A gorilla’s strength is roughly ten times its weight, and the combined strength of just two mature silverbacks is greater than that of twenty human beings. On the bench press, a Silverback gorilla could indeed bench press 4,000 pounds, whereas a highly trained human male has a maximum of 885 pounds. One gorilla was able to hoist up to 1800 pounds, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. So, how does the strength of a Silverback Gorilla stack up against the rest of the animal kingdom? Below we will be exploring 5 absurdly strong animals more powerful than a silverback gorilla! Strength can be quantified in various ways, and this generalization holds true throughout the animal kingdom. This article will focus on several factors, such as strength-to-weight ratio, bite force, grip, and overall power!
1. African Bush Elephant (Strongest Overall)
African bush elephants can lift 1,300 lbs., or 9,000 kg. Not only are they the largest land animals, reaching up to 4.5 meters in height and 12 tons in weight, but their trunks include 40,000 tendons and muscles and can carry over 660 lbs., or 300 kg! This makes them the strongest animal on earth! In addition to their massive size, African bush elephants remain infamous for their impressively long tusks, which may reach lengths of more than 2 meters and are utilized for excavating, fending off predators, and settling territorial disputes.
2. Saltwater Crocodile (Strongest Bite Force)
The biggest of the crocodilian species, Saltwater crocodiles, or Crocodylus porosus, can weigh up to 1,000 pounds. They have the strongest bite of any animal and are one of the world’s deadliest creatures. In fact, Saltwater crocodiles are responsible for up to 1,000 annual human fatalities. This crocodile can reach up to 23 feet long and has a biting force of 3,700 PSI! These terrible killers can weigh more than a ton and are even deadlier than sharks, including the Great White!
3. Polar Bear (Strongest Land-Based Carnivore)
Due to the Polar bear’s superior size and strength, it is the world’s largest and most powerful land carnivore. The polar bear would almost certainly kill the gorilla if the two ever met. The Polar bear is a top predator that lives only above the Arctic Circle and has previously been linked to a few fatal attacks on people. Depending on their size, male Polar bears can reach anywhere from 770 to 1,700 pounds and are as tall as 7.8 feet while standing on their hind legs! With just its jaws, a Polar bear might kill a gorilla. A Polar bear would also have the upper hand against a gorilla if it could use its mass to exert force or toss the ape off balance.
4. Dung Beetle (Highest Strength-to-Weight Ratio)
Even when compared to larger creatures, some little animals are quite impressive due to their high strength-to-weight ratio. Considering this, the Dung beetle emerges as the strongest animal, with the ability to lift more than a thousand times its own weight! They utilize their horns to defend themselves from rival Dung beetles, which may be where they gain their formidable strength. Dung beetles are common all over the world, and they get their name because they feast on the waste of other creatures.
5. Coconut Crab (Strongest Overall Grip)
Coconut crabs are the largest land-dwelling crustaceans on earth, reaching lengths of up to a meter. The largest coconut crab ever caught weighed a whopping 4 kg or almost 9 pounds. Strong enough to lift over 66 lbs., they got their moniker by tearing apart coconuts for food. Until recently, it was unknown just how powerful a grip from this crab’s claw can be. It has now been established that the coconut crab possesses the strongest grip of any known species. The Okinawa Churashima Foundation in Japan found that the pinching power of a Coconut crab is directly proportional to its size. Scientists extrapolated their findings to suggest that this crab could pinch with a pressure of 3,300 Newtons! That equals almost 750 pound-force, which is over 10 times stronger than a human hand. Ouch!
In Conclusion
If strength is a criterion, the Silverback gorilla must be considered one of the strongest animals on earth overall. Its incredibly muscular and long arms give it an advantage in strength that exceeds six times that of a human. However, there are clearly a lot of variables to think about when assessing strength. For instance, it can get tricky even if you only consider grip strength. For example, a full-grown anaconda or boa constrictor would have the strongest overall body grasp. However, the Silverback chimpanzee comes out on top for the strongest finger grip strength when it comes to creatures with fingers. Then there is fight strength, which would need to include the animal’s general stamina, size, and ability to use its weapons (i.e., teeth and claws). With this in consideration, hopefully, you could learn more about the extraordinary power of Silverback mountain gorillas and other creatures that can hold their own against the gorilla in various strength categories!
