Elephant vs Gorilla Which of these animals would win if they go
head to head and which one has the best chances to survive in general.
These rounds will let you find out!
Round 1: Habitat
Where do they live?
Gorillas typically inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa.
They have a patchy distribution, further divided by the fact that there are two subspecies.
The western gorilla lives in west-central Africa, while the eastern gorilla lives in
east-central Africa.
Their habitats, largely determined by the presence of food, range from montane forests
to swamplands.
As for Elephants, they are found in savannahs, grasslands, marshes, and forests.
However, they occupy a range of habitats including deserts, swamps, and highlands in tropical
and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia.
The main thing is that they like to stay near water.
What are their relative populations?
As of 2016, the Elephant population for both species was estimated at around to 415,000
individuals.
This figure only falls as the years go on.
As for Gorillas, around 316,000 western lowland gorillas are thought to exist in the wild
and 4000 in zoos.
And for the eastern lowland gorillas, there are 5,000 in the wild and 24 in zoos.
Mountainous gorillas, the most endangered, just number 800 in the wild.
Are these creatures endangered or not?
All elephant species are listed as at least endangered by conservation groups worldwide.
Some species, like the African forest elephant, are even listed as critically endangered.
The same is true of gorillas.
All species and subspecies are either listed as endangered or critically endangered.
Like most other animals, these creatures have dwindling numbers due to the activities of
man that lead to destroyed habitats.
And in addition to this, they face extra pressure because they are relentlessly hunted down
for goods or sport.
Elephant ivory, being particularly valuable, is one strong motivator.
How many of them are killed in a year?
About 30,000 elephants are killed by poachers every year.
For gorillas, the exact number is unclear.
However, what s clear is that elephants are killed at a far more rapid pace.
Who wins the round?
Despite the fact that elephant populations are currently larger in number than gorilla
populations, this round still goes to gorillas.
Round 2: Diet
What do these creatures eat?
Elephants are herbivores.
They can eat as many as 200 different plant species over the course of a single year.
However, their staple foods are grass and bamboo, which is a type of grass.
In addition to this, they also eat lianas, wild palms, wild bananas, various shrubs,
the leaves and bark of certain trees, and even plants that serve as herbs.
Gorillas are herbivores too.
However, their diet differs depending on the species and the exact habitat they find themselves
in.
They split their day between rest periods and eating periods.
They love to forage, looking out for leaves, stems, pith, and shoots.
Very rarely, they eat fruits too.
It s interesting to note that sometimes they eat termites and ants.
They rarely drink water and acquire most of their aqueous needs from the succulent vegetation
they consume.
How much do these creatures need to eat?
Gorillas can eat up to 66 pounds of food each day.
Elephants, on the other hand, eat between 330 to 375 pounds of vegetation each day.
Is it easy for them to find food?
It s pretty easy for both Elephants and Gorillas to find food since they are both herbivores
and don t really need to hunt.
In spite of this, Gorillas cover more ground to find food.
Especially low land gorillas, whose diet is comprised of up to 25% fruit.
They can travel up to a mile a day looking for food.
Who wins the round?
Although gorillas eat less as compared to elephants, the quantity elephants eat makes
sense for them once you factor in their body weight.
Gorillas also need to cover more ground to find their food.
As such, elephants win the round.
Round 3: Lifespan
How old can they get?
Elephants have quite a long lifespan and live between 40 to 70 years.
Naturally, they live longer in captivity than in the wild, where they are provided with
food and don t have to worry about predators.
For gorillas, their maximum lifespan is the elephant s minimum.
Very rarely do they live past 40 years.
Of course, they also live longer in captivity than in the wild.
Who wins the round?
Since elephants live longer than gorillas, they win the round pretty easily.
Round 4: Bigger Threat to Humans
How do these creatures attack?
The main thing that both the elephant and the gorilla have going on for them in terms
of offensive threat is size.
Gorillas are the largest living primates and can grow up to 6 feet tall.
They also easily attain weights of 600 pounds.
This makes them very, very, very strong.
They usually attack using their fists and powerful arms.
But then, they can also use tools like sticks and stones.
Elephants are the largest living terrestrial animals.
