Since the Hippopotamus and a Polar bear will probably never come face to face in a fight in the wild, we can only presume from the information below. They both live in completely different habitats and locations. However, you can determine which would have the upper hand from facts about the animals.
Factors To Bear In Mind
Age: The older an animal gets, the weaker it becomes, and the younger they are, the less strength it will have.
Illness: Nursing any old wounds will weaken an animal, making them less likely to win in an even battle.
Food: Lack of food will reduce its ability to fight to its potential. However, desperation may take over and benefit them.
| Hippopotamus | Polar Bear | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Up to 16 feet long and 5 feet tall | Up to 8 feet long and 4 feet tall |
| Weight | Up to 8000 pounds | Up to 1,700 pounds |
| Lifespan | Up to 50 years | Up to 30 years |
| Speed on land | 8 miles per hour | 25 miles per hour |
| Speed in water | 5 miles per hour | 6 miles per hour |
| Bite force | 2000-2500 pounds per square inch | 1200 pounds per square inch |
| Defence | Large-sized and sharp teeth. It can also use its powerful jaws to bite and its tusks to slash at predators. | Sharp claws and teeth that it can use to defend itself. |
| Habitat | Freshwater rivers, lakes, and swamps | Arctic sea ice and coastal areas |
| Diet | Herbivorous, mainly grasses and aquatic plants | Carnivorous, mainly seals |
| Intelligence | Very smart | Averagely smart |
Speed will definitely be one of the skills needed to win a fight. If the other animal can’t catch them, they can’t get hurt, so with this in mind, the Polar Bear on land will have the upper hand. However, if a hippo can get close enough to a Polar Bear, its extreme bite force will overcome the speed. With one bite from a hippo, it could well be all over.
Fighting is a close-contact situation, so there will be a chance for a bite from a hippo. The Polar bear’s intelligence may again override a hippo’s bite force potential edge.
Certainly, on land, a polar bear will win!
In water, it’s a different story since the Polar bear can’t rely on their speed in the water. A polar bear’s speed in water is only 1 mile per hour faster than a hippo’s. The hippo will win the battle if the fight occurs in water. Regardless of intelligence, the habitat of the water is where hippos love to spend most of their days. They are much more confident in the water than on land compared to the polar bears.
Therefore, in water, a hippo will beat a polar bear in a fight.
However, I never want to witness a battle between a Hippopotamus and a Polar Bear. It would be pretty gruesome.
Both these animals are fascinating and deserve our respect. If you want to know more about hippos, I have written plenty about them.
