You are here:
- Home
- Animals/Pets
- Veterinary Medicine
- Wild Animals
- Gorilla strength
Wild Animals/Gorilla strength
Advertisement
Question
i was wondering: exactly how strong is a (silverback) gorilla?
most sources seem to be pretty inconclusive. I've heard claims of anywhere from
1 to 27 times as strong as the average human male. I've heard that a gorilla can
lift 4600 pounds above its head. i have little doubt that a gorilla is stronger than
a human, but I'm wondering how much stronger.
Dear Zach
Thanks for your question. I also wish to thank the authors of the websites I used.
Creation versus Evolution (http://www.evcforum.net/cgi-bin/dm.cgi?action=msg&f=14&t=1376&m=1 and http://www.evcforum.net/cgi-bin/dm.cgi?action=msg&f=14&t=1376&m=196) is a discussion forum. LudoRaphaim says that there may have been no study to determine a gorilla’s strength. One book says it is 4-8 times stronger than a man, while the "Animal face off" show says it is 20 times stronger and LudoRaphaim says it is 20 times stronger in its upper body. Nigel Marvin says it is 5 times stronger. "The Most Extreme" on Animal Planet suggested that a gorilla can lift two tons above its head and may be eight times as strong as an Olympic weight lifter. A gorilla may deadlift twice as much as the world's strongest human.
Thomas M. Greiner (http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2001-07/995155256.Zo.r.html) considers the problems of defining gorilla strength. He says that most human strength activities, such as weight lifting, involve a degree of skill as well as strength. It is possible that a human could bench press more weight than a gorilla, but that a could tear the arms off the human. Gorillas and humans have variable strengths. The gorilla has very strong arms, compared to a person.
One reader (Abortion) at http://www.comixtreme.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-19908.html says that the gorilla is 20 times stronger than an average adult human and could lift 200 pounds (about 1 ton), while PukeDunk says it could lift 2 tons and can tear up trees.
African Wildlife Foundation (http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/mountaingorilla) says that a mountain gorilla is about 10 times stronger - than the biggest American football players.
Looking at this conflicting information, it seems that a silverback gorilla is 5-20 times as strong as a human and that 10 times seems to be a fair estimate. It is a pity that there is so much speculation rather than any definitive answers.
All the best
Jonathan
Related Articles
- Christian Teens Memory Verse of the Week - Week 21 - Memory Verse - Christian Teens - Scripture - Bible - Christianity
- When Is It Safe to Start Losing the Weight? - Pregnancy Nutrition
- Frequency and Duration of Your Cardio Workouts - Wedding Workout
- June 20 - Birthday Personology
- New-Hire Paperwork - Human Resource Management
Answers by Expert:
Jonathan Wright
Expertise
I can answer questions about wild mammals and other animals, as well as extinct animals and zoos. I am not an expert about every animal species. I can look up information from books and the internet, but can't verify if all the information is true. Please don't ask questions about: 1. Pets. I am not a vet. Please contact a vet if your pet is ill. You may need to spend some money if you want your pet to live. Don't get a pet if you don't know how to look after it and if you can't provide it with the space, food and possible companions that will help it live a healthy life. Don't take animals from the wild, unless they are ill and/or injured and you can protect them until a wildlife charity can help. It is cruel to take animals from their parents, especially if the parents will look for the babies, while putting their other babies at risk. You may be breaking the law by keeping wild animals or you may need a licence to look after some species. Please check with a local wildlife group. 2. Eggs: Please don't remove eggs from nests. The mother birds provide the right temperature for the eggs and won't sit on them if the temperature is warm enough for them to develop naturally. It is illegal to remove eggs of some species and, unless you have an incubator or a broody hen, the egg may not develop. If you are allowed to touch the eggs, you can candle them to see if they are fertile. If theys aren't fertile, they won't hatch. 3. Fights: Please don't ask about fights between different animals. These questions assume that individuals of two species fight each time they meet and that one species will always be victorious over another. This is untrue. There are cases where a live mouse has been fed to a venomous snake, bitten the snake leading to the snake's demise. 4: Diseases: Please ask doctors or other medical experts about diseases that you may catch from animals. I can't advise on how to deal with viruses, bacteria etc.
Experience
I have a zoology degree and have been interested in animals since I was two. I am a zoo volunteer at London Zoo. I have appeared on a BBC Radio Quiz, 'Wildbrain'.
Organizations
WWF. ZSL. Natural History Museum. RSPB. London Bat Group.
Publications
Newsletters of London Zoo volunteers and the London Bat Group
Education/Credentials
BSC degree in Zoology. 'A' level in Zoology. 'O' Level in Biology.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.