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African elephant vs Orca

African elephant vs orca
African elephant is larger on weight
African elephant is 1.5× orca on weight.

An African elephant and an orca can be compared on 5 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

Side by side

Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.
African elephant Orca
Weight 2,200–10,400 kg 1,300–10,000 kg
Height 2.2–4 m 0.9–1.8 m
Length 5.5–7.5 m 5–9.8 m
Top speed 40 km/h 56 km/h
Typical lifespan 50–70 yr 30–90 yr

What the numbers say

  • African elephant is 1.5× orca on weight.
  • African elephant is 1.8× orca on height.
  • African elephant and orca are near enough identical on length.
  • Orca is somewhat greater than African elephant on top speed — about 1.4×.
  • African elephant is somewhat greater than orca on typical lifespan — about 1.2×.

Weight compared.

African elephant 2,200–10,400 kg
Orca 1,300–10,000 kg

African elephant

The largest living land animal, distinguished from the Asian elephant by larger ears and a dipped back.

Orca

The largest dolphin and an apex predator everywhere it lives; distinct populations specialise on different prey.

This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

Common questions

Which is bigger, African elephant or orca?
African elephant is 1.5× orca on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do African elephants and orcas compare on height?
African elephant: 2.2–4 m. Orca: 0.9–1.8 m. African elephant is 1.8× orca on height.
How do African elephants and orcas compare on length?
African elephant: 5.5–7.5 m. Orca: 5–9.8 m. African elephant and orca are near enough identical on length.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution
  2. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — NOAA (Public domain (US Government))

How these figures are compiled and checked