A healthy person can lift objects that weigh 1.5 times their own body weight. However, this is nothing compared to some of the strongest animals in the natural world. In this article, let’s join KnowAllAnimals to explore the Top 10 Strongest Animals in the World Still Alive Today!
1. Top 10 Strongest Animals in the World Still Alive Today
From tiny creatures with incredible gripping power to “giants” that can lift many times their body weight, the animal kingdom is full of astonishingly strong creatures. In this list, we’ll explore the top 10 strongest animals still living on Earth today, ranked not just by their size, but by their extraordinary strength. Get ready to meet nature’s champions of strength!
1.10. Harpy Eagle: Can lift 18 kg (double its body weight)
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Accipitriformes
- Family: Accipitridae
- Subfamily: Harpiinae
- Genus: Harpia Vieillot, 1816
- Species: H. harpyja
The female Harpy eagle is the strongest bird in the world. Females are typically stronger than males and can lift weights of up to 18 kg (40 lbs), which is nearly double their own weight. This is very useful when it comes to choosing prey and means a wide variety of animals are on their menu.
Harpy eagles are apex predators, and they are also at the top of the food chain.
1.9. Leopard: Can lift 125 kg (about double its body weight)
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Suborder: Feliformia
- Family: Felidae
- Subfamily: Pantherinae
- Genus: Panthera
- Species: P. pardus
An average male leopard weighs about 30 to 70 kg (66–154 lbs), and the largest ones are capable of lifting weights of up to 125 kg (275 lbs) using their strong jaw muscles, legs, and claws.
A leopard needs this strength to pull its larger prey up into a tree after a hunt to keep it safe from other predators, as they are not as strong as animals like tigers and lions.
1.8. Polar Bear: Can lift 450 kg (about 0.7 times its body weight)
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Suborder: Caniformia
- Family: Ursidae
- Subfamily: Ursinae
- Genus: Ursus
- Species: U. maritimus
Adult male polar bears can weigh between 300 and 700 kg (660–1,540 lbs), while females are usually smaller, at 150 to 350 kg (330–770 lbs). They have very strong jaws for hunting, although they are not great at catching seals, their favorite prey.
Polar bears are naturally unafraid of humans, which makes them very dangerous. However, as we will see, they are not the strongest bears on our list.
1.7. Lion: Can lift 450 kg (about double its body weight)
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Suborder: Feliformia
- Family: Felidae
- Subfamily: Pantherinae
- Genus: Panthera
- Species: P. leo
In many cultures and people’s imaginations, the lion is synonymous with strength and hunting ability.
In terms of size, an adult male lion can weigh between 150 and 250 kg (330–550 lbs), while a female is a bit smaller, weighing from 120 to 180 kg (265–400 lbs). Their powerful jaws and leg muscles allow them to drag animals that are larger than themselves over short distances.
1.6. Grizzly Bear: Can lift 500 kg (0.8 times its body weight)
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Suborder: Caniformia
- Family: Ursidae
- Subfamily: Ursinae
- Genus: Ursus
- Species: U. arctos
- Subspecies: U. a. horribilis
Thanks to a combination of their leg and body strength, the North American grizzly bear is an impressive hunting machine. But the strongest bear on our list has more than just muscles. They are very intelligent. This animal can map out territories as large as 800 km² and form a social hierarchy with each other.
A fully grown individual can lift 227 kg (500 lbs) with just one paw and has the strength of five strong adult men. With all of this, it’s not surprising to know that grizzly bears have no natural enemies.
1.5. Tiger: Can lift 550 kg (double its body weight)
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Suborder: Feliformia
- Family: Felidae
- Subfamily: Pantherinae
- Genus: Panthera
- Species: P. tigris
The tiger is the strongest great cat on our list. More agile and stronger than a lion, a tiger has the ability to take down prey that is twice its size. They are also incredibly muscular and can run at speeds of up to 65 km/h (40 mph) over short distances.
