---
title: "California sea lion vs chimpanzee — size, speed and bite force"
description: "California sea lion and chimpanzee 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/california-sea-lion-vs-chimpanzee/
site: "At One Place"
---

# California sea lion vs chimpanzee

**California sea lion vs chimpanzee: Evenly matched on the numbers**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

An eared seal that can walk on all fours on land; the barking animal at most zoos and piers. Along with the bonobo, humanity's closest living relative, sharing about 98.8% of our DNA. The measurements below split evenly, which is rarer than it sounds.

## The measurements

|  | California sea lion | chimpanzee |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 50–400 kg | 27–70 kg |
| Length | 1.5–2.5 m | — |
| Height | — | 1–1.5 m |
| Top speed | 40 km/h | — |
| Lifespan | 15–30 yr | 30–60 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: California sea lion is 5.0× heavier.
- Lifespan: chimpanzee is 1.8× 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 California sea lion bigger than a chimpanzee?

California sea lion is heavier — 50–400 kg against 27–70 kg.

### Who would win, a California sea lion or a chimpanzee?

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 California sea lion weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/california-sea-lion/)
- [How much does a chimpanzee weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/chimpanzee/)
- [cheetah vs chimpanzee](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-chimpanzee/)
- [American black bear vs chimpanzee](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-black-bear-vs-chimpanzee/)
- [American black bear vs California sea lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-black-bear-vs-california-sea-lion/)
- [African elephant vs chimpanzee](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-chimpanzee/)
- [African elephant vs California sea lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-california-sea-lion/)
- [Asian elephant vs chimpanzee](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/asian-elephant-vs-chimpanzee/)
- [Asian elephant vs California sea lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/asian-elephant-vs-california-sea-lion/)
- [black rhinoceros vs chimpanzee](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/black-rhinoceros-vs-chimpanzee/)
- [black rhinoceros vs California sea lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/black-rhinoceros-vs-california-sea-lion/)
- [American bison vs chimpanzee](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-chimpanzee/)
- [American bison vs California sea lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-california-sea-lion/)
- [Cape buffalo vs chimpanzee](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cape-buffalo-vs-chimpanzee/)

## Sources

- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — NOAA (https://www.noaa.gov/) [Public domain (US Government)]
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)