Epic Battles: Grizzly Bear vs. the Largest Nile Crocodile

Written by Kyle Glatz
Updated: June 5, 2023
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Key Points:
  • The average grizzly bear weighs 400 to 700 pounds, but it can reach over 1,000 pounds.
  • The largest Nile crocodile weighed 2,300 to 2,400 pounds and measured 21 feet, 2 inches long
  • Grizzly bears have a bite force that measures 975 PSI along with 42, 1-inch-long teeth that can puncture flesh.
  • Nile crocodiles have an astounding bite power of 3,700 PSI. Their teeth are 4 inches in length and conical – enabling them to grab and hold their prey.
  • A grizzly bear would be outmatched in a battle against a fierce Nile crocodile.

Grizzly bears are apex predators that routinely take down large land mammals without fear. Although they dominate their environment, it’s fun to wonder what would happen if they were suddenly transported to face off against something large and alien to them, like a crocodile. Specifically, which animal would win a battle between a grizzly bear vs the largest Nile crocodile?

We’ll compare the creatures and show you which one has the best chance of winning this heavyweight bout!

Comparing a Grizzly Bear and a Largest Nile Crocodile

The largest Nile crocodile differs from the grizzly bear in size, speed, defense, and predatory instincts.
Grizzly BearLargest Nile Crocodile
SizeWeight: 400-700 pounds
Length: 7 feet-10 feet long
Height: 3 feet-4.5 feet tall
Weight: 2,300-2,400 pounds
Length: 21 feet, 2 inches
Speed and Movement Type– 35 mph on land
– Roughly 6 mph in the water  
– 10-22 mph on land over short distances
– Very fast crawling motion
– 15 mph in water propelled by its tail
Defenses– Has rather thick skin
– The bear is a large creature, dissuading most animals from attacking
– Can stand on two feet to appear even larger
– Its bluff charge will get most animals to back away
– Tough scales on its body
– Ability to travel on land and water
– Has great speed in the water
Offensive Capabilities– Delivers a 975 PSI bite
– Has 42 teeth, and they measure 1 inch long on average
– The creature will bite and then viciously shake prey
– Possesses 4-inch-long claws that can slash, but they’re not very sharp
– Grizzlies can use a smashing swipe with their paws to disorient or outright kill prey
– They maul their prey with deadly bites that break bones
3,700PSI bite power
– Has 66 conical teeth that measure 4 inches in length
– Incredibly powerful bite
– Death roll can instantly remove large chunks of flesh or break limbs    
Predatory Behavior– Mostly, grizzlies are opportunistic predators
– When they sense something in their area, they try to surprise it and run it down
– Grizzlies are often scavengers too
– Ambush predators that wait in the water for prey to approach

What Are The Key Differences Between a Grizzly Bear and the Largest Nile Crocodile?

The biggest differences between a grizzly bear and the largest Nile crocodile are their morphology and size. The grizzly bear is a large semi-quadrupedal mammal with a heavy body, and the largest Nile crocodile is a massive reptile with a large snout and mouth, a scaly body, and a long tail.

The largest Nile crocodile is heavier and longer than a grizzly bear, but it is also shorter than it as well. For example, the average grizzly bear weighs between 400 and 700 pounds, stands between 3 and 4.5 feet tall, and grows between 7 and 10 feet long. Meanwhile, the largest Nile crocodile weighed 2,300 to 2,400 pounds and measured 21 feet, 2 inches long.

All told, these are the biggest differences between the two animals, but they are not the only ones. We’ll show you several other ways that the animals are different!

Crocodile with diver

The Nile crocodile has speed in the water, camouflage, and the ability to travel on land and water to keep it safe.

©Alexander Machulskiy/Shutterstock.com

What Are the Key Factors in a Fight Between a Grizzly Bear and the Largest Nile Crocodile?

The key factors in a fight between a grizzly bear and the largest Nile crocodile include their size, predatory behaviors, offensive powers, and defenses. While that may seem like just about everything we’re going to cover in this article, each of these elements will be used to determine the winner of the fight.

We’re going to provide you with information about each of these factors and determine which animal has the advantage. We’ll then use that data to inform our decision about the winner of this epic battle.  

Grizzly Bear vs. the Largest Nile Crocodile: Size

Aggressive Animal: Nile crocodile

Nile crocodiles have a size advantage over grizzly bears.

©Gaston Piccinetti/Shutterstock.com

The largest Nile crocodile is larger than a grizzly bear. The average grizzly bear weighs 400 to 700 pounds, but it can reach over 1,000 pounds. Still, that is less than half of what the largest Nile crocodile weighed at 2,300 to 2,400 lbs.

Grizzly bears are taller than crocodiles, capable of growing up to 4.5 feet at the shoulder compared to a Nile crocodile that rarely reaches over 2 feet tall. However, the largest Nile crocodile measured 21 feet and 2 inches long, over double the length of a grizzly bear.

The largest Nile crocodile has a size advantage.

Blue wildebeest ( Connochaetes taurinus ) being attacked by a huge Nile Crocodile.

Nile crocodiles have an astounding bite power of 3,700 PSI. Their teeth are 4 inches in length and conical to enable them to grab and hold their prey.

©Sergey Uryadnikov/Shutterstock.com

Grizzly Bear vs. the Largest Nile Crocodile: Speed and Movement

A grizzly bear is faster than the largest Nile crocodile on land, but it is slower in the water. On land, grizzly bears can run at an incredible 35 mph, but they can only move about 6 mph in water. Meanwhile, Nile crocodiles can move between 10 and 22 mph on land in very, very short bursts, but they can swim up to 15 mph in the water.

The grizzly bear has a speed advantage on the ground, but the largest Nile crocodile has a speed advantage in the water.

