---
title: "chimpanzee vs three-toed sloth — size, speed and bite force"
description: "chimpanzee and three-toed sloth 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/chimpanzee-vs-three-toed-sloth/
site: "At One Place"
---

# chimpanzee vs three-toed sloth

**chimpanzee vs three-toed sloth: chimpanzee leads on 2 of 2 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

Along with the bonobo, humanity's closest living relative, sharing about 98.8% of our DNA. One of the slowest mammals, moving about 0.24 km/h and descending from its tree only to defecate. On the measurements below, chimpanzee 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

|  | chimpanzee | three-toed sloth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 27–70 kg | 2.2–6.3 kg |
| Length | — | 0.42–0.8 m |
| Height | 1–1.5 m | — |
| Top speed | — | 0.24 km/h |
| Lifespan | 30–60 yr | 20–40 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: chimpanzee is 13× heavier.
- Lifespan: chimpanzee is 1.2× 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 chimpanzee bigger than a three-toed sloth?

chimpanzee is heavier — 27–70 kg against 2.2–6.3 kg.

### Who would win, a chimpanzee or a three-toed sloth?

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

## Sources

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