---
title: "great white shark vs hippopotamus — size, speed and bite force"
description: "great white shark and hippopotamus 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-white-shark-vs-hippopotamus/
site: "At One Place"
---

# great white shark vs hippopotamus

**great white shark vs hippopotamus: great white shark leads on 4 of 5 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

The largest predatory fish, and the species responsible for most unprovoked shark bites on humans. A semi-aquatic grazer, the third-heaviest land mammal and among the most dangerous to people. On the measurements below, great white shark 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 white shark | hippopotamus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 520–2,000 kg | 1,300–3,200 kg |
| Length | 3.4–6.1 m | 3.3–5 m |
| Height | — | 1.3–1.65 m |
| Top speed | 25–40 km/h | 25–30 km/h |
| Bite force | 4,000 psi | 1,800 psi |
| Lifespan | 50–73 yr | 40–55 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: hippopotamus is 1.5× heavier.
- Length: great white shark is 1.3× longer.
- Top speed: great white shark is 1.3× faster.
- Bite force: great white shark is 2.2× a stronger bite.
- Lifespan: great white shark 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 great white shark bigger than a hippopotamus?

hippopotamus is heavier — 1,300–3,200 kg against 520–2,000 kg.

### Who would win, a great white shark 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 great white shark weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/great-white-shark/)
- [How much does a hippopotamus weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/hippopotamus/)
- [cheetah vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [cheetah vs great white shark](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-great-white-shark/)
- [cougar vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [cougar vs great white shark](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-great-white-shark/)
- [domestic cat vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [domestic cat vs great white shark](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-great-white-shark/)
- [grizzly bear vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/grizzly-bear-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [American black bear vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-black-bear-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [American black bear vs great white shark](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-black-bear-vs-great-white-shark/)
- [giant panda vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/giant-panda-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [giant panda vs great white shark](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/giant-panda-vs-great-white-shark/)
- [gray wolf vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/gray-wolf-vs-hippopotamus/)

## 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/)