Grizzly Bear vs. the Largest Nile Crocodile: Defenses

The largest Nile crocodile had incredible defenses. Its massive body was thick, heavily built, and laden with powerful scales that prevented bites from doing much damage on the top side of its body. Moreover, the crocodile had speed in the water, camouflage, and the ability to travel on land and water to keep it safe.

Meanwhile, grizzly bears have thick skin, dense fur coats, the ability to stand on their hind legs to frighten prey, and bluff charges to scare foes off. These defenses are more than enough when facing off against their typical prey, but they are not meant to ward off attacks by other apex predators.

In short, the largest Nile crocodile has better defenses.

Grizzly in Water

Grizzly bears have a bite force that measures 975 PSI with 42, 1-inch long puncturing teeth.

©Jack Nevitt/Shutterstock.com

Grizzly Bear vs. the Largest Nile Crocodile: Offensive Capabilities

Both grizzly bears and the largest Nile crocodile have incredibly powerful offensive capabilities. Grizzly bears have a bite force that measures 975 PSI along with 42, 1-inch-long teeth that can puncture flesh. These bears frequently bite and then grab ahold of their prey with their powerful jaws to maul them.

Bears have 4-inch-long claws to slash their prey and massive paws that they can use to beat them. A swipe from a grizzly can render some animals unconscious. Grizzlies attack with a combination of bites and swipes while using their weight to hold down and exhaust their prey.

Meanwhile, the largest Nile crocodile has an astounding bite power of 3,700 PSI. Their teeth are 4 inches in length and conical. That helps them grab ahold of their prey so they can drag it into the water where they have the advantage in a fight. While their bite is powerful, the crocodile is a bit of a one-trick pony.

They use their bite to pull a creature into the water and drown it or use a death roll to dismember it. It may have one method of attack, but it’s very effective.  

The largest Nile crocodile has an offensive advantage.

Grizzly Bear vs. the Largest Nile Crocodile: Predatory Behavior

Animals in California

Grizzly bears are opportunistic predators.

©iStock.com/Dennis Stogsdill

The largest Nile crocodile used ambush predation to attack prey. Crocodiles wait by the edge of the water for a creature to cross the water or get a drink. They burst forth, grab the animal, and drag it into the water while dealing potentially fatal damage outright.

Grizzly bears are interesting because they are part scavengers as well as opportunistic predators. They don’t lie in wait for something to come by their den. Instead, they seek out prey using their amazing senses and then ambush them with their speed and power. They’re intelligent animals that know how to pursue prey.

The grizzly bear has more predatory methods, and they have the advantage based on versatility alone. Yet, their ambush is not as good as a crocodile’s!

Who Would Win in a Fight Between a Grizzly Bear and the Largest Nile Crocodile?

The Nile crocodile would win a fight against a grizzly bear.

©Johan Swanepoel/Shutterstock.com

The largest Nile crocodile would win a fight against a grizzly bear in the water and possibly on land. If the fight started with an ambush by the Nile crocodile, then the grizzly is going to experience an attack it has no experience with and few defenses against. The crocodile’s bite could sever limbs during a death roll or crack bones in the grizzly’s skull before it knows what is happening.

On land, the fight is a bit more interesting. The bear has the speed advantage, and it’s a much smarter animal.

The grizzly is swifter on land, and probably more agile. It could probably attack the hindquarters of the largest Nile crocodile and inflict some damage without getting counterattacked. However, if it wasn’t careful, it could find itself on the receiving end of a serious bite. Without being in the water, though, the Nile crocodile would have a problem getting the leverage it needs to perform a death roll on a thick limb. That doesn’t mean it can’t grab a limb and cause significant damage to the grizzly.

The other consideration is defenses. Grizzly bears aren’t shy when attacking prey. They’ll climb on top, flip them over, and start ripping and tearing. Their bites and claws will have limited impacts on a massive crocodile’s scales, though. If this was a smaller crocodile, the grizzly could potentially flip it over and attack the weaker underside.

As it stands, though, the largest Nile crocodile may be simply too big for this attack to work. On land, this fight is a bit of a toss-up. The grizzly may not be able to do enough damage, but the Nile crocodile may not land a bite. Still, the smart money is on the crocodile in this particular case.

An Unlikely Battle

The grizzly bear is a species of brown bear native to the mountains and coastal regions of North America. They are found in much of western Canada, Alaska, parts of the Rocky Mountains in the United States, and as far south as Yellowstone National Park. Grizzly bears typically inhabit forests with an abundance of berries, nuts, and foliage for them to eat.

The Nile crocodile is one of Africa’s most iconic predators and can be found throughout sub-Saharan Africa from Egypt to South Africa. These animals live near freshwater sources such as rivers, lakes, and ponds, where they hunt fish, birds, and small mammals like antelope or monkeys that come too close to the water’s edge.

Given their vastly different habitats and continents, it is highly unlikely that a grizzly bear would ever encounter a Nile crocodile in nature. However, if they did cross paths, it would not end well for either animal!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Mari Swanepoel/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Kyle Glatz is a writer at A-Z-Animals where his primary focus is on geography and mammals. Kyle has been writing for researching and writing about animals and numerous other topics for 10 years, and he holds a Bachelor's Degree in English and Education from Rowan University. A resident of New Jersey, Kyle enjoys reading, writing, and playing video games.

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Sources
  1. University of Montana (1970) cfc.umt.edu/grizzlybearrecovery/grizzly-bears/biology.php#:~:text=Grizzly bears are opportunistic omnivores,fungi%2C nuts%2C and ungulates.
  2. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (1970) fws.gov/species/grizzly-bear-ursus-arctos-horribilis