---
title: "orca vs spotted hyena — size, speed and bite force"
description: "orca and spotted hyena 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/orca-vs-spotted-hyena/
site: "At One Place"
---

# orca vs spotted hyena

**orca vs spotted hyena: orca leads on 4 of 5 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

The largest dolphin and an apex predator everywhere it lives; distinct populations specialise on different prey. A social carnivore whose jaws crack bone; females are larger than males and lead the clan. On the measurements below, orca 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

|  | orca | spotted hyena |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 1,300–10,000 kg | 40–86 kg |
| Length | 5–9.8 m | 0.95–1.6 m |
| Height | 0.9–1.8 m | 0.7–0.92 m |
| Top speed | 56 km/h | 60 km/h |
| Bite force | — | 1,100 psi |
| Lifespan | 30–90 yr | 12–25 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: orca is 67× heavier.
- Length: orca is 5.4× longer.
- Height: orca is 2.3× taller.
- Top speed: spotted hyena is 1.1× faster.
- Lifespan: orca 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 orca bigger than a spotted hyena?

orca is heavier — 1,300–10,000 kg against 40–86 kg.

### Who would win, a orca 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 orca weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/orca/)
- [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/)
- [lion vs orca](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/lion-vs-orca/)
- [leopard vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/leopard-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [leopard vs orca](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/leopard-vs-orca/)
- [jaguar vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/jaguar-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [jaguar vs orca](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/jaguar-vs-orca/)
- [cheetah vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [cheetah vs orca](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-orca/)
- [cougar vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [cougar vs orca](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-orca/)
- [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/)

## 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/)