They grow between 10 to 11 feet at the shoulder and weigh up to 14,000 pounds.
Elephants attack using their large tusks which grow out of their mouths.
They can also trample their opposition sometimes.
How many humans do they kill in a year?
Gorilla attacks on humans are rare, but not unheard of.
They occur both in the wild and in captivity.
Gorillas are usually peaceful.
However, they turn aggressive once they are provoked.
Since they aren t natural predators of humans, official figures are hard to come by.
However, there s usually an incident every couple of years.
The same cannot be said of elephants.
Human incidents involving elephants occur both by accident and deliberately.
Elephants have been known to raid villages or croplands in South Asia, and sometimes
gore or step on humans that get in the way.
They kill between 100 to 500 humans every year.
Recorded Incidents?
In India, on December 4, 2021, a rogue elephant separated from its herd attacked three of
them.
Two of them succumbed to their wounds, while the other sustained serious injuries.
The persons involved have been identified as 35-year-old Malsa Marak and 52-year-old
Bitu Marak who died.
The injured person is 55-year-old Herod Sangma.
They had been on the way to a rice farm when the elephant crossed their path.
It went on a rampage, swinging at them with its tusks and trampling them with its feet.
On September 28, 2020, in a zoo in Madrid, Spain, a 440-pound gorilla known as Malabo
attacked and seriously injured his female keeper.
The woman, 46, whose name has not been disclosed to the public, was performing her usual tasks
around 10 am when she came face to face with Malabo.
Feeling startled, Malabo violently attacked the zookeeper, breaking both arms and leaving
her with a head injury.
Eventually, she was subdued and tranquilized and the zookeeper was taken to a hospital
to get medical attention.
As to how the gorilla enclosure opened, that remains a mystery.
Who wins the round?
Elephants win this round pretty easily.
They are more aggressive towards humans and have way more recorded incidents than gorillas.
Round 5: What are these creatures hunted by?
Animal threats?
Apart from humans, gorillas have, very few predators.
However, they have been known to receive attacks from large predators such as leopards and
crocodiles.
Elephants, on the other hand, are not so lucky.
They have a rather wide range of predators.
These include lions, tigers, hyenas, crocodiles, wild dogs, rhinos, other elephants and, even
snakes.
Elephants are easy to target because of how they graze.
In fact, they are particularly susceptible to creatures which love to hunt in packs.
Who wins the round?
Since elephants have way more natural predators than gorillas, gorillas win this round.
Round 6: Speed
How fast are they?
Gorillas are quite fast and can attain speeds of up to 25 miles per hour on land.
In addition, they are quite agile, capable of jumping and leaping on rocks and trees.
Interestingly, elephants are just as fast as gorillas.
They too can attain speeds of up to 25 miles per hour on land.
Although, naturally, they move slower when wading in water bodies.
Who wins this round?
Even though both of these creatures have equal speed, gorillas win this round.
This is because they are more agile than elephants and can get away from any would-be predators
pretty easily.
Round 7: Special skills and Adaptations Gorillas have many adaptations that help them
survive.
They are the closest living relatives to humans, and we share between 95% to 99% of our DNA
with them.
Gorillas are pretty smart, capable of exhibiting some measure of social skills and communication.
Sticking together in social groups helps them raise their young better and fend off threats
easier.
They also have opposable thumbs, meaning that they are able to grab and use tools without
complications.
The fur that covers their body also keeps them warm and protects them from cold weather.
In addition to this, they have strong teeth which help them break down plants and obtain
maximum nutritional and aqueous value from them.
Elephants have their fair share of adaptations too.
Their big ears and wrinkly skin help them stay cool in the warm African environment.
Their tusks, made of ivory, also help them eat and protect themselves.
They also have great memories, and hardly ever forget a human they met.
This may have something to do with their large brains.
Who wins the round?
Since gorillas have way more special adaptations than elephants do, they win this round.
Verdict So, overall, who wins the contest?
Well, elephants won three of the rounds, dealing with diet, lifespan, and threat to humans.
However, gorillas won four of the rounds, dealing with habitat, animal threats, speed
and, special adaptations.
And so, with that, gorillas win this contest against elephants.