Gorilla vs Bear: Who Would Win?

Silverback Gorilla vs Grizzly Bear — the ultimate strength showdown

This is one of the internet's favorite hypothetical battles: Gorilla vs Bear.

On one side, you have the silverback gorilla — the strongest primate on Earth, with incredible intelligence and powerful arms. On the other, the grizzly bear — a 600-pound killing machine with claws, teeth, and raw power.

Who wins? Let's break it down.

Meet the Fighters

🦍 The Silverback Gorilla (Gorilla beringei)

Silverback gorillas are the largest primates alive. They're named for the silver hair that develops on mature males' backs. Despite their fearsome appearance, they're mostly gentle — but when threatened, they're terrifying.

Physical Stats:

- Height: 5.5-6 feet (standing)

- Weight: 300-485 lbs

- Arm span: Up to 8.5 feet

- Strength: Can lift 1,800 lbs (estimated)

Weapons:

- 2-inch canine teeth

- Incredibly powerful arms and hands

- Bite force: 1,300 PSI

- Can rip apart bamboo with bare hands

Fighting Style:

Gorillas fight by charging, beating their chests, and using their immense strength to overpower opponents. They grapple, bite, and use their long arms to grab and throw. They fight to establish dominance, not usually to kill.

Weaknesses:

- No claws (fingernails only)

- Shorter than bears when standing

- Not built for sustained combat

- Rarely fight to the death

🐻 The Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis)

Grizzly bears are North American brown bears known for their massive size and aggressive temperament. They've been known to take down moose, elk, and even fight off wolf packs.

Physical Stats:

- Height: 6.5-8 feet (standing)

- Weight: 400-790 lbs (males)

- Length: 6-7 feet

- Speed: 35 mph

Weapons:

- 4-inch claws (curved, razor-sharp)

- 3-inch canine teeth

- Bite force: 975 PSI

- Thick fur and fat layer (natural armor)

Fighting Style:

Bears fight by standing up, swiping with their massive paws, and using their weight to overwhelm opponents. A single swipe can decapitate a deer. They're surprisingly fast for their size.

Weaknesses:

- Less intelligent than gorillas

- Slower reflexes

- Solitary, less experienced fighting their own kind

Tale of the Tape

Attribute	Gorilla	Grizzly Bear	Advantage
-----------	---------	--------------	-----------
Size	300-485 lbs	400-790 lbs	🐻 Bear
Height	5.5-6 ft	6.5-8 ft	🐻 Bear
Strength	1,800 lb lift	1,200 lb lift	🦍 Gorilla
Bite Force	1,300 PSI	975 PSI	🦍 Gorilla
Weapons	Teeth, hands	Claws, teeth	🐻 Bear
Speed	25 mph	35 mph	🐻 Bear
Durability	Moderate	High (thick hide)	🐻 Bear
Intelligence	Very high	Moderate	🦍 Gorilla

The Critical Difference: Claws

Here's what decides this fight: the bear has 4-inch claws. The gorilla has fingernails.

In a strength contest, the gorilla might actually be stronger pound-for-pound. A silverback's arm strength is legendary — they can bend iron bars and rip apart small trees.

But strength doesn't matter if you can't survive long enough to use it.

One swipe from a grizzly bear can:

- Disembowel prey

- Break bones

- Cause fatal bleeding

The gorilla has no equivalent weapon. Its teeth are dangerous, but it would need to get close to use them — and getting close means getting swiped.

How Each Would Fight

Gorilla's Strategy:

1. Charge and try to intimidate

2. Attempt to grapple and use superior grip strength

3. Try to bite the bear's throat

4. Use agility to avoid swipes

Bear's Strategy:

1. Stand up to full height (intimidation)

2. Swipe with massive clawed paws

3. Use weight to pin opponent

4. Bite and maul

The gorilla would need to avoid the claws, get inside the bear's reach, and somehow deliver a killing blow. That's... really hard.

The Verdict: Who Would Win?

The grizzly bear wins decisively.

Here's the brutal truth:

- The bear is significantly larger (300-400 lbs heavier on average)

- The bear has natural weapons the gorilla can't match

- The bear has thick fur and fat that protects against bites

- The bear fights to kill; gorillas fight for dominance

Our call: Bear wins 9 out of 10 times

The only way a gorilla wins is if it gets incredibly lucky — maybe landing a throat bite before taking claw damage. But realistically, a grizzly bear is one of the most dangerous animals on the planet, and the gorilla just doesn't have the tools to compete.

What About Gorilla Intelligence?

Gorillas are smarter than bears. But in a fight, intelligence doesn't help much. The gorilla can't pick up weapons, set traps, or outsmart the bear in the moment of combat. It's a physical contest, and the bear has better physical weapons.

Different Bear Species?

Grizzly Bear: Bear wins decisively (covered above)

Black Bear: Much closer! Black bears are smaller (200-400 lbs). A large silverback vs. an average black bear could go either way. We'd give this 50/50.

Polar Bear: Bear wins even more decisively. Polar bears are larger than grizzlies (up to 1,500 lbs) and have taken down walruses. Not a fair fight.

What If They Actually Met?

In reality, gorillas live in African rainforests and grizzlies live in North America. They'd never encounter each other naturally.

Both animals would probably try to avoid a fight. Grizzlies are generally not aggressive unless threatened or protecting cubs. Gorillas rely on intimidation displays (chest-beating, charging) to avoid actual combat.

The fight would only happen if both were cornered or competing for something.