---
title: "Gorilla vs lion — size, weight and speed compared"
description: "Lion is somewhat greater than gorilla on weight — about 1.2×. Compared on 4 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/gorilla-vs-lion/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Gorilla vs Lion

**Gorilla vs lion: Lion is larger on weight**

Lion is somewhat greater than gorilla on weight — about 1.2×.

A gorilla and a lion can be compared on 4 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.*

|  | Gorilla | Lion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | 70–270 kg | 120–250 kg |
| Height | 1.3–1.8 m | 0.9–1.2 m |
| Typical lifespan | 35–55 yr | 10–20 yr |
| Bite force | 1,300 psi | 650 psi |

## What the numbers say

- Lion is somewhat greater than gorilla on weight — about 1.2×.
- Gorilla is 1.5× lion on height.
- Gorilla is 2.9× lion on typical lifespan.
- Gorilla is 2× lion on bite force.

*Weight compared.*

- Lion: 120–250 kg
- Gorilla: 70–270 kg

## Gorilla

The largest living primate; dominant males, called silverbacks, are roughly twice the mass of females.

## Lion

The second-largest living cat and the only one that lives in permanent social groups.

> 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, gorilla or lion?

Lion is somewhat greater than gorilla on weight — about 1.2×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

### How do gorillas and lions compare on height?

Gorilla: 1.3–1.8 m. Lion: 0.9–1.2 m. Gorilla is 1.5× lion on height.

### How do gorillas and lions compare on typical lifespan?

Gorilla: 35–55 yr. Lion: 10–20 yr. Gorilla is 2.9× lion on typical lifespan.

## Related pages

- [Lion vs tiger](https://atoneplace.net/vs/lion-vs-tiger/)
- [Grizzly bear vs lion](https://atoneplace.net/vs/grizzly-bear-vs-lion/)
- [Lion vs polar bear](https://atoneplace.net/vs/lion-vs-polar-bear/)
- [Lion vs plains zebra](https://atoneplace.net/vs/lion-vs-plains-zebra/)
- [Gorilla vs tiger](https://atoneplace.net/vs/gorilla-vs-tiger/)
- [Jaguar vs lion](https://atoneplace.net/vs/jaguar-vs-lion/)
- [Blue wildebeest vs lion](https://atoneplace.net/vs/blue-wildebeest-vs-lion/)
- [American alligator vs lion](https://atoneplace.net/vs/american-alligator-vs-lion/)
- [Bottlenose dolphin vs lion](https://atoneplace.net/vs/bottlenose-dolphin-vs-lion/)
- [Giant panda vs gorilla](https://atoneplace.net/vs/giant-panda-vs-gorilla/)
- [Gorilla vs grizzly bear](https://atoneplace.net/vs/gorilla-vs-grizzly-bear/)
- [Lion vs ostrich](https://atoneplace.net/vs/lion-vs-ostrich/)

## Sources

- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)
- Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (https://www.wikidata.org/) [CC0 1.0]
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)