The New World Encyclopedia and even the National Geographic seem to agree with Discovery that hippos pose a very serious threat: they kill more than 500 people every year. That they can also discourage the approach by crocodiles and other frightening animals has also been noted. But what about hippo vs tiger you may ask?
There is a spatial discrepancy in the habitat of tigers and hippos. But, as one would think, the big cat would triumph because, though lions do hunt hippos, Tigers are stronger than Lions.
Hippopotamuses can occupy a considerably larger space in comparison with tigers, and their mass can be, in fact, six times greater and even more than fourteen times. They bite harder, have larger mouth that can open to a full 180 degrees and these ones have very long tusks.
They attack with greater force as well. Tigers live alone, while hippos live in herds. Tigers can outrun the aggressors, but they have no chance in a battle.
A brief summary of the differences in strength between hippo vs tiger is provided in the table below:
| Characteristic | Hippopotamus | Tiger |
|---|---|---|
| Body size | 9.5 -16.5 feet | 7.1 – 10.75 feet |
| Weight | 1.5 to 5 tons | 140 to 660 pounds |
| Teeth size | >1.5 feet | 3.6 inches |
| Bite force | 1,827 PSI | 1,050 PSI |
| Speed | 19 mph | 50 mph |
| Strike force | 188,480 lb.-ft./s | 33,500 lb.-ft./s |
| Behavior | Social; aggressive | Solitary; aggressive |
| Diet | Herbivore | Carnivore |
| Geographic range | Africa | Asia |
| Habitat | Semi-aquatic | Grasslands, swamps, rainforests, taiga |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable | Endangered |
Due to research availability regarding strength, the hippo data in the table pertains to common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) species. All current tiger species’ ranges and averages serve as the foundation for tiger data. There may be differences in certain traits across tiger subspecies.
Every piece of information was taken from studies, research papers, and other official sources that were referenced throughout the piece.
Strike forces were computed by multiplying the maximum speed that each species is capable of reaching by the heaviest weight listed in the table.
Hippo Vs Tiger: 11 Key Differences
1. Body Size
Tigers and hippos are both enormous creatures, yet they differ greatly in size.
The largest species of cat is the tiger. While some of the tiniest individuals have an average length of only 7.1 feet, they can reach a maximum length of 10.75 feet, depending on the species.
In addition to being the largest even-toed ungulates, hippos are among the largest mammals on the planet. They can grow up to 16.5 feet in height.
Whereas hippos can grow to a shoulder height of 5.2 feet, tigers can only grow to about 4 feet.
sea also: Lions Vs Tigers(12 Differences And Strength Facts)
2. Weight
Hippos have a body mass that is more than 14 times that of tigers, making them heavier in addition to being larger.
For instance, tigers maximum weight that they can reach would is 660 pounds. Hippos are able to reach the scale of 5 tons, or approximately 9 920 pounds.
3. Teeth Size
It is not anticipated that ungulates will have big canines. Hippos do, however, and their tusks are significantly longer than a tiger’s teeth.
Similar to elephants, hippos benefit from their tusks in terms of evolution. They can use them to protect the area, fight off other males during mating, or for defensive purposes.
Hippo tusks can reach a maximum length of 20 inches (1.6 feet) on average. Nonetheless, the tusks of some of the biggest hippos are more than three feet long.
In contrast, the canines of tigers are small, reaching a maximum length of 3.6 inches.
Given that hippos’ skin is two inches thick and covered in a thick layer of fat, tigers could only cause scratches. Hippos may cause major harm to interior organs.
4. Bite Force
Also on this list are Hippos which have the added bonus of possessing a bite force that far surpasses that of a Tiger.
It cites a study to indicate that when hippo attacks, it can apply bite force of 12,600 kPa, which is almost 1,827 PSI.
Due to being carnivorous animals, tigers possess enough strength to bite their preys much harder than a lot of other mammals can.
And yet, a bite of a tiger exerts 1,050 PSI, which is even less forceful as the bite of a hyena, gorilla, or a hippopotamus.
