Would a Killer Whale Beat a Great White Shark in Battle? And 4 Other Matches

In the wild, animals fight over mating, food, territory, and to protect their young. Even when living in the same environment, not all animals fight each other.

We couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if these animals interacted on the battlefield. Let’s look at how some formidable animals in the wild might do in a matchup based on their skills and strengths.

Tigers are found in Asia, while most lions primarily live in Africa. While there are some Asiatic lions, they live in a different habitat than tigers — so they wouldn’t cross paths.

Both tigers and lions are apex predators at the top of their respective food chains. Both are in the big cat category and share certain traits. They each have sharp, powerful, retractable claws. 

While tigers are solitary hunters, lions work together in groups to attack their prey. And while the bite of a lion is stronger, tigers have the advantage of being faster, larger, and more muscular. Tigers can also fight while standing on their back legs, while lions rarely do and aren’t as adept. This enables tigers to strike an opponent from above.

Winner: Tiger 

Read More: Who Is at the Top of the Food Chain?

Elephants and rhinos are herbivores that typically avoid confrontation, though fighting has occurred on occasion.

The rhino is heavy and large, but there’s no land animal that comes close to the size of an elephant. With a horn and thick skin serving to protect them, rhinos don’t have many natural predators. 

But the elephant has tusks. Tusks are utilized for gathering food, digging holes, stripping tree bark, and are an effective weapon for defense. An elephant can use its tusks to push, lift, or gore a rhino that tries to threaten it. 

Winner: Elephant

Co-existing in the rivers of sub-Saharan Africa, these two animals do encounter each other.

While crocodiles are stealthy ambushers, possessing a powerful bite, hippos are the deadliest land animal — killing an estimated 500 people each year. Although hippos are herbivores and don’t consume meat, they will kill other animals if they feel threatened. They have giant mouths with self-sharpening teeth — and incisors and canines that grow to over a foot in length. 

While crocodiles are stealthy, they can’t take down a hippo unless it’s already injured.

Winner: Hippo

Read More: These 10 Animals are the Deadliest to Humans, and Most Aren't Fearsome Beasts

Great white sharks and killer whales (orcas) are ocean dwellers. While great whites prefer warmer temperatures, orcas thrive in cooler water. However, there have been occasions when both were spotted in the same area.

Killer whales are stronger, bigger, smarter, and can swim faster than great white sharks. So, while great whites are dominant predators, they’re outmatched by the orca. There’s even footage of an orca hunting and killing a great white — off the coast of South Africa’s Mossel Bay. Orcas target sharks for their nutrient-dense livers, which comprise up to a third of their body weight.

Winner: Killer Whale

Polar bears and grizzly bears both live in cold environments. Polar bears can be found in parts of Russia, Norway, and Greenland — while grizzlies inhabit Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Washington. Both bears live in parts of Canada and Alaska.

Their similarities include aggressive behaviors, and they are both strong predators with an incredible bite force. While the polar bear is larger, with a slightly stronger bite, the grizzly has longer and stronger claws that are more effective for killing prey. Polar bears aren’t territorial like grizzlies. They also tend to avoid conflicts, while grizzlies are aggressive and will fight fiercely. Apparently, there have been polar bear and grizzly interactions that didn’t end in conflict, as there are known polar bear and grizzly bear hybrids. 

Winner: Toss-up

Read More: 5 of the Fiercest Animals in the Tundra

Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:

• Colorado State University. Apex predators not a quick fix for restoring ecosystems, 20-year CSU study finds

• Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Adaptive evolution toward larger size in mammals

• African Journal of Ecology. Dentition and ageing of the hippo

• Ecology. Direct observation of killer whales preying on white sharks and evidence of a flight response

• Field & Stream. What Animal Has the Strongest Bite Force?

• Wildlife Letters. Contribution of hybridization between polar bears and grizzly bears to polar bear extinction

Allison Futterman is a Charlotte, N.C.-based writer whose science, history, and medical/health writing has appeared on a variety of platforms and in regional and national publications. These include Charlotte, People, Our State, and Philanthropy magazines, among others. She has a BA in communications and a MS in criminal justice.