Saltwater Crocodile vs Great White Shark: The dreaded king of the river battles the abominable king of the sea.
Crocodile
A legendary monster said to have preyed on dinosaurs, the crocodile is a notorious predator, one of few that actively hunt humans.
Crocodiles are the largest reptiles in the world and have the strongest bite force in the entire animal kingdom.
Larger crocodiles, such as Nile Crocodiles and their even bigger cousins, Saltwater Crocodiles, have no predators at all.
In fact, they will even occasionally prey on other apex predators, such as lions and tigers.
If lions are the king of the jungle, then crocodiles are their dragons.
Great White Shark
The infamous Great White Shark is the largest predatory fish in the world and perhaps the most feared of all animals. Great whites are known for growing to impressive sizes.
Then, of course there are their countless sharp and cerated teeth and one of the strongest bites on the planet.
Great whites are so impressive they are second only to their own one natural predator and the greatest predator in all of nature; the killer whale. So, it is for good reason why they are thought to be kings of the ocean.
Analysis: Saltwater Crocodile vs Great White Shark
Both combatants have a wide range in size, depending on gender, genetics, age, and other factors.
Like in most cases in nature, if the sizes of the opponents in a fight differ to a reasonable extent, the larger one will most often win.
So, when the biggest crocodile comes face to face with the largest predatory shark, what will it look like?
If both animals are the same length, the shark will be heavier, and if both are the same weight, the crocodile will be longer.
Before comparing those, however, it’s best to cover what is true for general cases.
Jaws
Great Whites have much wider jaws than crocodiles do, with many more teeth. Their teeth are designed like knives to easily tear through flesh.
The crocodile’s jaws, on the other hand, are built to crush bone. They have teeth that are strong and conical in shape and an extremely powerful bite force.
Protection
A Crocodile’s armor is among the strongest found in the animal kingdom and it is certainly impenetrable to the Great White.
However, unfortunately for the croc, its armor only protects its back and, while in water, it’s unprotected belly is exposed to attack.
A Great White Shark has no armor or thick skin to protect it, making it prone to penetration and injury, and its skeleton is not made from strong bone, but rather from cartilage, which is much weaker.
Agression
Contrary to their reputation, Great Whites are not confrontational. In fact, for the most part, they would rather avoid conflict than risk injury, except when necessary, such as for hunting.
Crocodiles, on the other hand, are well-known for being very aggressive and stubborn, although they too will often retreat to avoid risking injury if such a risk doesn’t seem worth it.
Resilience
Because it is common for crocodiles to lose body parts during fights with members of their own species, they are often found missing limbs. Nonetheless, they will usually continue to survive just fine without them thanks to their impressive ability to adapt to change.
Sharks, unlike crocs, are very dependent on their limbs. A shark’s fins are crucial for it to swim properly, otherwise not only will it not be able to maneuver properly in a fight, but a Great White will actually drown. Therefore, the shark risks a lot more than the croc if so injured.
Sizes
If they are both the same weight, the stats may look something like this:
| Stats | Saltwater Crocodile | Great White Shark |
| Weight | 2,000 lbs (905 kg) | 2,000 lbs (905 kg) |
| Length | 18 ft (5.5m) | 15 ft (4.5m) |
| Bite force | 3,700 PSI | 1,200 PSI |
If they are both the same length, they might look as follows:
| Stats | Saltwater Crocodile | Great White Shark |
| Weight | 2,205 lbs (1,000 kg) | 5,000 lbs (2,250 kg) |
| Length | 20 ft (6m) | 20 ft (6m) |
| Bite Force | 3,700 PSI | 2,300 PSI |
When weight is equal between the two, the crocodile will only be a few feet longer than the shark, which will likely make little difference to the shark.
If the length is equal, the Great White will weigh over twice as much as the Saltwater Crocodile, which may seem to give the shark a major advantage.
Even with size advantages on one side or the other, it’s important to remember all the other pros, cons, and general crucial attributes of each animal.
The shark’s unique bite can kill the crocodile should its flesh-tearing teeth reach one of the reptiles unprotected vital organs in its underside.
The crocodile, on the other hand, has a bite that can crush pretty much any part of the shark’s body as if it is made of jelly. Also, should it attack one of the shark’s fins and impair it enough, it will very likely prevent the shark from being able to maneuver properly in order to fight or even to swim away so it can survive.
Conclusion
If the fight between the shark and the croc is not one to the death, but only until one gives up and retreats, the crocodile will be the most likely to win even if heavily outweighed by the shark, if only thanks to its stubbornness and relative lack of risk.
If the fight is one to the death, the Great White will obviously have better chance the heavier it is. Also, if the shark can manage to bite the croc on its underbelly, which would be very difficult in a face-off, the crocodile would almost certainly be defeated.
However if they are both of equal weight, then the croc is the more likely to win, since while it may be tricky for a crocodile to bite Great White Shark that is larger than himself, it is very far from impossible and the soft, unprotected shark could easily fall at the jaws of the vicious armored reptile.