Polar Bear Vs. Gorilla: Who Would Win in a Fight?

Its always fascinating when behemoths face off against each other, which may account for the popularity of monster vs. monster movie flicks. However, the competitions we enjoy considering here are rooted in the natural world, grounded in reality.

What if there were a situation where two prime examples of different species engaged in a battle to the death, one which does not typically occur?

Lets introduce our contenders for a hypothetical battle of epic proportions: the massive polar bear and the powerful gorilla.

If these two species engaged in a face-off, who would have the upper hand? Lets consider all the options by breaking down and comparing each species in several categories to determine what advantages and disadvantages could play a major role in determining the victor.

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Lets get a general overview of each warrior before we start making any sort of comparisons.

The Polar Bear

Roaming the ice and snow of the Arctic circle, polar bears are four-legged predators and the largest variety of the bear species. While in the wild, they typically live up to eighteen years, although in captivity, safe from dangers such as gorillas (just throwing that out there), they can live up to thirty years.

They are skilled hunters, often stalking and feeding on seals, which provide the great amount of energy through their blubber that polar bears need to sustain themselves.

Most at home on the ice, they typically spend their time in isolation, occasionally retreating to land to impatiently await the next freezing when the ice disappears, as their food sources all live in the water.

The Gorilla

Also the largest of their species, gorillas are primates which are primarily herbivores, subsisting on bamboo, leafy plants, and fruit. As they are nomadic in nature, they are actually important in seed dispersion for many species of fruit trees.

Accomplished climbers, gorillas make their nests both on the ground and in trees, and while they can walk on their feet if they choose, they tend to enjoy the stability and weight bearing balance that knuckle-walking provides.

Typically considered an example of a gentle giant, gorillas rarely display their incredible strength except in incidents involving conflicts within their own species, or, in this case, when threatened by a roaming polar bear.

They are known for their incredible ability to communicate with an impressive variety of different sounds and can live in the wild up to around 40 years, and over 50 years in captivity.

Tale of the Tape

	Polar Bear	Gorilla
Weight	800 – 1,300 pounds	300 – 500 pounds
Length/Height	7 – 10 feet tall	6 feet tall
Habitat	Arctic Ocean, sea ice, and adjacent coastal areas	Mountain forest
Lifespan	25 – 30 years	35 – 40 years
Bite Force	1200 PSI	1300 PSI
Speed	25 mph	20-25 mph
Temperament	Cautious	Docile
Diet	Carnivores: ringed seals, bearded seals	Herbivore (stems, bamboo shoots and fruits)

Size and Weight

Okay, its time for the weigh-in.

Up first, the polar bear. As the largest predator on four legs, adult males (as the largest members of the species) can weigh anywhere from 700 pounds to over an astonishing 1300 pounds. Wow!

As to height, while standing flat footed on all fours, a polar bear is anywhere from 3 to 5 feet tall, but rises to over 10 feet tall when it rises on its hind legs.

So how does the gorilla compare with that?

Gorilla weight range is typically anywhere from 315-370 pounds. However, some measured in captivity can reach approximately 700 pounds. Standing, they rise between 4 and 6 feet tall.

How does that compute?

While the largest gorillas can come into weight range of the smaller polar bears, in general terms, the polar bear far exceeds the gorilla in weight and height.

Advantage: Polar Bear

Speed/Movement

Size isnt everything. Speed and range of movement has its place in combat as well.

Over short distances, polar bears can run up to 25 miles per hour, which makes them a speed threat. However, they quickly overheat, so their running endurance is limited. They also maneuver fairly well, able to stand toe to toe with an opponent and making use of all four legs.

The largest variety of gorilla, the Silverback, can also run up to 25 miles an hour, and is slightly less likely to overheat. He would more than likely be more agile than his opponent as well.

Nonetheless, its a pretty near thing.

