Elephants and hippos have fought before, and they will fight again as they live in the same range as one another in Africa. We’ll break down the facts about who wins these battles and why!
Comparing an Elephant and a Hippo
The Key Factors in a Fight Between an Elephant and a Hippo
A battle between an elephant and a hippo would be decided by a series of key factors. We have identified seven total components of battle that include physical features and combat abilities that determine which animal wins. Consider the different facets of each beast and learn what makes them superior or inferior to the other.
Physical Features
The rule of the wild is that the larger animals tend to be more successful in fights against smaller ones. That is not always the case, though. A highly skilled predator can effectively kill a larger animal if it takes the right steps. Let’s size up the two animals and get the tale of the tape.
Elephant vs Hippo: Size
When it comes to size, both the hippo and the elephant are very large creatures. The hippo weighs 3,000lbs – 4,000lbs and can grow over 5ft high at the shoulder. Their length can exceed 15ft too! They’re very large and that makes them incredibly dangerous. The elephant weighs between 6,000 and 12,000lbs, has a height up to 12ft, and can measure 21ft in length. The elephant has a massive advantage in terms of size.
Elephant vs Hippo: Speed and Movement
The elephant is a large animal, but that does not mean it’s slow. In fact, the elephant can charge at speeds of 25mph when it is chasing after enemies to scare them off or kill them. That’s speedy, but the hippo is also fast. The hippo can run at 20mph, but some researchers have claimed they can reach 30mph. Being the elephant and hippo have similar speeds that were measured, this statistic is a tie.
Elephant vs Hippo: Bite Power and Teeth
The elephant doesn’t use its teeth in a way that matters in a fight, but the hippo uses its massive teeth to great effect. This animal has a bite force exceeding 1,800 PSI and has teeth over a foot long. Their teeth are deadly and immensely powerful, supposedly capable of biting a crocodile in half. Hippos get the advantage for biting and teeth.
Elephant vs Hippo: Senses
Poor senses can leave a creature open to harm, but good senses can stop an attack before it occurs. Elephants have great hearing and sense of smell, the latter of which allows them to smell food from miles away. Hippos have a great sense of smell, good eyesight on land and in water, and they can hear pretty well. Hippos’ senses are better-balanced, so they get the overall advantage.
Elephant vs Hippo: Physical Defenses
Nothing scares potential predators off like large animals. After all, most predators don’t want to put themselves at risk. That is what keeps both the hippo and the elephant safe from predators, at least as adults. Both animals also have thick, tough skin that is hard for predators to pierce. Both also have fierce defense displays that scare predators away. The animals’ defenses, without size as a factor, are a tie.
Combat Skills
Size doesn’t always matter in a fight. After all, the elephant is a herbivore that is less territorial while the hippopotamus is also primarily a herbivore, but has no problem going after manned boats to defend its territory. Take a look at how each creature’s fighting prowess factors into their battle.
Elephant vs Hippo: Offensive Capabilities
Both animals are offensive powerhouses. On one hand, the elephant can simply stomp enemies to death because they weigh so much and are so fast. They can also spear their enemies with their tusks, leading to brutal scenes on the savannah. Lastly, elephants can use their head to batter their foes, a headbutt like no other. On the other hand, hippos are highly aggressive creatures that can also trample enemies, bite through them, or drag them into the water and kill them. Both animals have brutal, effective offensive measures, so we’re calling this a tie from an objective standpoint.
What Are Key Differences Between Elephants and Hippos?
The elephant weighs more, stands taller, and is much longer than a hippo. The hippo is aggressively territorial, but the elephant is a somewhat docile creature. Another noteworthy distinction is that the hippo is semi-aquatic, so it spends a lot of time in the water, but the elephant does not spend a significant portion of time in the water. These are the main differences between the two animals, but many others exist.
Who Would Win in a Fight Between Elephant and Hippo?
In an elephant vs hippo fight, the elephant is going to win. Assuming both creatures are fully grown adults, the elephant is just too big for the hippo to handle. Hippos are too smart to pick a fight with an elephant, so they have no idea what it takes to bring one down. Sure, they could bite a leg and try to drag the elephant into the water, but the chances are good that they would get their head stomped in for their effort. Even if the hippo did successfully ambush and bite the elephant, the elephant would rear back in pain from being bitten and then spear a tusk through the hippo. That would cause massive damage to the hippo’s body or organs, instantly debilitating or outright killing them. In a fight, the elephant would handily win. However, the two creatures tend to live near one another in relative peace in the real world. The hippos make room for elephants to avoid conflict because they know that elephants are simply too strong to fight.
