---
title: "American black bear vs gorilla — size, speed and bite force"
description: "American black bear and gorilla 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-black-bear-vs-gorilla/
site: "At One Place"
---

# American black bear vs gorilla

**American black bear vs gorilla: gorilla leads on 3 of 3 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

North America's most common bear, and the one most people actually encounter. The largest living primate; dominant males, called silverbacks, are roughly twice the mass of females. On the measurements below, gorilla 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 black bear | gorilla |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 40–280 kg | 70–270 kg |
| Length | 1.2–2 m | — |
| Height | 0.7–1 m | 1.3–1.8 m |
| Top speed | 48 km/h | — |
| Bite force | — | 1,300 psi |
| Lifespan | 18–30 yr | 35–55 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: gorilla is 1.2× heavier.
- Height: gorilla is 1.9× taller.
- Lifespan: gorilla 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 American black bear bigger than a gorilla?

gorilla is heavier — 70–270 kg against 40–280 kg.

### Who would win, a American black bear or a gorilla?

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

## Sources

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