See a Giraffe Get Fed Up With Nonsense and Kick a Naughty Rhino Directly in the Head

While giraffes and rhinos don’t typically interact in the wild, orphaned babies of the different species are sometimes placed together in captivity to help them not feel lonely. Such is the case with this incredible video showing a rhino versus giraffe conflict in a zoo. Onlookers watch a young rhino tease its giraffe friend. The rhino headbutts the giraffe’s leg several times, trying to entice it to play. The giraffe isn’t having it and gives the rhino multiple warnings before slamming a hoof into the side of its head. The rhino gets the point and runs away. Many commenters and viewers expressed concern about the rhino’s well-being, but this was not a kick from an adult giraffe. Rhinos also have very thick skin designed to protect them from injury. Thankfully, both animals were okay and carried on about their day.

Rhino vs. Giraffe: Who Would Win?

Some of you are likely wondering if this were are real fight between two adults, what would happen? For our comparison, we will consider an adult male of each species as the competitor. Let’s compare the two species to determine who wins a rhino versus giraffe showdown!

Giraffes

The tallest on Earth, these creatures command respect. Giraffes have long, incredibly strong legs built for speed. However, as adult male giraffes reach up to 18 feet tall and weigh as much as 4,200 pounds, a kick from one can be absolutely devastating to the animal on the receiving end. The dense hooves and powerful legs combine with kicks reaching 2,000 pounds per square inch (psi). So, a kick from a giraffe would be like having the Liberty Bell dropped right on your big toe! The edge of the hoof is also sharp and can cause significant gashes.

Giraffes have speed on their side, too. At top speed, they run about 40 miles per hour (mph). Lastly, male giraffes grow two horns on the top of their head they use for defense. To do this, they swing their long neck and smash the top of their head into their opponent. The length of the neck, combined with the weight of the head, packs a powerful punch similar to that of a medieval flail. Will these features help in the rhino versus giraffe fight?

Rhinos

Everyone knows these massive creatures for their long sharp horns. The horn is both a defense and a weapon. The front horn grows up to 55 inches long! The longest rhino horn on record reaches 59 inches (nearly five feet) long. Not only that, but rhinos have very thick skin. This is designed to protect them from any claws or teeth that try to grab on.

The weight of an adult male rhino would be considered a defense, as well. The greater one-horned rhino, the largest of all species, reaches up to 8,000 pounds! At such weight, even being trampled by one of these creatures causes a lot of damage and sometimes death. Rhinos run up to 35 mph or so. With all that weight and at that speed, a direct hit is sure to do a ton of damage. Will the rhino’s toughness give them the win in the rhino versus giraffe battle?

Winner: Rhino

In a rhino versus giraffe conflict between adult males, the rhino clearly wins. With a massive, strong skull protected by immobile horns, a kick to the head may not even phase the rhino. The head-swinging horns would likely cause more damage to the giraffe than his opponent. Rhinos also tend to charge directly at their foe with their head lowered, so their horn will strike first. A hit by a charging rhino would likely break the giraffe’s leg and leave it wounded and defenseless. Unless the giraffe chooses to run away, it doesn’t stand a chance against an angry rhino. The loser might fare better in a fight with a lion.

Watch the Rhino vs. Giraffe Video Below!