Lion vs Gorilla: Which of these two beasts is the true king of the jungle?
Lion
The lion, often referred to as “the king of the jungle”, has been a symbol of majesty, courage, and strength across many cultures for thousands of years. And for good reason. They’re one of the biggest and most powerful, yet regal, felines in the world.
A pride – or group of lions – can include a dozen or more females and up to three males.
A pride can take down prey multiple times their size and particularly large and experienced prides will even hunt elephants.
Male lions have been given a bad reputation for being “lazy” and “entitled”, since the females do 90% of the hunting, while the males stay at home. However, it’s not without reason that the females bring home the bacon, as they are the faster of the two and better fit for the hunt.
On the other hand, the males are charged with a different, yet arguably just as crucial job. It’s their responsibility to defend the pride’s territory and cubs, both from other predators and from other lions; the latter of which will attempt to usurp the alpha, kill the cubs, and then produce his own offspring with the pride’s lionesses.
Because it is in his nature to conquer, protect, and pass on his genes, being a warrior is deeply ingrained into a lion’s instincts, making him a frighteningly formidable opponent.
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.
Who would win: Lion vs Gorilla
| Stats | Lion | Gorilla |
| Weight | 300-550 lbs (136-250kg) | 300-500lbs (136-227kg) |
| Length (Tail included) | 10 ft (3m) | 5.5 ft (1.7m) |
| Height | 4 ft (1.2) | 4 ft (1.2m) |
| Bite force | 1,000 psi | 1,300 psi |
While both lions and gorillas have similar ranges of weight, the truth is that lions tend to have a greater potential to reach their own maximum weights than gorillas do. This overall gives lions the upper hand in most confrontations between the two animals. However, should both competitors be equal in weight, a little more evaluation is necessary to determine a winner.
The gorilla is physically stronger, with a more powerful bite force.
One may argue the fact that the gorilla is also more intelligent, however this is not really something that is worth considering in a face-to-face battle with a lion, just as an unarmed human would be powerless against the big cat.
The lion is more aggressive and more agile than the gorilla.
Additionally, the lion has a larger frame, larger claws, and its fangs are more lethal than that of a gorilla.
Another argument can be made in favor of the lion that leopards, which are much smaller cats, hunt gorillas. However, this isn’t necessarily a strong argument, as hunting and fighting can be fairly different from one another.
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.
So, what happens in a face to face match?
Conclusion
While the gorilla does have an impressive amount of strength and surprisingly scary fangs, it’s simply no match for the lion’s superior build and abilities and will ultimately either be forced to flee or be overpowered by the mighty cat.