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

# American black bear vs spotted hyena

**American black bear vs spotted hyena: American black bear leads on 3 of 5 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

North America's most common bear, and the one most people actually encounter. A social carnivore whose jaws crack bone; females are larger than males and lead the clan. On the measurements below, American black bear 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 | spotted hyena |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 40–280 kg | 40–86 kg |
| Length | 1.2–2 m | 0.95–1.6 m |
| Height | 0.7–1 m | 0.7–0.92 m |
| Top speed | 48 km/h | 60 km/h |
| Bite force | — | 1,100 psi |
| Lifespan | 18–30 yr | 12–25 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: American black bear is 2.2× heavier.
- Length: American black bear is 1.2× longer.
- Height: American black bear is 1.1× taller.
- Top speed: spotted hyena is 1.3× faster.
- Lifespan: near enough identical.

## 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 spotted hyena?

American black bear is heavier — 40–280 kg against 40–86 kg.

### Who would win, a American black bear or a spotted hyena?

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 spotted hyena weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/spotted-hyena/)
- [lion vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/lion-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [leopard vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/leopard-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [jaguar vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/jaguar-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [cheetah vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [cougar vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [snow leopard vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/snow-leopard-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [domestic cat vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [grizzly bear vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/grizzly-bear-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [polar bear vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/polar-bear-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [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/)

## Sources

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