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

# African elephant vs Komodo dragon

**African elephant vs Komodo dragon: African elephant leads on 3 of 3 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

The largest living land animal, distinguished from the Asian elephant by larger ears and a dipped back. The largest living lizard, which kills large prey with venom and shock rather than jaw power. 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 | Komodo dragon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 2,200–10,400 kg | 40–166 kg |
| Length | 5.5–7.5 m | 2–3.13 m |
| Height | 2.2–4 m | — |
| Top speed | 40 km/h | — |
| Bite force | — | 39 psi |
| Lifespan | 50–70 yr | 25–35 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: African elephant is 86× heavier.
- Length: African elephant is 2.6× longer.
- Lifespan: African elephant is 2.0× 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 Komodo dragon?

African elephant is heavier — 2,200–10,400 kg against 40–166 kg.

### Who would win, a African elephant or a Komodo dragon?

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 Komodo dragon weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/komodo-dragon/)
- [jaguar vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/jaguar-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [cheetah vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [cougar vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [domestic cat vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [grizzly bear vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/grizzly-bear-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [giant panda vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/giant-panda-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [gray wolf vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/gray-wolf-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [coyote vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/coyote-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [honey badger vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/honey-badger-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [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/)

## Sources

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