The strength of the bite of different animals. The strongest bites in the world! Dogs have the strongest jaws. Top rocks

They are able to gnaw through steel, eat huge crocodile or bite through the thick skin of a hippo... Let's look into the mouth of those who are capable of this thanks to their powerful jaws.

Photos and text by Alexey Osokin

1. Let's start, of course, with the lions. These incredibly beautiful and graceful cats are real killing machines. No one can feel at ease being near them. Lions attack even adult hippos. Nothing is impossible for them. At the same time, the bite force of a lion by African standards is very small - only about 40-50 atmospheres.

2. Cheetahs don't have the most strong bite, but incredibly sharp fangs and incisors leave no chance for the victim ...

3. Note: The cheetah's head is designed by nature to take up most of the respiratory system allowing you to run at great speed. There was no room left for big teeth.

4. Another cat that can kill an animal much larger than itself, and then drag the carcass up a tree - a leopard.

5. In terms of bite strength, the leopard is the most strong cat in Africa - according to various sources, from 100 to 125 atmospheres.

6. The hippopotamus has the most powerful jaws. And although he eats mostly grass, powerful jaw need a hippo for battles with other hippos and for protection from predators. They are said to be able to bite into two parts of a huge crocodile. The bite force of these fat men reaches 125 atmospheres.

7. There are legends about the power of the jaws of a crocodile. And not in vain. These cutest creatures have a bite force of 340 atmospheres and this is the highest among all African animals.

9. Hyenas easily gnaw through strong bones and are even able to gnaw through steel bars of cages.

10. The strength of a hyena bite, according to various sources, ranges from 70 to 90 atmospheres, but incredibly strong and sharp teeth give power to the bite.

Do you know what the maximum strength of a human bite can be? That's over 160 pounds per inch (PSI). You may feel slight pain while doing this. The question is, what does it feel like to be bitten by an animal that has 10 or 20 times more powerful bite than a human? Yes, such animals exclusively bite because of their instinct for self-preservation. Here is a list of the 10 most severe animal bites.

10. Lion - Bite Force: 650 PSI


As you know, the Lion is considered the king of the jungle. The bite force value is weaker compared to the bite force of other large felids, such as the jaguar or tiger.

9. Tiger - bite force: 1050 PSI



Weighing up to 933 kg ( Amur tiger) the tiger is the largest of all cats in the world. He is stronger and faster than a lion. At 1050 psi inch, the bite force of a tiger is almost twice as strong as that of a lion. Unlike lions, the tiger is a solitary animal. He lives and hunts alone, except during the mating season.

8 Spotted Hyena - Bite Force: 1100 PSI


African animal that feeds on carrion. You may underestimate the hyena as an animal that only feeds on the remains of other animals. They have exceptionally powerful jaws. Their bite force is measured at 1100 PSI, which is more powerful than the lion and tiger. The spotted hyena is an animal that lives in large groups called clans. IN big group, spotted hyenas strive for large prey, such as buffalo, antelope or rhinoceros. Their bite is strong enough to shatter the bones of prey. Spotted hyenas are able to eat their prey, in general, they did not even leave bones.

7. Grizzly - bite force: 1200 PSI



Grizzly is a subspecies brown bear living in North America. They have a keen sense of smell, long claws and powerful jaws. With 1200 PSI bite force, a grizzly can easily bite through a cast iron skillet, thick wood and bones. Without a doubt, the bear is a symbol of strength. But they are very aggressive.

6. Gorillas - Bite Force: 1300 PSI


Standing 1.73 meters tall and the gorilla weighs up to 352 kg. The gorilla is the largest of all primates. Despite big size Gorillas tend to be gentle and shy. But, in addition to their huge size, gorillas also have strong jaws and long sharp fangs. Their bite force is measured at 1300 PSI. Why would a gentle gorilla need such a sharp fang, you may ask? First, gorillas eat plant food. grind solid food like bark or roots, a gorilla needs strong teeth. Gorillas also use their fangs to scare off external threats.