Advantage: Tie

Weapons

The polar bear brings with it a basic arsenal of sharp predator teeth and claws built for rending flesh. He has a tremendous amount of power behind its swing, typically ten times stronger than a human, and has been known to snap an animals spine with a single swipe. Its jaws also bite with enough force to easily crush most animals skulls, even more powerful than a lion or grizzly bear with a rating of approximately 1200 PSI.

Gorillas, on the other hand, are tightly coiled springs of dense muscle. He can pack a punch that does between 1300 and 2700 lbs of force! Thats packing a wallop!

You may think that the polar bear has to have him beat on jaw power, but you would be wrong, there. While its a lot closer, the gorilla actually manages to beat out his foe with 1350 PSI on his jaw chomping power, although his teeth are flat like human teeth and intended for plants and fruit. The large canines are mostly for show.

While the polar bear can probably make use of its extra weight advantage for leverage, the gorilla takes this one.

Advantage: Gorilla

Intelligence

In academics, the polar bear is known as the most intelligent of the bear species, with a great ability to learn from his experiences and to solve problems. They also have excellent memory skills and have adapted and perfected their hunting skills.

Nonetheless, primates are renowned for their intellect. While not the more intelligent of their species, gorillas nevertheless have an impressive intellect. Some have even been known to learn sign language!

They are very self aware and able to create and use tools proficiently They have been known to gauge water depth using sticks and use bamboo for a variety of tools, including ladders for their young.

They also communicate well, not only inter-species, but with humans too.

Advantage: Gorilla

Hunting Skills/Instincts To Kill

A polar bear is a natural born killer. He is an apex predator with an incredible sense of smell that can detect seal breathing holes up to twenty miles away.

They are also patient and tenacious hunters, often waiting perfectly still outside those holes for an hour or longer and when a seal surfaces to breathe, lashes out with its teeth, dragging it onto land. It will then viciously bite the seals head several times to ensure the hunt is over, then eat the skin and fat first, followed by the meat.

They are adept swimmers and often swim 30-40 miles a day, while they also can patiently stalk on land using sense of smell to track seals.

Gorillas, however, are herbivores, and while they can be ferocious and powerful, their combat is primarily interspecies or in self-defense. They simply lack the skill for battle that a polar bear possesses.

Advantage: Polar Bear

Weaknesses

Both of these competitors have powerful strengths, but do they have any weaknesses that can swing a fight against them?

The polar bear simply does not have many disadvantages. Unless they are very young, their only real threat are other polar bears. They are massive and powerful.

However, they do overheat fairly easily. Doing so makes them slow and wears them out. This is probably the greatest advantage that a foe can have against them.

As for our friendly neighborhood gorilla, he does not really have anything in the way of a weakness, except that his teeth could be sharper, he doesnt have scaly plates, and there are larger and stronger creatures out there. He also does not typically face any threats because of his size and power.

Strictly considering the fact that the polar bear does have a debilitating weakness, this one goes to the gorilla.

Advantage: Gorilla

	Polar Bear	Gorilla
Size	✓
Strength	✓	✓
Intelligence		✓
Aggression	✓
Agility		✓
Speed	Draw	Draw
Fighting Instincts	✓

Final Verdict: Who Would Win In a Fight

The gorilla came out on top in more categories than the polar bear, which could make this a battle of epic proportions.

The gorilla, using its superior intellect, could use a Muhammed Ali “Rope-a-dope” technique to wear down the polar bear until it overheats, then when it has the speed and maneuverability advantage, use its powerful jaws to crush the bears throat and crack its skull with mighty punches.

It could happen.

But it probably wont. The truth is, the polar bears size advantage is not the greatest advantage that it has, but it has experience in combat, while the gorilla typically leads a rather calm and peaceful existence.

As the speed and maneuverability is fairly close, the polar bears combat skill will more than likely give him the advantage he needs to get the upper hand, and once he does, those powerful claws and clamping teeth coupled with weight leverage will probably finish off what he starts.