---
title: "American alligator vs American bison — size, speed and bite fo"
description: "American alligator and American bison compared on mass, length, speed, bite force and lifespan — every measure side by side, with why the numbers cannot settle an en"
url: https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-alligator-vs-american-bison/
site: "At One Place"
---

# American alligator vs American bison

**American alligator vs American bison: American alligator leads on 2 of 3 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

A broad-snouted crocodilian of the US Southeast, recovered from near-extinction to over a million animals. The heaviest land animal in the Americas; commonly called a buffalo, though true buffalo live in Africa and Asia. On the measurements below, American alligator 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

|  | American alligator | American bison |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 70–500 kg | 320–1,270 kg |
| Length | 2.6–4.6 m | 2.1–3.5 m |
| Height | — | 1.5–2 m |
| Top speed | — | 56 km/h |
| Bite force | 1,000–2,980 psi | — |
| Lifespan | 35–70 yr | 15–25 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: American bison is 3.3× heavier.
- Length: American alligator is 1.1× longer.
- Lifespan: American alligator is 2.5× 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 American alligator bigger than a American bison?

American bison is heavier — 320–1,270 kg against 70–500 kg.

### Who would win, a American alligator or a American bison?

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 American alligator weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/american-alligator/)
- [How much does a American bison weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/american-bison/)
- [African elephant vs American bison](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-american-bison/)
- [African elephant vs American alligator](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-american-alligator/)
- [American bison vs lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-lion/)
- [American bison vs tiger](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-tiger/)
- [American bison vs leopard](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-leopard/)
- [American bison vs jaguar](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-jaguar/)
- [American bison vs cheetah](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-cheetah/)
- [American bison vs cougar](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-cougar/)
- [American bison vs snow leopard](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-snow-leopard/)
- [American bison vs domestic cat](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-domestic-cat/)
- [American bison vs grizzly bear](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-grizzly-bear/)
- [American bison vs polar bear](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-polar-bear/)

## Sources

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