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

# hippopotamus vs moose

**hippopotamus vs moose: hippopotamus leads on 3 of 5 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

A semi-aquatic grazer, the third-heaviest land mammal and among the most dangerous to people. The largest deer; called elk in Europe, which is a different animal in North America. On the measurements below, hippopotamus 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

|  | hippopotamus | moose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 1,300–3,200 kg | 200–720 kg |
| Length | 3.3–5 m | 2.4–3.1 m |
| Height | 1.3–1.65 m | 1.4–2.1 m |
| Top speed | 25–30 km/h | 56 km/h |
| Bite force | 1,800 psi | — |
| Lifespan | 40–55 yr | 15–25 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: hippopotamus is 3.0× heavier.
- Length: hippopotamus is 1.3× longer.
- Height: moose is 1.3× taller.
- Top speed: moose is 1.9× faster.
- Lifespan: hippopotamus is 2.5× 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 hippopotamus bigger than a moose?

hippopotamus is heavier — 1,300–3,200 kg against 200–720 kg.

### Who would win, a hippopotamus or a moose?

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

## Sources

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