---
title: "California sea lion vs great hammerhead — size, speed and bite"
description: "California sea lion and great hammerhead compared on mass, length, speed, bite force and lifespan — every measure side by side, with why the numbers cannot settle an"
url: https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/california-sea-lion-vs-great-hammerhead/
site: "At One Place"
---

# California sea lion vs great hammerhead

**California sea lion vs great hammerhead: great hammerhead leads on 2 of 3 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

An eared seal that can walk on all fours on land; the barking animal at most zoos and piers. The largest hammerhead, whose broad head spreads its electroreceptors for finding buried rays. On the measurements below, great hammerhead 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

|  | California sea lion | great hammerhead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 50–400 kg | 150–580 kg |
| Length | 1.5–2.5 m | 2.7–6.1 m |
| Top speed | 40 km/h | — |
| Lifespan | 15–30 yr | 20–44 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: California sea lion is 1.1× heavier.
- Length: great hammerhead is 1.6× longer.
- Lifespan: great hammerhead is 1.5× 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 California sea lion bigger than a great hammerhead?

California sea lion is heavier — 50–400 kg against 150–580 kg.

### Who would win, a California sea lion or a great hammerhead?

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 great hammerhead weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/great-hammerhead/)
- [cheetah vs great hammerhead](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-great-hammerhead/)
- [cougar vs great hammerhead](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-great-hammerhead/)
- [domestic cat vs great hammerhead](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-great-hammerhead/)
- [American black bear vs California sea lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-black-bear-vs-california-sea-lion/)
- [gray wolf vs great hammerhead](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/gray-wolf-vs-great-hammerhead/)
- [coyote vs great hammerhead](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/coyote-vs-great-hammerhead/)
- [African elephant vs California sea lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-california-sea-lion/)
- [African elephant vs great hammerhead](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-great-hammerhead/)
- [Asian elephant vs California sea lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/asian-elephant-vs-california-sea-lion/)
- [black rhinoceros vs California sea lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/black-rhinoceros-vs-california-sea-lion/)
- [American bison vs California sea lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-bison-vs-california-sea-lion/)
- [blue whale vs California sea lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/blue-whale-vs-california-sea-lion/)

## Sources

- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — NOAA (https://www.noaa.gov/) [Public domain (US Government)]