Their impressive strength doesn’t stop there; just one swat from a tiger can kill an adult human instantly.
1.4. Musk Ox: Can lift 900 kg (about 1.5 times its body weight)
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Artiodactyla
- Family: Bovidae
- Subfamily: Caprinae
- Tribe: Ovibovini
- Genus: Ovibos Blainville, 1816
- Species: O. moschatus
The musk ox is the only mammal in the genus Ovibos of the Bovidae family, living in the Arctic since the Ice Age almost 200,000 years ago. They are famous for their thick fur and the strong smell that males emit. This scent is used to attract females during the mating season. The muscular strength of this animal can help it drag huge, heavy objects over long distances.
An adult musk ox can weigh between 180 and 410 kg (400–900 lbs) and likes to headbutt vulnerable spots when fighting with predators. Their strong head and neck muscles can deliver a powerful blow, and those horns can also cause some serious damage.
1.3. White Rhinoceros: Can lift 800 kg to 1,100 kg
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Perissodactyla
- Family: Rhinocerotidae
- Genus: Ceratotherium
- Species: C. simum
Because rhinoceroses are herbivores, many people might think they are gentle animals. But that would be a very dangerous mistake.
An adult male rhino can weigh between 1,800 and 2,500 kg (4,000–5,500 lbs), and a female weighs from 1,800 to 2,000 kg (4,000–4,400 lbs), which is heavier than a regular family car. It’s difficult to measure the strength of a white rhino, but it is estimated that one can drag weights from 800 to 1,100 kg (1,760–2,425 lbs).
1.2. Gorilla: Can lift 815 kg (about 4 times its body weight)
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Primates
- Suborder: Haplorhini
- Infraorder: Simiiformes
- Family: Hominidae
- Subfamily: Homininae
- Tribe: Gorillini
- Genus: Gorilla I. Geoffroy, 1852
Gorillas have incredibly strong arms. They use their legs and arms to walk, climb, and swing on ropes in trees every day, which keeps those large muscles toned.
Males are larger than females and can weigh up to 200 kg (440 lbs) when fully grown. However, they don’t need all this strength for hunting—they live on a diet of plants and fruits. Nonetheless, it’s probably best that you don’t challenge this animal to an arm wrestle or a boxing match.
1.1. African Forest Elephant: Can lift 6,000 kg
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Proboscidea
- Family: Elephantidae
- Genus: Loxodonta
- Species: L. cyclotis
The strongest animal in the world is the African forest elephant, which is capable of lifting weights of 6,000 kg (13,227 lbs)—its own body weight when it lies down. Its trunk can even lift over 200 kg (440 lbs) thanks to its more than 40,000 muscles. For comparison, an adult human has just over 600 muscles in their entire body.
The average weight of a mature bull elephant is just over 6,000 kg, making it the largest land animal in the world.
2. FAQs
1. What is considered the strongest animal in the world today?
The dung beetle is considered the strongest in the world in terms of body weight ratio. It can pull something that weighs more than 1,000 times its own body weight.
2. How does an elephant’s strength compare to a human’s?
A mature African elephant can lift or push weights of up to 9,000 kg (20,000 lbs), which is dozens of times stronger than the strongest human.
3. Does size determine an animal’s strength?
Not necessarily, because many small animals like ants or dung beetles have strength that is far superior to their body weight, surpassing many larger species.
4. Where do the strongest animals typically live?
They are distributed all over the world, from forests, deserts, and the savannas of Africa to the oceans. Each strong species has adapted to its own living environment.
The natural world is full of wonders, and the strength of animals is a living testament to their extraordinary ability to adapt and survive. From small creatures that are “strong as a god” to giants that dominate nature, each species has its own advantages for survival and development. Learning about their strength not only fills us with awe but also reminds us that nature still has countless things that humans should cherish and protect.
Thank you for reading Know All Animals‘ article, “Top 10 Strongest Animals in the World Still Alive Today“. Don’t forget to follow our blog to discover more useful information about animals around the world!
