19 Most Powerful Animals on Earth

Animals often use strength and size as intimidation tactics or defense, but certain species take it a step further. While big animals look on par with what you’d expect, the miniature ecosystem is also filled with creatures that can pack a punch. Although, saying someone is ‘as strong as a dung beetle’ just doesn’t have the same ring to it. 

African Bush Elephant

The African Bush Elephant is an incredibly strong and powerful animal, having the strength to lift up to a whopping 20,000 pounds! Their physical prowess is in part due to their ginormous size but also their unique anatomy – their muscles are densely packed, and they have a special joint in their spine, allowing them to lift such heavy objects with relative ease. 

Gorilla

Known for their exceptional strength, Gorillas can lift roughly 1,800 lbs. In a theoretical situation, a Gorilla would be able to lift up to 4,000 lbs using a bench press, while a well-trained and fit man would only do 850 lbs. These animals use their tremendous strength to fall trees and reach the fruit-rich canopies above with ease. 

Polar Bear

Polar Bears live in harsh, bone-chilling cold environments that require extreme adaptations for survival. A Polar Bear has a bite force of 1,200 pounds per square inch, allowing them to effortlessly chew away at even larger and tougher meat such as whales that wash up on shore. They prefer feasting on bearded and ringed seals (on whose blubber they depend on). 

Tiger

A prime embodiment of power and grace, a Tiger can carry kills up to twice its own body weight (up to 570 lbs) and with a bite force of 1,200 psi, those kills remain firmly in its mouth. The Tiger’s combination of speed, agility, muscle, and razor-sharp claws and teeth makes them one of the apex predators in many ecosystems they inhabit. 

Zebra

One of the Zebra’s defense mechanisms is its color pattern. Another one is its strength. Zebras possess a kick force of 300 pounds, stronger than kangaroo or giraffe kicks. When they feel threatened, they’ll throw their hind legs up similar to how a horse would. If an unfortunate predator catches that kick, they’ll end up incapacitated or worse. 

Goliath Grouper

Known for their gargantuan size, Goliath Groupers are the strongest fish species in the Atlantic, surviving in brackish water and low oxygen levels without much trouble. Despite having teeth, they often swallow their prey whole. They can grow up to 8 feet in length and can weigh up to 800 pounds, which is quite big for a fish.

Rhinoceros Beetle

The Rhinoceros Beetle, one of the most sizable beetles in existence, bags the title of the second strongest beetle by being able to lift 850 times its own weight. Despite encountering various natural predators like pigs, rats, ants, and other beetles, their size (up to 6 inches) and strength allow them to defend themselves against threats. 

Dung Beetle

Despite their unassuming appearance, Dung Beetles are actually the strongest animal on Earth, relative to size. They’re capable of pushing balls of dung 1,000 times their own weight, sometimes traveling several miles with the load. The Dung Beetle also uses the Milky Way to move across the desert at night by following the light of our galaxy to keep it moving straight. 

Anaconda

While Anacondas are not as large as they’re shown on the big screen in Hollywood movies, they’re still absolutely massive and strong. Anacondas can grow up to 30 feet long and have 550 pounds of almost pure muscle. Once they catch prey, they’ll begin constricting it and eventually squeezing the life out of whatever they’ve caught. 

Grizzly Bear

These towering creatures, which can reach substantial sizes (up to 8 feet) and run swiftly, often exceeding 30 mph. Their primary diet of roots, nuts, berries, and smaller animals doesn’t do their impressive hunting abilities and physical power justice. The grizzly bear’s prowess gives it the ability to take down any prey, even other grizzly bears. 

Saltwater Crocodile

Saltwater crocodiles, often referred to as ‘Salties’, are an ultimate example of brute strength. Holding the record for the most potent bite (at 3,700 psi), these prehistoric creatures are armed with endurance, power, and a formidable jaw, making them one of the most dangerous predators in the animal kingdom. 

Tasmanian Devil

While small, the Tasmanian Devil has the strongest bite force relative to size among all mammalian carnivores, this marsupial can open its jaws up to 80 degrees. It also has enough power in its bite to easily crush bone and tear meat, with their muscles generating roughly 1,000 psi (almost as much as a tiger or polar bear). 

Lion

The King of the Jungle rarely goes hunting because the Queens do most of the work. Still, a fully grown male lion can take down prey twice its size (up to 1,000 pounds). A pack of lionesses and a lion coordinate to get much-needed sustenance by targeting weaker, younger, and older prey, but they’re known to also kill cape buffalos that can weigh up to 1,500 pounds. 

Bald Eagle

Most people don’t associate birds with strength and power but rather agility and speed, though you’d be surprised what a bird such as the bald eagle can do. With an ability to carry up to four times its weight while flying (26 – 56 lbs), the bald eagle can effortlessly carry its prey wherever it wants. Their grip strength is also notorious, crushing with a force that could snap a human arm. 

Musk Ox

These mammoth-like animals can withstand freezing temperatures of up to -94°F, attributing to their incredible toughness. They demonstrate their power during the mating season when male musk oxen engage in violent head-butting contests. Their skulls have a thick bone plate that can withstand the brute force of these clashes. 

Leafcutter Ant

The tiny but determined leafcutter ant is capable of carrying leaf fragments up to 50 times their own body weight, these busy bugs are the heavyweight champions among insects. However, coordination is key for the leafcutter ants because it helps them sustain their vast colonies, which can house up to 10 million ants! 

Grey Wolf

Grey wolves are highly intelligent and adaptable animals that have incredibly strong bite forces, reaching up to 1,500 pounds per square inch. Combined with their endurance, speed, and hunting strategy, they are capable of taking down prey much larger and stronger than themselves when hunting in packs. 

Kangaroo

Kangaroos are fascinating in more ways than one. They can jump up to 30 feet, which is possible thanks to their extremely powerful hind legs. Their muscular tail provides balance and supports their body weight when engaging in combat. Kangaroos are also very fast, being able to run or hop at a speed of 30 mph. 

White Rhino

Claiming the title as one of the largest land mammals, the White Rhino isn’t just about size. White rhinos can sprint up to 25 mph in short bursts despite weighing up to 5,000 lbs. Their toes can withstand over 75 pounds per square inch of pressure. Their primary alertness mechanism is its power of smell, which lets them ‘smell danger’ from very far away.

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