A gorilla is the largest primate and another of the strongest animals in the world. Scientists recognize two species and four subspecies of gorillas; all species live in the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. Male gorillas can be 5.7 feet tall and weigh 606 pounds in captivity and 396 pounds in the wild.
Gorillas have imposing not only stocky bodies but also long, strong arms. Their arm span is longer than their standing height. Although gorillas are herbivores, their bite force of 1,300 psi can do serious damage in a fight with other animals.
There is currently no extensive research on how strong a gorilla is. But most authorities say an adult gorilla is about 4 to 9 times stronger than one human.
For more reading, our rundown of the different types of monkeys further explores the primate world, although the gorilla is technically an ape rather than a monkey, as they don't have tails.
White rhinos are the largest rhinoceros species and one of the strongest animals on land. This powerful animal can weigh up to 7,936 pounds. The average head and body length is 12 feet, and the shoulder height is 9 feet.
Most rhino species have two horns on their head; the first one is longer than the one behind it. The longest recorded rhino horn was about 65 inches long.
White rhinoceros can run at a speed of 24 km per hour. When provoked, they charge at speeds of up to 40 km per hour; that's the speed limit for vehicles in most urban residential areas.
An ox is a domesticated and castrated male cattle. Oxen are docile, but they are a top contender for the strongest animal in the world. Humans have used this immensely powerful animal as a draft animal for over 6,000 years.
They run at a top speed of 26 km per hour, and an ox can weigh up to 3,000 pounds. Oxen can pull heavy loads like carts, plows, and wagons. They also used them to turn-milling stones. Those are no small feats, considering that oxen can work for 5 hours or more each day on any of those tasks.
The jaguar is one of the strongest animals in the world. It is one of the big cats strong enough to kill other apex predators across its huge range in Central and South America4. Adult males can weigh 350 pounds and grow up to 9 feet long.
The bite force of a jaguar is 1,500 psi. That is enough force to break through turtle shells, cut through crocodile skin and crush human bones. Jaguars can run at a speed of 80 km per hour. They will hunt almost any animal, even those twice their own body weight.
A tiny ant may not seem qualified to be one of the strongest animals in the world. But it is possibly the strongest insect in America. There are over 39 species of leafcutter ants.
To produce their food, leafcutter ants cut leaves and flowers and feed them to fungi, which they then eat. Leafcutter ants have a tiny body mass but are very powerful. Leafcutter ants carry leaves and flowers about 50 times their body weight. That’s like a human carrying a truck.
Honey badgers are not the strongest animals in the world in terms of size or pure force. They weigh just 30 pounds and have an 11-inch shoulder height. However, these temperamental animals are unafraid to take on larger animals, including lions.
They eat honey, berries, vegetables, monkeys, and poisonous snakes. Their skin is both thick and loose. The thickness protects them from predator bites and bee stings, while the looseness allows them to twist their way out of a predator's grip.
The honey badger is possibly the toughest animal in the world. It is largely resistant to snake venom.
The hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals in the world. They compete with the rhino for the second largest land animal after the elephant. Male hippos are about 5 feet tall, 16 feet long, and weigh 9,920 pounds.
Hippos have wide mouths that can open to almost 180°. Their lower jaw has two sharp canines that can grow to about 20 inches. The powerful jaws of hippos have 1,800 per square inch of force in a bite. One bite can cut a human body into clean halves.
The hippo runs quite fast for its body weight at speeds of up to 22 miles per hour.
The green anaconda is the animal in the world with the most deadly hug. The snake is feared for its incredibly powerful squeeze that suffocates and breaks the bones of its prey. Green anacondas eat prey as big as wild pigs, tapirs, and jaguars. They swallow the dead prey whole and then stay for weeks without food.
A green anaconda can grow up to 30 feet with a 12-inch diameter and weigh 550 pounds. They are the largest snakes in the world. South America's green anacondas are adept swimmers who spend most of their lives in water.
Naked mole rat has the lengthiest lifespan among all rodents in the world. They have wrinkly skin that's either pink or grayish-pink. They also have short, broad heads, giant incisors, and strong jaw muscles. A naked mole rat can weigh between 1 to 1.5 ounces and have a length of 3 inches.
You'll find this hairless animal in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and other countries in Eastern Africa. A naked mole rat can barely see because it has tiny eyes. Also, it can not regulate its body temperature. It maintains its body temperature by huddling with other rats in the colony.
Although naked mole rats look hairless, they are not. They have sensory whiskers on their tail and faces. The rats also have hairy toes, which help them sweep away soil from their digging activities. Another attribute of the weird animals is their social structure. Naked mole rats have an eusocial system that's unusual for mammals.
They live in large colonies, with only one female rat performing the breeding while other rats form the workforce. They refer to the breeding female as the queen.