5. Jaguar: 2000 PSI



Jaguar has the most strong bite than any other big cats. Its bite force is rated at 2000 PSI. It is almost twice as powerful as a tiger. Jaguars have very strong jaw muscles. The jaguar is a solitary animal, lives and hunts alone. They are skilled hunters and their food list includes many animals. The jaguar's bite is strong enough to pierce the skull of its prey.

4. Hippo - Bite Force: 1825 PSI


The hippopotamus has the most powerful bite of any other mammal. The large mouth of hippos contains a large number of incisors and fangs. Hippos use their big teeth to fight external threats. Weighing up to 3,968 pounds, hippos have a squat appearance. Their legs are short. Despite these physical characteristics, hippos can run at speeds of up to 30 km/h. They are very aggressive and unpredictable. Hippos can attack even without any reason. This is why hippos are considered one of the most dangerous animals in Africa.

3. American Alligator - Bite Force: 2125 PSI



At 11.2 feet long and up to 1000 kg in weight, the American alligator is the largest reptile in North America. It's not the size, but the force of the bite that makes the American alligator so special. With exceptionally powerful jaws, American alligators can tear their prey to pieces. An adult American alligator has 75-84 teeth. If one tooth wears out, it is replaced with a new one. In his entire life, he can change from 2000 to 3000 teeth. Although American alligators have powerful jaws, the muscles to open the jaw are very weak.

2. combed crocodile– bite force: 3690 PSI

Salted crocodile has the most powerful bite of all tested. He is the most large reptile in the world. The crocodile is over 20 feet long and up to 2200 pounds in weight. Their diet includes fish, poultry, crabs, turtles, monkeys and buffaloes.

1. Nile Crocodile - Bite Force: 5000 PSI



The Nile crocodile has the most powerful bite than any other Living being in the world. Long, powerful jaws are well adapted for capturing prey. The Nile crocodile is the second largest reptile in the world. They live in the rivers, swamps and swamps of sub-Saharan Africa. An adult Nile crocodile is 20 feet long and up to 1650 pounds in weight. They mainly feed on fish, zebras, antelopes and carrion.

Recall that 1 atmosphere = 101 325 Pa.

Leo - 40 atmospheres. Oddly enough, the bite of the “king of beasts” is considered not the strongest when compared with other representatives of big cats. However, it is quite enough to hold the prey, and then tear it to pieces.

Tiger - 71 atmospheres. The largest representative of big cats and one of the most impressive predators of the planet. The mass of some Amur tigers reaches 380 kg, and their bite is almost twice as strong as that of a lion.

Spotted hyena - 74 atmospheres. The jaws of hyenas are among the most powerful among mammals, they are specially designed for crushing bones. Hyenas easily eat the cleanly gnawed remains of the prey of other predators, if necessary, gnawing even the bones of a giraffe.

Grizzly bear - 81 atmospheres. The largest subspecies of American brown bears live in Alaska. Their mass can exceed 450 kg, and the strength of the jaws exceeds that of many big cats. Brown bears usually do not prey on people, but often show aggression, protecting their territory.

Gorilla - 88 atmospheres. Luckily for most of the gorillas' natural neighbors, they are vegetarians. But to protect their group, the largest of the monkeys use not only their paws, but also the most powerful jaws that can bite almost anything.

Hippo - 124 atmospheres. Surprisingly, many still consider hippos to be good-natured bumpkins from children's books. In fact, these are one of the most dangerous animals in Africa, incredibly aggressive and territorial. With one bite, they can kill a lion or a crocodile, what can we say about a person caught in the tooth?

Jaguar - 136 atmospheres. The winner in terms of bite strength is not only among all big cats, but among all mammals on the planet. Jaguars are the only predators that kill prey by crushing its skull with its jaws. And they often hunt cows.

Mississippi alligator - 144 atmospheres. For crocodiles and alligators, nothing is more important than the right bite, so they take three prizes. Mississippi alligators are large enough to attack humans, but rarely do so, preferring to feed on fish and turtles.

Salted crocodile - 251 atmospheres. Heavy artillery was launched. The largest reptiles of the planet grow up to 7 meters in length with a mass of up to two tons. Sometimes they attack pleasure boats, biting through them.

