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Gorilla vs Orangutan

Gorilla vs orangutan
Gorilla is larger on weight
Gorilla is 2.5× orangutan on weight.

A gorilla and an orangutan 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 Orangutan
Weight 70–270 kg 30–118 kg
Height 1.3–1.8 m 1.15–1.5 m
Width 2–2.6 m 2–2.4 m
Typical lifespan 35–55 yr 35–58 yr

What the numbers say

  • Gorilla is 2.5× orangutan on weight.
  • Gorilla is somewhat greater than orangutan on height — about 1.3×.
  • Gorilla and orangutan are near enough identical on width.
  • Gorilla and orangutan are near enough identical on typical lifespan.

Weight compared.

Gorilla 70–270 kg
Orangutan 30–118 kg

Gorilla

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

Orangutan

The largest tree-dwelling animal; adult males develop broad cheek flanges and rarely leave the canopy.

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 orangutan?
Gorilla is 2.5× orangutan on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do gorillas and orangutans compare on height?
Gorilla: 1.3–1.8 m. Orangutan: 1.15–1.5 m. Gorilla is somewhat greater than orangutan on height — about 1.3×.
How do gorillas and orangutans compare on width?
Gorilla: 2–2.6 m. Orangutan: 2–2.4 m. Gorilla and orangutan are near enough identical on width.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution

How these figures are compiled and checked