5. Speed
While tigers are fast and agile their opponents–hippos–are large and strong.
Tigers are also able to pounce on their prey and open as well as known to run up to 40mph which they often extend to up to 50mph.
Like other members of the artiodactyl subfamily, Bony generically moves much slower than many animals of other species, and can only gallop at a top speed of about 19 miles per hour. But they do not truly need to be quick, so all that overwhelming power can instead be dedicated to taking as long as needed to properly execute a plan.
Even though both tigers and hippos are great swimmers with hippos being more so because they are amphibious.
6. Strike Force
Although there aren’t many studies on hippo vs tiger strike forces, their force upon impact can be computed by multiplying their highest speed by their weight.
We took into consideration the maximum speed of 50 miles per hour for tigers and 19 miles per hour for hippos for the sake of this article. Additionally, we took each species’ heaviest weight into account.
Based on this information, tigers are capable of exerting an impact force of up to 33,500 lb.-ft./s.
Although they move more slowly, hippos weigh much more. Consequently, their impact force can reach 188,480 lb.-ft./s. That is over six times the tiger’s force.
7. Behavior
Tigers are solitary to some extent; as most of the big cats are. The only bond in a lion’s lifetime is that the mother had a bond with her cubs.
However, the cubs denounce their mother, and subside at distant places as soon as they grow up enough to thrive on their own.
That is, adult tigers are gregarious only in reproduction periods, where a female Tiger reproduce herself every 3-4 years.
Hippos as it is with most other ungulates are very social animals. They include people that can group to form anywhere between 20 and about one hundred people.
8. Diet
Hippo vs tiger diet is one of the many differences and this is what makes the activity interesting for those who wish to learn more about those animals.
Since hippos are plant eaters they come under the order of ungulates. Most hippos are grazers despite the fact, they spend a greater part of their time in water.
At night while hunting for food in extensive areas of land by patrol; they may eat about 88 pounds of vegetation daily. This aspect alone separates hippos from other ungulates bearing in mind that hippos often feed on animals.
Their regular food includes meat decomposing in the forest, and dead animals’ bodies. Sometimes, however, there are reports of hippos actually hunting their prey.
Tigers, as all the members of the carnivore suborder, are great predators. Their regular meal is wild boars, sambar deer, red deer and barasingha. Although they can consume plant items, they rarely do so, and tigers are almost purely carnivorous; they feed on everything, including small mammals, large mammals, fish birds, reptiles, deer, and even carrion–berries, fruits and so on.
9. Geographic Range
Due to their disparate geographic ranges, hippo vs tiger cannot be encountered in the wild.
In particular, hippopotamuses are widespread in Africa, while tigers are found throughout Asia (or at least a few Asian countries).
10. Habitat
Hippo vs tiger have varied environmental preferences in addition to living on different continents.
Hippos can be found close to lakes and rivers that move slowly. This water-dwelling species spends most of its day in water.
As we know tigers are able to inhabit the grasslands, rainforests, and even the Siberian taiga.
11. Conservation Status
Both hippo vs tiger featured on the IUCN Red List of the endangered species.
On animals, meat and hippo are viewed as species which fall under the risk. However, the population, which can number between 115000 and 130000 people, is fairly stable.
Currently there are six tigers and out of all of them all are in the endangered list. Captive tigers total approximately 5,000 and even with the best scenario crossbreeding of wild and farm tigers is estimated to provide between 2,608 and 3,900 wild tigers globally.
Who Would Win A Fight?
Tigers and hippos cannot be found in the same habitat as such the two animals cannot meet. Nevertheless, the two have no hope if they meet, tigers will fight until one of them leaves the scene dead.
Hippos are absolutely huge and can reach weights of up to five tons and can strike with force measuring over 5,000 pounds.
They also have powerful jaws which deliver over 1800 PSI bite pressure, big mouth, and extremely long canines.
Despite being the largest of all the big animals, tigers prefer to live alone. Even a single tiger couldn’t defeat a single hippo, much less a herd of them. Tigers, on the other hand, can run to safety and are faster.