Nile crocodile - 340 atmospheres. Those same “big evil crocodiles”, because of which children, and not only them, should not go for a walk to Africa. Nile crocodiles slightly inferior in size to combed ones, but more than compensate for this with a truly monstrous strength of the jaws. Seasoned crocodiles can kill and eat even adult male lions, not to mention other predators of the savannah.

They are able to gnaw through steel, bite a huge crocodile or bite through the thick skin of a hippo… Let's look into the mouths of those who are capable of this thanks to their powerful jaws.

Photos and text by Alexey Osokin

1. Let's start, of course, with the lions. These incredibly beautiful and graceful cats are real killing machines. No one can feel at ease being near them. Lions attack even adult hippos. Nothing is impossible for them. At the same time, the bite force of a lion by African standards is very small - only about 40-50 atmospheres.

2. Cheetahs cannot boast of the strongest bite, but incredibly sharp fangs and incisors leave no chance for the victim ...

3. Note: The cheetah's head is designed by nature so that the respiratory system takes up most of the space, allowing it to run at great speed. There was no room left for big teeth.

4. Another cat that can kill an animal much larger than itself, and then drag the carcass up a tree - a leopard.

5. According to the bite force, the leopard is the strongest cat in Africa - according to various sources, from 100 to 125 atmospheres.

6. The hippopotamus has the most powerful jaws. And although it feeds mainly on grass, the hippopotamus needs a powerful jaw for battles with other hippos and for protection from predators. They are said to be able to bite into two parts of a huge crocodile. The bite force of these fat men reaches 125 atmospheres.

7. There are legends about the power of the jaws of a crocodile. And not in vain. These cutest creatures have a bite force of 340 atmospheres and this is the highest among all African animals.

9. Hyenas easily gnaw through strong bones and are even able to gnaw through steel bars of cages.

10. The strength of a hyena bite, according to various sources, ranges from 70 to 90 atmospheres, but incredibly strong and sharp teeth give power to the bite.

We bring to your attention the ten animals with the strongest bites in the animal world. There are animals that would most likely fall into this top ten, but the strength of their bites has not yet been measured due to the complexity or high cost of measurements. Eg, White shark, which should have the strongest bite, but accurate measurement it does not exist except for theoretical estimates. Tasmanian devil has the strongest bite relative to its size - 13.6 atmospheres (14 kilogram-force per square centimeter), which is only a little more than that of hyenas.

10. Leo
42 kgf per sq. cm

An unexpectedly low place for the king of beasts. Lions are the only social felines in the world. They almost always hunt together, which is probably why they didn't have to develop strong bites during their evolution. Another reason may be that they kill their prey by biting the trachea, which does not require a strong bite. Lions hunt at any time of the day, but most often at night. They can go five days without water, but prefer to drink daily if possible.

9. Tiger
74 kgf per sq. cm


Tigers are the largest members of the cat family and hunt alone. The sizes of tigers reach 3.3 meters and weigh about 300 kilograms. They hunt mainly at night. Like lions, they usually kill their prey by clutching the throat, thereby blocking the flow of blood and air. They have a strong bite that is almost twice as strong as a lion's bite. On this moment the number of tigers in captivity is greater than the number of wild tigers. They usually avoid humans, but in some conditions they may attack humans and livestock.

8 Spotted Hyena
77 kgf per sq. cm


Hyenas have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom - 77 kgf per square centimeter. With their bite, they can even bite the bones of giraffes. Most likely, the fact that hyenas are scavengers determines their strong jaws. To get to the bone marrow that doesn't interest big predators need strong jaws.

Although hyenas look like dogs, they are actually closer to cats and belong to the feline suborder, not canids. Hyenas can kill a dog with one bite. Despite popular belief, hyenas still hunt themselves, and lions, ironically, often steal prey from them. Like lions, hyenas are social animals.

7. Grizzly
84 kgf per sq. cm

This subspecies of the brown bear, predominantly found in North America, is known for its enormous size and aggression. Despite their size, grizzlies can reach speeds of 56 kilometers per hour. Mostly grizzlies eat nuts and berries, but sometimes they hunt. In Yellowstone National Park for example, they prey on other animals.

