingdom. Both are ferocious and terrifying to us humans, but which one would win in a fight?
In this article, we will be discussing both the Gorilla and the Lion as separate animals and how they would fare in real combat against each other. Read on to find out all you need to know!
Let’s Start With Gorillas
For the sake of this debate, we will be using Silverback Gorillas as our primate contender. They are also known as Mountain Gorillas.
The Silverback can weigh up to a staggering 500 pounds and usually reaches a height of 5 and a half to 6 feet.
Though they are large and fierce defendants of their troops, but the main drawback of the Silverback and any type of gorilla is that they are vegetarians.
Though they have large canines that make them look terrifying, they are not designed for ripping apart flesh.
They are designed for intimidation. They have very strong jaw muscles and can rip apart roots, vines, and bamboo, but in comparison to the lion’s canines and jaws, they are quite weak.
Gorillas are four to nine times stronger than the average man, being able to throw 900 pounds of force and they are able to lift 1,800 pounds.
They are some of the most intelligent animals on the planet.
In some cases, they have been known to use weapons and tools in the form of torn tree branches and other related things when fighting off predators and other challengers. Gorillas are even capable of learning sign language.
As gorillas are vegetarians and not really predators, this does mean that even with their strength, there are some predators out there that will prey on them.
The most well-known of these predators are leopards. However, leopards will usually go after smaller gorillas and leave the Silverbacks alone, knowing that they would often struggle in a fight against them.
The biggest disadvantage the gorilla would face in a fight against a lion is that it completely goes against its nature. When they need to defend themselves, gorillas usually gather together and fight in numbers.
In a fight against a lion, he would be completely alone without the help of his troop. But gorillas have the upper hand in intelligence and their massive amounts of strength, if used correctly, could give them the upper hand in this duel.
What About Lions?
For the lion’s example, we will be using the African Lion.
Lions grow to be about 4.5 to 6.5 feet from their head to the end of their body and their tales can grow to between 26 to 39 inches long.
At their heaviest, they weigh about 460 pounds. This puts them roughly on par with the gorilla.
The main advantage of the lion is that they are natural predators and expert hunters. They are designed to fight and designed to take down prey.
They have powerful jaws that are perfect for ripping through and piercing flesh. They are no strangers to taking down prey that is much larger than them either.
They have been known to take down elephants and giraffes. But when they do go for larger prey, they usually do it in groups.
Their manes as a defense mechanism and used as an intimidation tactic. The mane also protects their necks from being damaged by other predators or attackers.
Lions can also leap up to 30 feet and they can run up to 50 miles an hour, but they don’t have a great deal of stamina. They are exceptionally strong but will tire quickly.
In the wild, when their stamina is used up, they usually give up on their attack, which in a fight with a gorilla, would put them in a great deal of danger.
Gorilla VS Lion: Who Would Win?
So we’ve covered a bit about each animal, but who would win in this duel of beasts?
It purely depends on the environment and terrain in most cases. Gorillas are native to mountainous terrain, whereas lions are native to open savannahs.
Another thing to take into consideration is the time of day. If this duel were to occur at night, the Lion would have the upper hand. Like all cats, big and small, lions can see very well in the dark.
Gorillas, on the other hand, have eyesight that is similar to humans, so they would be at a great disadvantage.
If it were a test of brute strength, it would purely depend on what tactics the lion would use. Lions by nature go for a stealthy, more assassin-like approach when they attack and because of their low stamina, they have to be quick.
If the lion could sneak its way up to the gorilla and quickly reach its throat, the gorilla wouldn’t stand much of a chance.
However, if the lion missed, the gorilla could quite easily overpower it and crush the lion’s neck with its bare hands. A lion’s advantage drastically depends on the success of its first attack.
Gorillas have better stamina than lions, so by the time the lion has tired out, the gorilla will still have the strength and endurance to keep attacking.
Conclusion
So with all this information we’ve gathered and discussed, it’s quite clear that both of these titans could win. Gorillas have better stamina, which means they could last longer overall.
Lions really have a better advantage at night in areas where they have the opportunity to be stealthy.
It’s fair to say that there isn’t a straight answer to this question. Both the gorilla and the lion could win. It’s purely circumstantial.
Perhaps the best way to even the odds and find out which would come out on top would be to drop them both in an environment that neither would be used to, at a neutral time of day. Only then would we know for sure who would come out on top!
Hi, my name is Joe Edwards and I am fascinated by the world of big cats. It all started when my family and I visited a safari park when I was six years old. I begged my parents to get me a stuffed lion as a memento, and later a book about big cats for Christmas.
Now, over 20 years later, I still can’t get enough of them!
