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Polar bear vs Saltwater crocodile

Polar bear vs saltwater crocodile
Saltwater crocodile is larger on weight
Saltwater crocodile is somewhat greater than polar bear on weight — about 1.1×.

A polar bear and a saltwater crocodile 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.
Polar bear Saltwater crocodile
Weight 150–700 kg 76–1,300 kg
Length 1.8–3 m 2.5–6.3 m
Top speed 40 km/h 29 km/h
Typical lifespan 20–32 yr 65–100 yr
Bite force 1,200 psi 3,700 psi

What the numbers say

  • Saltwater crocodile is somewhat greater than polar bear on weight — about 1.1×.
  • Saltwater crocodile is 1.9× polar bear on length.
  • Polar bear is somewhat greater than saltwater crocodile on top speed — about 1.4×.
  • Saltwater crocodile is 2.8× polar bear on typical lifespan.
  • Saltwater crocodile is 3.1× polar bear on bite force.

Weight compared.

Saltwater crocodile 76–1,300 kg
Polar bear 150–700 kg

Polar bear

The largest living land carnivore, classified as a marine mammal because it hunts from sea ice.

Saltwater crocodile

The largest living reptile and the animal with the hardest bite ever measured.

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, polar bear or saltwater crocodile?
Saltwater crocodile is somewhat greater than polar bear on weight — about 1.1×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do polar bears and saltwater crocodiles compare on length?
Polar bear: 1.8–3 m. Saltwater crocodile: 2.5–6.3 m. Saltwater crocodile is 1.9× polar bear on length.
How do polar bears and saltwater crocodiles compare on top speed?
Polar bear: 40 km/h. Saltwater crocodile: 29 km/h. Polar bear is somewhat greater than saltwater crocodile on top speed — about 1.4×.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution
  2. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked