---
title: "hippopotamus vs saltwater crocodile — size, speed and bite for"
description: "hippopotamus and saltwater crocodile compared on mass, length, speed, bite force and lifespan — every measure side by side, with why the numbers cannot settle an enc"
url: https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/hippopotamus-vs-saltwater-crocodile/
site: "At One Place"
---

# hippopotamus vs saltwater crocodile

**hippopotamus vs saltwater crocodile: saltwater crocodile 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 living reptile and the animal with the hardest bite ever measured. On the measurements below, saltwater crocodile 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 | saltwater crocodile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 1,300–3,200 kg | 76–1,300 kg |
| Length | 3.3–5 m | 2.5–6.3 m |
| Height | 1.3–1.65 m | — |
| Top speed | 25–30 km/h | 29 km/h |
| Bite force | 1,800 psi | 3,700 psi |
| Lifespan | 40–55 yr | 65–100 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: hippopotamus is 3.0× heavier.
- Length: saltwater crocodile is 1.3× longer.
- Top speed: near enough identical.
- Bite force: saltwater crocodile is 2.1× a stronger bite.
- Lifespan: saltwater crocodile 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 hippopotamus bigger than a saltwater crocodile?

hippopotamus is heavier — 1,300–3,200 kg against 76–1,300 kg.

### Who would win, a hippopotamus or a saltwater crocodile?

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 saltwater crocodile weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/saltwater-crocodile/)
- [lion vs saltwater crocodile](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/lion-vs-saltwater-crocodile/)
- [leopard vs saltwater crocodile](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/leopard-vs-saltwater-crocodile/)
- [jaguar vs saltwater crocodile](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/jaguar-vs-saltwater-crocodile/)
- [cheetah vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [cheetah vs saltwater crocodile](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-saltwater-crocodile/)
- [cougar vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [cougar vs saltwater crocodile](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-saltwater-crocodile/)
- [domestic cat vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [domestic cat vs saltwater crocodile](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-saltwater-crocodile/)
- [grizzly bear vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/grizzly-bear-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [grizzly bear vs saltwater crocodile](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/grizzly-bear-vs-saltwater-crocodile/)
- [polar bear vs saltwater crocodile](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/polar-bear-vs-saltwater-crocodile/)

## Sources

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