How would the king of beasts fare against the world’s largest primate? While the lion is armed with vast might and strength, underestimating the Great Ape would be foolish. In the unlikely event of combat, these two kings of their respective domains would make an interesting pairing. Before we issue the verdict on how would triumph in this face-off, let’s compare the two creatures through their various attributes and characteristics.
Gorilla Vs Lion
Gorilla Vs Lion: Appearance
Gorilla Appearance
Gorillas are large, strong, and stocky primates with powerful hands, broad shoulders, forearms that are shorter than their upper arms, and muscular legs. They have dark, hairless faces with big nostrils, and tiny, close-set eyes. Mature males are known as silverbacks because of their lower back’s gray or silver hairs and pronounced sagittal crest, which indicates very powerful jaw muscles. The crest is possessed by the females of the species too, though it isn’t as prominent as on the males.
Lion Appearance
Lions have long been revered as representations of valor and toughness. Their muscle-laden torso sits atop a set of four short legs and is topped by a large head. The lion’s coat can be buff yellow, silvery gray, reddish, or dark brown. The tail tip normally has a tuft that is darker in color than the rest of the body.
Since lions are sexually dimorphic creatures, a grown male is unmistakable for the thick mane that encompasses his head, neck, and shoulder region, as well as continuing down to his belly where it joins a fringe. These manes are not simply a decorative attribute either. They actually make the male lion look bigger and more intimidating to potential rivals.
Gorilla Vs Lion: Size
Gorilla Size
Gorillas and lions both fall within a relatively similar weight range (between 300 and 500 lbs), though their females generally only half of that size. When standing on their feet, gorillas can reach a height of 5.5 feet (1.6 to 1.7 meters), which makes them comparable to average humans, though the gorillas are more bulky and far heavier than their human counterparts.
Lion Size
From the top of their head to the start of their tails, lions tend to be about 6 to 7 feet in length (1.8 to 2.1 mt), though the tail itself typically adds another meter. At shoulder height, lions average about 1.2 meters. Females are about 1.5 mt long, with a 0.9 to 1.1 mt shoulder height.
Gorilla Vs Lion: Geographical Residence
Gorilla Geographical Residence
Gorillas are almost always found in the regions of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, some gorilla subspecies reside in montane rainforests at 1500 to 3500 mt elevations, as well as even higher ones (2500 to 3500 mt) in bamboo forests.
Lion Geographical Residence
Lions can be found widely among African sub-Saharan regions, roaming grasslands, open woodlands, and scrubs, though they also reside in some parts of Europe and Asia.
Gorilla Vs Lion: Behavior
Gorilla Behavior
Gorillas live in families, led by a large, dominant male (the alpha), generally consisting of about 40 members. The alpha will coordinate leave nesting, eating patterns, and establishes a range where his family is permitted to roam, generally of about 16 square miles. Many of their behaviors mimic human ones, which makes sense since these creatures share 98.3% of the DNA makeup with their human cousins.
Lion Behavior
Lions also live in families, commonly referred to as a pride, that can consist of as few as 2 and as many as 40 lions. In almost all situations, a pride will have 3 or 4 male adults, a host of lionesses, and their cubs. Lions fiercely defend their well-defined territories against other lines who happen to intrude on them.
Gorilla Vs Lion: Sound
Gorilla Sound
Gorilla communication is fascinating, utilizing an array of communication methods including hand gestures, body postures, and sounds. When they wrestle around, play chase, or tickle one another, gorillas emit a sound resembling human laughter to a degree. They also grunt, roar, growl, and scream. Growls are generally reserved as intimidation tactics for intruders warning them to steer clear.
Screams typically happen when a gorilla is angry, and are sometimes paired with chest-thumping motions. This is another maneuver of communication also usually reserved for intimidating foes. Grunts are either made by younger, immature gorillas, as well as a sign of satisfaction during mating season.
Lion Sound
The lion’s roar is the stuff of legend. It is incredibly loud and would be able to drown out a gas-powered lawnmower 25 times over. These roars can be heard as far away as 5 miles away, so if one was to happen next to a human’s ear, that person would almost certainly be deaf according to research. But roaring loudly is far from the only sound lions make. They also grunt to assert dominance, purr, and meow when they wish to express being content and snarl when a male lion is displeased with the behavior of another member of the pride or to flaunt their superiority.
Gorilla Vs Lion: Diet
Gorilla Diet
A gorilla’s diet is largely dependent on its subspecies. While some enjoy finding and breaking open termite nests to feed on the larvae, most maintain a vegetarian diet of bamboo shoots, fruits, and stems.
