---
title: "gorilla vs polar bear — size, speed and bite force"
description: "gorilla and polar bear 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/gorilla-vs-polar-bear/
site: "At One Place"
---

# gorilla vs polar bear

**gorilla vs polar bear: gorilla leads on 3 of 4 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

The largest living primate; dominant males, called silverbacks, are roughly twice the mass of females. The largest living land carnivore, classified as a marine mammal because it hunts from sea ice. On the measurements below, gorilla 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

|  | gorilla | polar bear |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 70–270 kg | 150–700 kg |
| Length | — | 1.8–3 m |
| Height | 1.3–1.8 m | 1–1.6 m |
| Top speed | — | 40 km/h |
| Bite force | 1,300 psi | 1,200 psi |
| Lifespan | 35–55 yr | 20–32 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: polar bear is 2.8× heavier.
- Height: gorilla is 1.3× taller.
- Bite force: gorilla is 1.1× a stronger bite.
- Lifespan: gorilla is 1.6× 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 gorilla bigger than a polar bear?

polar bear is heavier — 150–700 kg against 70–270 kg.

### Who would win, a gorilla or a polar bear?

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 gorilla weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/gorilla/)
- [How much does a polar bear weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/polar-bear/)
- [lion vs polar bear](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/lion-vs-polar-bear/)
- [leopard vs polar bear](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/leopard-vs-polar-bear/)
- [jaguar vs polar bear](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/jaguar-vs-polar-bear/)
- [cheetah vs polar bear](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-polar-bear/)
- [cheetah vs gorilla](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-gorilla/)
- [cougar vs polar bear](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-polar-bear/)
- [cougar vs gorilla](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-gorilla/)
- [domestic cat vs polar bear](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-polar-bear/)
- [domestic cat vs gorilla](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-gorilla/)
- [grizzly bear vs polar bear](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/grizzly-bear-vs-polar-bear/)
- [polar bear vs tiger](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/polar-bear-vs-tiger/)
- [polar bear vs snow leopard](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/polar-bear-vs-snow-leopard/)

## Sources

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