Gorilla vs Tiger: Primate against big cat – a war raging for thousands of years. What will happen when the biggest of both worlds collide?
Gorilla
Gorillas may appear vicious, but they are actually relatively gentle animals.
That is, however, unless they are surprised or threatened and, in such cases, their ability to inflict damage is frightening.
With the strength to bench press an estimated 4,000 lbs (1,814 kg) – 10 times their own body weight – gorillas are one of the strongest animals in the world.
In addition, a male gorilla’s canine teeth and can grow up to two inches (5 cm) long and they have a bite force of 1,300 psi (pounds per square inch), one of the strongest on the planet.
Their jaws are strong enough to crush bamboo and bones with ease and they can throw a punch with a force of 1,300 – 2,700 lbs (590-1,225 kg).
As nature’s bodybuilder, the gorilla makes for a freakishly powerful and dangerous adversary.
Tiger
The tiger is the world’s biggest and strongest of cats and is often called “the true king of the jungle”.
Able to take down prey up to five times their size, tigers are apex predators in every habitat they dwell, whether it’s the python-infested jungles of India or the wolf-inhabited forests of Russia.
Like most felines, tigers are completely solitary and when they come across their own kind, they will often challenge them – usually for mating rights.
In addition, a tiger may fight if another large predator, such as a crocodile or bear, poses a threat or competition for food or territory.
The tiger’s raw force and battle instincts make it an awesome force to be reckoned with.
Who would win: Gorilla vs Tiger
| Stats | Silverback Gorilla | Tiger |
| Weight | 300-500 lbs (136-227 kg) | 200 – 660 lbs (90-300 kg) |
| Length (Tail Included) | 5.5 ft (1.7m) | 9-12 ft (2.7-3.7 m) |
| Height | 4 ft (1.2m) | 2.5 – 4 ft (0.7-1.2 m) |
| Bite Force | 1,300 psi | 1,000 psi |
Since most of the tiger species are larger than gorillas, the tiger would most often be the larger of these competitors.
Even the smallest subspecies of tiger, the Sumatran tiger, who weighs about 200-310 lbs (90-140 kg), stands a chance at beating the large primate, because African Leopards which weigh only up to 200 lbs (60-90kg) hunt gorillas.
Nonetheless, this does not necessarily ensure the tiger’s victory as hunting is quite different than fighting face-to-face.
Hunting vs Fighting: Predator vs Prey
There are a number of key differences between hunting and fighting, to the extent that it’s often unfair to use a hunting victory to argue a win in a faceoff.
First of all, hunting gives the hunter the element of surprise, whereas a battle is confrontational.
Secondly, the goal of hunting is to eat the prey, while the prey will do what it can to survive the attack. If the prey succeeds in fleeing, it would mean success for the prey and failure for the predator.
When fighting, however, the goal is the same for both sides; each one to ultimately eliminate their adversary. This puts both animals face to face, using their natural weapons and abilities.
That said, the gorilla’s greater size in comparison to the Sumatran tiger is likely enough for it to come out on top or at least make the tiger retreat. The same would hold true for the Malayan tiger, which is only slightly bigger than its Sumatran cousin.
The odds begin to turn in the tiger’s favor when we start analyzing the next biggest tiger: the South China Tiger. A particularly large South China Tiger can weigh nearly 400 pounds (181 kg), rivaling an average Silverback Gorilla in weight.
Additionally, the tiger has other advantages, such as his agility and lethal claws and while they both have fangs, the gorilla’s are not as formidable as the tiger’s.
The above attributes are already likely enough for a tiger to win in a fight to the death, even if he’s outweighed by 220 or so pounds (100 kg) and may sustain injury, but the next largest tiger is even more likely to win.
An average size Indochinese Tiger will reach the size of a full grown large Silverback Gorilla and can weigh over 500 pounds.
In order to win against a tiger of a matching size, a gorilla would need to deal a lucky and devastating blow in order to defeat him. This, however, is improbable and, at the end of the day, such a tiger would be the undoubted superior competitor and claim victory the vast majority of the time.