Lion Diet
Lions sit atop the food chain, having no natural predators. The lionesses do the “lion’s share” of hunting, preying on a host of large animals including zebras, antelopes, and wildebeests, though males lend their assistance when the sought-after prey is sizable. Lions are perfectly aware that most of their prey can outrun them in a chase, so they use teamwork to lure prey and ambush it into capture.
Gorilla Vs Lion: Bodily And Bite Strength
Gorilla Bodily And Bite Strength
Gorillas have immensely powerful jaws, which are made stronger by the presence of sharp, lengthy canines. Their bite force is enough to grind roots and bark that constitute a large portion of their diet, at a significant 1300 lbs/sq inch. The canines do not contribute as much to bite strength, however, as they do to being an unnerving sight to potential threats, and are more of an intimidation tool than a practical one.
Lion Bodily And Bite Strength
By comparison, the lion’s bite is much weaker than a gorilla’s, measuring only 650 lbs/sq inch. Perhaps it is no coincidence that lions hunt in packs. Compared to humans, however, the lion’s bite is quite strong, since humans have a bite force of a mere 162 lbs/sq inch.
Gorilla Vs Lion: Speed
Gorilla Speed
If you were being chased by a mighty gorilla, you better hope there are wheels assisting your getaway because the massive beast can reach speeds of 30 – 35 km/hr (20 – 25 mph).
Lion Speed
Lions can run significantly faster, reaching uncanny speeds of 80 km/hr (50 mph), but there is a catch. Lions are notorious for a lack of stamina, so while they can run very quickly, it can only be in short bursts, after which they need to recover for a significant amount of time.
Gorilla Vs Lion: Aggressive Nature
Gorilla Aggressive Nature
In terms of aggression, both species can be aggressive, but that doesn’t mean that they are aching for a fight either. Gorillas in stable groups rarely exhibit severe aggression. They mostly use their intimidating canines to scare away intruders. In the case of those intruders being human, the sight of a peeved gorilla is enough to make them run, and while intruding alpha males will put up more of a fight, it is also rare that this occurs.
Lion Aggressive Nature
Lions can be quite aggressive as well, though they are the laziest of the big cats. That notwithstanding, they still average a human kill count of around 250 annual deaths.
Gorilla Vs Lion: Who Would Win?
There is no doubt that a battle between these two prominent royalties of their species would be a fierce and gruesome sight. Gorillas have the jaw strength advantage, they are stronger, bulkier, and harder to take down. A few solid hits from a gorilla’s forearm can put down even the biggest lion. While gorillas are pacifistic by nature, when spooked, threatened, or attacked, they will certainly do some serious damage.
With that said, the lion is not a top-of-the-line predator and the king of beasts for no reason. Lions are well-equipped and conditioned to be killers. They have muscular bodies and sharp claws that can cut through the hard-to-penetrate hair and skin of even a huge silverback, causing notable damage. However, gorillas are more intelligent beings and are willing and capable to use weapons including bark and branches from a tree as tools in the fight.
In reality, this battle could go either way.
The likeliest scenario though is that the gorilla will use its intimidating presence and size to humble any ambitions of a lion to attack in the first place. If it comes down to it, the gorilla can lift and throw things at the lion to thwart any attack attempts. Now, if a gorilla was to be hunted by a pack of lions, the story would be much different. One-on-one, however, the silverback is likely to come up victorious.
Are you curious about who would win in a fight between a grizzly bear and a gorilla? Check out our Grizzly Bear vs Gorilla Fight Comparison article to find out! We’ll explore the strengths and weaknesses of each animal, as well as their fighting strategies and behaviors.
Frequently asked questions:
Who would win gorilla vs lion?
In a hypothetical fight between a gorilla and a lion, the outcome is difficult to predict as both animals have different strengths and tactics. While a gorilla has superior strength, a lion has sharp teeth and claws and is a skilled hunter.
Who would win lion vs gorilla?
It is impossible to predict who would win in a hypothetical fight between a lion and a gorilla, as both animals have different strengths and tactics. It’s important to note that such fights are not ethical or humane and should not be encouraged.
How strong is a gorilla vs lion?
Gorillas are generally considered to be stronger than lions, as they have more muscle mass and are capable of lifting heavier weights. However, lions are skilled hunters and have sharp teeth and claws, which they use to take down prey.
Hi, my name is Idammah, and I am a huge animal lover! I have always had a special place in my heart for pets, especially cats. I currently have a rescue cat named Simba, who has brought so much joy and love into my life. In my free time, you can find me playing with my cats or watching some animal documentaries. When not spending time with my cat, I enjoy writing about my experiences as a pet owner and sharing helpful tips and advice with other pet lovers. I hope to connect with other pet enthusiasts and share our love for animals through this blog.
