The question of the strongest animal often sparks curiosity, but the answer is not as straightforward as it might seem. Animal strength manifests in diverse ways, making direct comparisons complex. Understanding an animal’s strength requires considering various metrics beyond simple size or power.
Defining Animal Strength
Strength in the animal kingdom can be categorized and measured in multiple ways. Absolute strength refers to the sheer amount of force an animal can exert or the total weight it can lift or pull. This metric typically favors larger animals, as greater body mass often correlates with more muscle and leverage.
In contrast, relative strength considers an animal’s power in proportion to its own body weight. This measurement often highlights the impressive abilities of smaller creatures, showcasing how much they can move compared to their own mass. Beyond lifting and pulling, strength also encompasses specialized forms, such as bite force, impact force, or the ability to sustain effort over time, known as endurance strength.
Absolute Strength Champions
When considering the ability to move heavy objects, large mammals often dominate discussions of absolute strength. African elephants are widely regarded as the strongest land animals, capable of lifting objects weighing several thousand kilograms with their trunks or tusks. Estimates suggest they can lift their own body weight, which can be up to 6,000 kg (13,228 lbs), and carry up to 9,000 kg (19,841 lbs). Their trunks alone can lift over 200 kg (440 lbs).
Grizzly bears also possess immense absolute strength, estimated to be 2.5 to 5 times stronger than an average human in terms of lifting and carrying power. These large predators, with males weighing up to 680 kg (1,500 lbs), use their powerful muscles and shoulder hump for digging and moving heavy objects. They can lift or carry over 500 kg (1,100 lbs). Gorillas, particularly silverbacks, exhibit remarkable upper body strength, capable of exerting over 816 kg (1,800 lbs) in pulling force and are estimated to be 4 to 10 times stronger than the average human. Some estimates suggest a fully grown silverback can lift up to 1,810 kg (4,000 lbs) on a bench press.
Relative Strength Champions
Smaller creatures often hold the title for relative strength, demonstrating an ability to lift or pull many times their own body weight. The male Onthophagus taurus dung beetle is recognized as one of the strongest animals on Earth in this regard. This tiny insect can pull an astounding 1,141 times its own body weight, an impressive feat equivalent to a human pulling six double-decker buses. Another remarkable example is the rhinoceros beetle, which can lift objects weighing up to 850 times its own body weight and sustain this effort for extended periods. Leafcutter ants also display exceptional relative strength, capable of carrying loads 20 to 50 times their own body weight over considerable distances. This is comparable to a human lifting a small car while running a marathon. These insects achieve such feats through highly efficient muscle mechanics and robust exoskeletons, allowing them to leverage their power effectively.
Specialized Forms of Strength
Strength manifests in highly specialized forms adapted to an animal’s survival and ecological niche. Bite force is a prominent example, with the saltwater crocodile often cited as having the strongest bite among living animals, recorded at approximately 3,700 pounds per square inch (PSI). Spotted hyenas also possess exceptionally powerful jaws, capable of generating around 1,100 PSI, allowing them to crush bones and access nutrient-rich marrow. Great white sharks are estimated to have a bite force of up to 4,000 PSI, enabling them to tear through flesh and bone.
Impact force and striking power represent another specialized form of strength. Kangaroos, particularly red kangaroos, deliver powerful kicks with their hind legs, generating approximately 759 pounds of force. They also use their strong forearms for punching. The mantis shrimp, despite its small size, delivers one of the fastest and most powerful strikes in the animal kingdom, capable of fracturing aquarium glass with its club-like appendages. Endurance strength, crucial for migration and sustained activity, is exemplified by migratory birds that can fly thousands of miles or certain fish species that swim against strong currents for extended periods.