Top 10 Strongest Animals In The World

#10: Blue Whale

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With a tongue roughly as heavy as an elephant and a heart that weighs as much as a car, blue whales are a force to be reckoned with. After all, they're the largest creatures to have ever existed on Earth at up to 190 tons in weight. And with all that mass, it needs massive power to get around the ocean and swim over a thousand feet into its depths to consume four tons of krill per day. It’s been estimated that a blue whale can carry up to 13,900 pounds of weight. For comparison, that’s around three-and-a-half giraffes!

#9: Tiger

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Lions tend to get a lot of publicity. But they have nothing compared to the real threat of the feline world, the tiger. For example,lions have a bite force of 650 pounds per square inch or PSI, while tigers produce 1,050 PSI, on top of having the longest canine teeth in big cats. On average, the striped felines can lift around double their body weight. One Siberian Tiger that was discovered in 1943 weighed up to 660 pounds. As such, it should've been able to carry up to 1200 pounds. But that’s not all! Tigers often drag their prey into a tree to eat as it’s safer. So, they’re hoisting this weight against gravity, making the feat even more impressive.

Besides gaining infamy due to a Nicki Minaj song, anacondas are known for their mammoth size. After all, the green anaconda species, while not the longest snake in the world -- that title goes to the reticulated python -- it is the heaviest and also the strongest. The biggest on record weighed 500 pounds and was 27.7 feet long! Green anacondas have been known to feed on large animals like deer, capybaras, and jaguars. This ripped reptile is known to wrap up its prey and squeeze it before consuming it. That squeeze force can be up to 90 PSI, which is said to be similar to an elephant sitting on a human’s chest. Yikes.

Yep, a particular species of ants is one of the strongest creatures in the world. And if they weren’t so small, humans would probably be doomed. The Atta cephalotes leafcutter ant has an average weight of around 1.5 grams. These little critters are said to be able to carry items weighing up to 50 times their weight, around 75 grams. If the average US human male could do the same, weighing on average at 199.7 pounds, they could lift something that was 9985 pounds, that’s around the same as two black rhinoceroses! And to make the Atta cephalotes more fearsome, they essentially have metal teeth with zinc atoms woven into their jaws.

As the undisputed heaviest and largest land animal, with three different species occupying the top three slots, elephants are already an intimidating sight. Humans noticed this quickly as they’ve been used in war and for logging. But on top of their own size and lugging that around, they can also lift a huge amount. The African Bush elephant can weigh up to 14,000 pounds, and it’s said to be able to carry over its own weight at around 20,000 pounds. For comparison, that’s roughly the same as 13 cows! Thankfully, elephants are herbivores. Otherwise, we humans might have had a serious problem.

We all know that crocodiles are a massive threat. However, Florida State University determined how fearsome they are after publishing the results of a study in 2012. Led by Gregory Erickson, they discovered the bite force a saltwater crocodile can produce. Before this, the highest was 2,980 PSI from an American alligator. But the saltwater knocked it out of the park with a whopping 3,700 PSI! Yet, that still might not be the highest amount amongst the big reptiles. Another study showed that the Nile crocodile is the reigning champ of chomping with a 5000 PSI! Interestingly, their jaw-opening mechanism is very weak, making it achievable for a person to hold their mouths closed.

Another primary herbivore and our distant cousin, the gorilla is the largest and strongest primate. For starters, a male silverback, a mature gorilla, has a bite force of 1,300 PSI. For comparison, humans have 162 PSI bite force. Yikes. Weighing up to around 590 pounds in the wild, gorillas pack a lot of power behind their fur. On average, they can lift objects that weigh 1000 pounds. Yet their punch is even more impressive. Humans, typically, can strike up to 150 pounds of force. Yet gorillas can punch up to 2700! But if you anger one in the wild, running away won’t do much. Humans can reach up to 23 miles per hour, gorillas can hit 25!

While you might be super tempted to hug a grizzly bear, we really, really couldn’t recommend it less. After all, these furry beasts are among the strongest mammals on the planet. In 2006, a study by Montana State University found the bears were able to easily play with an object weighing 700 pounds. They concluded the creatures have the strength of up to five humans. But they admitted it would be higher if the bears were enraged. And that’s very true. Some researchers have claimed a grizzly can lift a 661-pound rock with a single paw! But that’s not all. On top of a bite force of 975 PSI, a single paw strike of a grizzly is said to produce 600 pounds of force.

Depending on the eagle species, you could be in for a bad time if you angered one. As such, they’re by far the toughest birds around. And that’s without even getting into the advantages of their incredible eyesight! Typically, the various species can carry things that weigh up to 4 pounds. However, there have been accusations that the Harpy Eagle has lifted up to 20 pounds! On top of the eagles' lightning 100 miles per hour dives, their talons are another big concern. On the low end, bald eagles can have a grip strength of 300 PSI. This could easily break a human’s arm bones. But it gets worse. Some estimates claim they can go as high as 1000 PSI! Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Hippopotamus With a Bite Force of 1,800 PSI, Hippos Are a Fearsome Bunch Zebra The Strongest Kickers in the Animal Kingdom Can Lash Out with 3,000 PSI Muskox These Hairy Machines Can Pull Weights Over 1900 Pounds

As intimidating as a bear, a shark, or a gorilla is, none of them can match the size-to-strength ratio of the humble dung beetle. In 2010, the Queen Mary University of London, led by Dr Rob Knell, found that the Onthophagus taurus, better known as the Taurus scarab, can pull 1,141 times its own weight! For perspective, that’s said to be the equivalent of a single human dragging six double-decker buses filled with other people. Yikes. Thankfully, they stick to rolling around, well, dung. But another insect that’s a secret powerhouse is the European rhinoceros beetle. It’s said to be able to lift items that are 850 times its own weight! What’s the strongest animal that we humans typically use as a pet? A cat? A dog? A guinea pig? Or something else? Let us know below!