Epic Battles: Can a Raging Bull Take Down a Grizzly Bear?

Written by Crystal
Updated: October 24, 2023
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How will this raging bull vs. grizzly bear battle play out?

Even at a glance, you’ll notice that bulls are much larger than regular cows. They have big muscular bodies, large, heavy heads, a ridge above their eyes, and sharp horns. A bull is a male cow that’s often bred for breeding purposes. These mammals help keep preferred bloodlines within the herd.

Grizzly bears are a type of brown bear. They also have large muscular bodies and earn their name because their hair appears grizzled. These brown bears have long, slightly curved claws and a powerful swipe force.

When a raging bull picks a fight with a grizzly bear, who will walk away the winner? Read on to find out!

Overview: Raging Bull

Gaur bull

Bulls are much more aggressive than their female counterparts. They’re notorious for their erratic behavior.

©RealityImages/Shutterstock.com

The average cow is between 5 to 7 feet long, 800 to 1800 pounds, and has a 4 to 6-foot shoulder height. Bulls weigh in at the high end of these numbers, with males typically weighing over 1000 pounds. With horned cattle, the horns are usually thick and short. But sometimes, the horns curve outwards and create a flat arc.

Aggressive Demeanor

Bulls are much more aggressive than their female counterparts. They’re notorious for their erratic behavior. Sometimes the bull will appear calm and serene, before charging toward a perceived threat. Dairy bulls are larger than beef bulls and much more aggressive, even toward humans. There are fatal reports of dairy bulls attacking people.

Bull Brawls Can Be Deadly

When a bull is aggressive, it will try to entice another bull into a fight. One of the ways it does this is by mounting the second bull. A raging bull will also dig and paw at the ground; if it has horns, it’ll kneel, digging into the ground with the horns. If the second bull responds aggressively, the fight is on!

Often bull brawls leave one or both challengers seriously injured. In severe cases, aggression between bulls ends in death. The chances of a fatal fight are higher if the bulls are horned.

Hand-reared bulls are more aggressive toward other bull. A lack of socialization contributes to their fighting behavior. Dairy farmers often have to separate the aggressive bulls from the others to avoid deaths.

Overview: Grizzly Bear

Grizzly bear on cliff

The average grizzly bear weighs between 400 to 800 pounds and has a 7 to 10-foot shoulder height.

©Dennis W Donohue/Shutterstock.com

North America has two subspecies of brown bears, the massive Kodiak bear and the grizzly bear. Grizzlies are found throughout Russia, Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, and North America. These giant bears can range in color from dark brown to tan.

As babies, grizzly bears are incredibly tiny; they only weigh 1 lb. But their small size quickly changes as they journey towards adulthood. The average grizzly bear weighs between 400 to 800 pounds and has a 7 to 10-foot shoulder height. Females are smaller than males and commonly weigh 250 to 350 pounds. Their large muscular bodies require a lot of calories to survive.

Do Grizzly Bears Hunt Bulls?

Bulls aren’t naturally on the bear’s menu, but given a chance to eat one, they probably would. Grizzly bears are opportunistic omnivores, eating various plants and animals. They’re particularly fond of fish and moths, but about 90% of their diet is vegetarian. Some of their favorite plants include grass, roots, and berries. One of the ways they forage for food is with their long sharp claws.

Grizzly bears may consume around 5,000 calories a day during the summer. But as winter creeps closer, these bears begin stocking up for their hibernation. Grizzlies may eat upwards of 20,000 calories in a day during the fall. And a lot of those calories come from plants!

Long Curved Claws

A grizzly bear’s claws can be 4 inches long, about as long as the width of your hand. These long curved claws are perfect for digging roots and snatching prey out of burrows. They’re also powerful weapons, should the grizzly need to fight.

Along with their claws, grizzlies also have powerful paws. The hump on their back is pure muscle, giving them an added dose of strength. Grizzly bears have a swipe force of 7,000 to 25,000 pounds.

Who Wins in a Raging Bull vs. Grizzly Bear Fight?

Roaring Grizzly Bear behind bush

Grizzly bears are tenacious, with a seemingly limitless supply of stamina.

©Scott E Read/Shutterstock.com

Now you know what each competitor brings to the table. Bulls are large, aggressive cattle who aren’t afraid to use their horns as weapons. And grizzly bears can be aggressive when they need to be, even though 90% of their diet is vegetarian.

When these two competitors go head to head, which one walks away the winner? The answer depends on how this fight plays out. If the grizzly bear has an opportunity to ambush the raging bull, it’ll have an easy win. But if the grizzly bear is startled by the bull, the large cattle could have a chance to gore the grizzly with it’s curved horns. However, it’s unlikely the bull could knock out the grizzly with one attack.

Grizzly bears are tenacious, with a seemingly limitless supply of stamina. Angered by the bull’s advances, the grizzly would charge toward the cattle at full speed. Then it would use its body weight, strength, claws, and powerful jaws to win the fight. The grizzly bear wins every time when it comes to a bull vs. grizzly bear battle.

Bonus: Are Bulls Enraged by the Color Red?

Bullfight in Spain. Spanish bullfighter in the bullfighting arena

In Spain, matadors wave a red cape to anger bulls into charging.

©Axel Alvarez/Shutterstock.com

There is a popular notion illustrated in cartoons and movies that bulls will charge when they see the color red. This probably stems from the practice of bullfighting in Spain – when a red cape is used by the matador to anger the bull into charging. So, is this true? Does the color red enrage a bull?

The answer is no – bulls are color-blind to some colors – including red! It is the aggressive waving of the cape that threatens the animal and causes him to charge. Bulls in this situation are surrounded by large crowds of shouting, blood-thirsty people that cause confusion and irritation to the animal. The matador is seen as the cause of the threat – so the bull attempts to rid himself of the threat to survive. Pink and yellow capes are also used – further proof that it is the aggression – not the color that angers the bull.

The photo featured at the top of this post is ©


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About the Author

Crystal is a dedicated writer at A-Z Animals, focusing on topics related to mammals, insects, and travel. With over a decade of experience in the world of research and writing, she also fulfills the role of a skilled video and audio engineer. Residing in sunny Florida, alligators are Crystal's favorite animal.

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