---
title: "African elephant vs hippopotamus — size, speed and bite force"
description: "African elephant and hippopotamus compared on mass, length, speed, bite force and lifespan — every measure side by side, with why the numbers cannot settle an encoun"
url: https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-hippopotamus/
site: "At One Place"
---

# African elephant vs hippopotamus

**African elephant vs hippopotamus: African elephant leads on 5 of 5 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

The largest living land animal, distinguished from the Asian elephant by larger ears and a dipped back. A semi-aquatic grazer, the third-heaviest land mammal and among the most dangerous to people. On the measurements below, African elephant leads on more of them — but they do not all point the same way, and the ones that disagree are the interesting part.

## The measurements

|  | African elephant | hippopotamus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 2,200–10,400 kg | 1,300–3,200 kg |
| Length | 5.5–7.5 m | 3.3–5 m |
| Height | 2.2–4 m | 1.3–1.65 m |
| Top speed | 40 km/h | 25–30 km/h |
| Bite force | — | 1,800 psi |
| Lifespan | 50–70 yr | 40–55 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: African elephant is 4.0× heavier.
- Length: African elephant is 1.9× longer.
- Height: African elephant is 2.1× taller.
- Top speed: African elephant is 1.3× faster.
- Lifespan: African elephant is 1.3× a longer life.

## What this does and does not tell you

These are measured averages with real ranges behind them, and every figure links to its own page. What they cannot do is settle an encounter. Outcomes between animals turn on circumstance — who initiates, whether either is hungry, defending young, injured or cornered, and what the terrain favours. Size and bite force are not decisive on their own, and most of these pairs never meet in the wild in any case, because their ranges do not overlap.

> Every figure here is an average with a substantial spread. Individual animals vary enormously — a large individual of the smaller species routinely exceeds a small individual of the larger one.

## Common questions

### Is a African elephant bigger than a hippopotamus?

African elephant is heavier — 2,200–10,400 kg against 1,300–3,200 kg.

### Who would win, a African elephant or a hippopotamus?

That is not something measurements can settle. The comparison above shows which animal leads on each measure, but an actual encounter depends on circumstance, motivation, health and terrain — and most pairs like this never meet in the wild.

## Related pages

- [How much does a African elephant weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/african-elephant/)
- [How much does a hippopotamus weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/hippopotamus/)
- [cheetah vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [cougar vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [domestic cat vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [grizzly bear vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/grizzly-bear-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [American black bear vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-black-bear-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [giant panda vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/giant-panda-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [gray wolf vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/gray-wolf-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [coyote vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/coyote-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [African elephant vs lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-lion/)
- [African elephant vs tiger](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-tiger/)
- [African elephant vs leopard](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-leopard/)
- [African elephant vs jaguar](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-jaguar/)

## Sources

- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)