---
title: "great hammerhead vs Komodo dragon — size, speed and bite force"
description: "great hammerhead and Komodo dragon 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/great-hammerhead-vs-komodo-dragon/
site: "At One Place"
---

# great hammerhead vs Komodo dragon

**great hammerhead vs Komodo dragon: great hammerhead leads on 2 of 3 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

The largest hammerhead, whose broad head spreads its electroreceptors for finding buried rays. The largest living lizard, which kills large prey with venom and shock rather than jaw power. 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

|  | great hammerhead | Komodo dragon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 150–580 kg | 40–166 kg |
| Length | 2.7–6.1 m | 2–3.13 m |
| Bite force | — | 39 psi |
| Lifespan | 20–44 yr | 25–35 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: great hammerhead is 3.3× heavier.
- Length: great hammerhead is 1.4× longer.
- Lifespan: near enough identical.

## 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 great hammerhead bigger than a Komodo dragon?

great hammerhead is heavier — 150–580 kg against 40–166 kg.

### Who would win, a great hammerhead or a Komodo dragon?

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 great hammerhead weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/great-hammerhead/)
- [How much does a Komodo dragon weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/komodo-dragon/)
- [jaguar vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/jaguar-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [cheetah vs great hammerhead](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-great-hammerhead/)
- [cheetah vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [cougar vs great hammerhead](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-great-hammerhead/)
- [cougar vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [domestic cat vs great hammerhead](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-great-hammerhead/)
- [domestic cat vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [grizzly bear vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/grizzly-bear-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [giant panda vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/giant-panda-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [gray wolf vs great hammerhead](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/gray-wolf-vs-great-hammerhead/)
- [gray wolf vs Komodo dragon](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/gray-wolf-vs-komodo-dragon/)
- [coyote vs great hammerhead](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/coyote-vs-great-hammerhead/)

## 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/)
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)