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

# great white shark vs spotted hyena

**great white shark vs spotted hyena: 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 social carnivore whose jaws crack bone; females are larger than males and lead the clan. 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 | spotted hyena |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 520–2,000 kg | 40–86 kg |
| Length | 3.4–6.1 m | 0.95–1.6 m |
| Height | — | 0.7–0.92 m |
| Top speed | 25–40 km/h | 60 km/h |
| Bite force | 4,000 psi | 1,100 psi |
| Lifespan | 50–73 yr | 12–25 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: great white shark is 17× heavier.
- Length: great white shark is 3.5× longer.
- Top speed: spotted hyena is 1.5× faster.
- Bite force: great white shark is 3.6× a stronger bite.
- Lifespan: great white shark is 3.5× 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 great white shark bigger than a spotted hyena?

great white shark is heavier — 520–2,000 kg against 40–86 kg.

### Who would win, a great white shark or a spotted hyena?

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 spotted hyena weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/spotted-hyena/)
- [lion vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/lion-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [leopard vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/leopard-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [jaguar vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/jaguar-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [cheetah vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [cheetah vs great white shark](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-great-white-shark/)
- [cougar vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [cougar vs great white shark](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-great-white-shark/)
- [snow leopard vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/snow-leopard-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [domestic cat vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [domestic cat vs great white shark](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-great-white-shark/)
- [grizzly bear vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/grizzly-bear-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [polar bear vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/polar-bear-vs-spotted-hyena/)

## 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/)