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

# American bison vs hippopotamus

**American bison vs hippopotamus: hippopotamus leads on 3 of 5 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

The heaviest land animal in the Americas; commonly called a buffalo, though true buffalo live in Africa and Asia. A semi-aquatic grazer, the third-heaviest land mammal and among the most dangerous to people. On the measurements below, hippopotamus 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 bison | hippopotamus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 320–1,270 kg | 1,300–3,200 kg |
| Length | 2.1–3.5 m | 3.3–5 m |
| Height | 1.5–2 m | 1.3–1.65 m |
| Top speed | 56 km/h | 25–30 km/h |
| Bite force | — | 1,800 psi |
| Lifespan | 15–25 yr | 40–55 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: hippopotamus is 2.0× heavier.
- Length: hippopotamus is 1.2× longer.
- Height: American bison is 1.2× taller.
- Top speed: American bison is 1.9× faster.
- Lifespan: hippopotamus is 2.3× 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 American bison bigger than a hippopotamus?

hippopotamus is heavier — 1,300–3,200 kg against 320–1,270 kg.

### Who would win, a American bison 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 American bison weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/american-bison/)
- [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 hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [African elephant vs American bison](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-american-bison/)
- [Asian elephant vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/asian-elephant-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [black rhinoceros vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/black-rhinoceros-vs-hippopotamus/)

## Sources

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