Gorillas and rhinoceroses: two of the strongest and most fearsome animals in nature. What would happen if they went up against each other? In this article, we’ll answer the question of who would win, a gorilla or rhino, if they got into a fight.
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Gorillas and Rhinos: Side-by-Side Comparison
Before we get into the details of how the battle would go, let’s take a look at some common characteristics to determine whether gorillas or rhinos have the edge. We’ll compare five of these characteristics: size, strength, speed, fighting style, and defenses.
Size
Both gorillas and rhinos are considered large animals. But if you were to put them next to each other, you would notice that one clearly has the advantage over the other.
Gorillas are tough-looking, muscular primates, especially the alpha males. These gorillas, known as silverbacks, can grow up to 6 feet tall and weigh as much as 600 pounds.
Interestingly, rhinoceroses only stand about 5 feet tall on average, though some grow up to 6 feet tall. They are massive, heavy creatures that can weigh up to 8,000 pounds.
In fact, rhinos are some of the heaviest animals on the planet, second only to elephants. It is clear that, in the size department, rhinos have gorillas beat by a long shot.
Strength
Both gorillas and rhinos are incredibly strong and powerful. Gorillas are all muscle, with enough strength to lift small cars.
But rhinos, as mentioned, are much heavier than gorillas; and much of their mass is also muscle. Their size alone gives them incredible strength.
Though gorillas are strong, they are simply unable to match the level of strength exhibited by a rhinoceros. The rhino is the clear winner in the strength category.
Speed
Gorillas, especially silverbacks, can run pretty fast. It’s not uncommon for them to reach speeds of 25 miles per hour for short bursts.
Rhinos, due to their large size and bulk, don’t look particularly athletic. In reality, however, they can run as fast as 34 miles per hour and sustain speeds of 25 to 30 miles per hour over long distances.
Once again, the rhino has the edge over the gorilla in this category.
Fighting Style
Both the rhino and the gorilla are relatively peaceful animals; neither one is a predator, and neither one will go looking for a fight with animals of other species.
That said, silverback gorillas can become extremely aggressive if their territory is invaded or some other threat is perceived. The gorilla will usually try to scare away the threat first, standing on his hind legs, beating his chest, and baring his teeth.
If that doesn’t work, the gorilla will try fighting from a distance, throwing rocks or other objects at the threat or beating it with a stick. If forced into close-quarter fighting, the gorilla will throw its weight at the enemy, attempting to overpower it, and bite or scratch as a last resort.
Rhinos, meanwhile, will sometimes become aggressive with members of their own species, and they will also fight to defend themselves if they feel threatened. They fight by charging at the threat, attempting to intimidate it.
Though the rhino will usually stop the attack if the threat backs down, it is not afraid to fight at close range. It uses its sharp, powerful horn to impale or throw potential threats, and its strong, powerful body enables it to put a great deal of force behind any attack.
It is unlikely that a gorilla would be able to intimidate a rhinoceros, and if it came down to a battle of brute strength against brute strength, the rhino would win every time.
Defenses
In terms of defending themselves, the gorilla’s strong, muscular body provides it some protection in a fight. However, the gorilla’s greatest defensive strengths are sight, hearing, and intelligence.
Gorillas have excellent hearing and eyesight, enabling them to detect the approach of an enemy. They are also highly intelligent, which helps them know when and how to fight and when it’s time to back down.
Rhinos have several powerful defenses. Their horn, which serves as an excellent attack weapon, can also double as a defensive strength.
What’s more, rhinos have incredibly tough, 2-inch thick skin which is nearly impossible to penetrate. They are fast enough to outrun some enemies and strong enough to overpower others.
Once again, the rhino takes the cake in this category.
Gorilla vs. Rhino: Who Would Win?
In reality, gorillas and rhinos would never face each other in the wild. They live in different habitats and, even if they shared the same environment, would be unlikely to cross into each other’s territory or pick a fight with each other.
That said, if they ever were to fight, the rhinoceros would have every advantage in the battle.
The rhino would be bigger, stronger, and faster than the gorilla. The gorilla might try to scare off an attacking rhino, but this would likely only provoke the rhino into a more determined attack.
Nothing the gorilla could use to throw or hit the rhino would have any effect, as the rhino’s tough skin and massive girth would protect it. And, once the rhino was in range, it would simply impale the gorilla or toss it out of the way with its horn.
There is no feasible way in which the gorilla could win this battle. The rhino would be the clear victor in every scenario.
Want to find out more about the strength, aggression, and behavior of each of these animals? Check out the video below to draw your own conclusions about whether a gorilla or rhino would win in a fight.
Conclusion
Rhinoceroses and gorillas are both incredibly strong, powerful creatures, but at the end of the day, the rhino would win if they had to fight each other. The rhino is simply too strong and heavy, and has too impenetrable a defense, for the gorilla to compete against.