Grizzlies are considered more aggressive than other bears. This is due to the fact that, due to their size, they cannot climb trees, and therefore they have developed such a kind of protective mechanism. In addition to aggression, during the course of evolution, grizzlies have also developed strong jaws that help them defend themselves against wolves and other predators. Grizzlies weigh between 300 and 500 kilograms. They can be dangerous to humans if they come across a mother with cubs, but grizzlies do not consider humans as prey.

6 Gorilla
91 kgf per sq. cm

Gorillas eat plant foods, so it's strange to see them in this top ten. In fact, there is little surprise here. Gorillas feed on plants as tough and durable as bamboo - for this they had to develop strong jaws and neck muscles.
Gorillas used to be seen as big scary beasts, but in Lately increasingly they are seen as "gentle giants". They are our closest relatives (closer only to chimpanzees), and their population is rapidly declining (only 700 mountain gorillas remain in the wild). Gorillas can climb trees, but most often they prefer to be on the ground. They usually live in communities of 30 individuals, led by a dominant old male. Gorillas are predominantly delicate creatures and do not pose a danger to humans.

5 Hippo
128 kgf per sq. cm

Hippos are large and strong representatives of herbivores. They are one of the most feared animals in Africa. Hippos are aggressive and defend their territory by capsizing small boats and attacking humans. The bite of a female hippopotamus was measured, as the males are too aggressive, but even the force of her bite reached a huge value of 128 kgf per square centimeter. The word "hippo" comes from Greek and means "water horse". The closest relatives of hippos are whales and cows. They belong to the artiodactyl order, which also includes horses, camels and goats.

4. Jaguar
141 kgf per sq. cm


Jaguars have the strongest bite among felines and mammals in general. They live mainly in the North and South America. Jaguars kill with a bite to the head of the victim. Like many other big cats, jaguars hunt alone. Jaguars have been known to kill anacondas and caimans. Jaguar bites are so strong that they can even bite through the shell of a tortoise. The word "jaguar" comes from the language of the American Indians and means "killing with one jump." Although smaller than their African and Asian relatives, jaguars are the largest felids in the Americas.

In the southern United States, jaguars are thought to have disappeared for over 100 years, but recently there have been rumors that their population in Arizona may develop. The largest number Jaguars live in Belize, in the Cockscomb Basin.

3. Mississippi alligator
149 kgf per sq. cm


The Mississippi alligators are one of only two species of alligators that have survived (the other being the Chinese). Their population currently stands at 5 million individuals, of which 1.2 million live in Florida. Their natural ranges are Florida, Texas, Louisiana, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. Crocodiles also live in these areas. They feed mainly on fish, turtles and small mammals. In a recent National Geographic study, an alligator bite was estimated at 149 kgf per square centimeter, but their bites may be stronger, since this study measured not the most big representative kind.

2. Salted crocodile
260 kgf per sq. cm


Saltwater (or saltwater) crocodiles have the strongest bite of any specimen in the National Geographic study. True, they did not choose the largest crocodile either. If you estimate the bite force of the largest crocodiles, you will most likely get a bite force of 500 kgf per square centimeter.

The range of combed crocodiles runs from eastern India to southeast Asia and northern Australia. Their "diet" includes buffaloes, fish and even sharks. Australians affectionately call these crocodiles "salts", but there is nothing gentle about these giants. They are responsible for more attacks on humans than any other crocodiles (other than the top ten).

1. Nile crocodile
352 kgf per sq. cm


In a National Geographic experiment, the bites of Nile crocodiles were weaker than those of saltwater crocodiles, but most other sources state that Nile crocodiles bite with a force of 352 kgf per square centimeter. Nile crocodiles are usually about the same size as saltwater crocodiles and have the same bite force. Both of them can take first or second place in this list, since it is difficult to choose which individuals to test and difficult to get how to conduct the experiment correctly.

Nile crocodiles mainly feed on fish, but like their relatives, they will attack any animal that is nearby, such as zebras, birds and small hippos.