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

# cheetah vs hippopotamus

**cheetah vs hippopotamus: hippopotamus leads on 4 of 5 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

The fastest land animal, with a lightweight frame and semi-retractable claws for traction. 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

|  | cheetah | hippopotamus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 34–72 kg | 1,300–3,200 kg |
| Length | 1.1–1.5 m | 3.3–5 m |
| Height | 0.7–0.9 m | 1.3–1.65 m |
| Top speed | 93–104 km/h | 25–30 km/h |
| Bite force | — | 1,800 psi |
| Lifespan | 8–17 yr | 40–55 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: hippopotamus is 30× heavier.
- Length: hippopotamus is 2.7× longer.
- Height: hippopotamus is 1.9× taller.
- Top speed: cheetah is 3.3× faster.
- Lifespan: hippopotamus is 4.5× 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 cheetah bigger than a hippopotamus?

hippopotamus is heavier — 1,300–3,200 kg against 34–72 kg.

### Who would win, a cheetah 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 cheetah weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/cheetah/)
- [How much does a hippopotamus weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/hippopotamus/)
- [cheetah vs lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-lion/)
- [cheetah vs tiger](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-tiger/)
- [cheetah vs leopard](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-leopard/)
- [cheetah vs jaguar](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-jaguar/)
- [cheetah vs cougar](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-cougar/)
- [cheetah vs snow leopard](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-snow-leopard/)
- [cheetah vs domestic cat](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-domestic-cat/)
- [cheetah vs grizzly bear](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-grizzly-bear/)
- [cheetah vs polar bear](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-polar-bear/)
- [cheetah vs giant panda](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-giant-panda/)
- [cheetah vs gray wolf](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-gray-wolf/)
- [cheetah vs coyote](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-coyote/)

## Sources

- Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (https://www.wikidata.org/) [CC0 1.0]
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)