The two species most often reported to prey upon rhinos – usually young ones – are lions in Africa and tigers in Asia. However, leopards, hyenas, wild dogs and Nile crocodiles are also known to kill African rhino calves on occasion. By far, though, people are rhinos' #1 enemy.
However, an integral component of their diet are large-bodied prey weighing about 20 kg (45 lbs.) or larger such as moose, deer species, pigs, cows, horses, buffalos and goats. Occasionally they may consume tapirs, elephant and rhinoceros calves, bear species, leopards and Asiatic wild dogs.
Spotted hyenas have also been found to catch fish, tortoises, humans, black rhino, hippo calves, young African elephants, pangolins and pythons.
Rhinos and elephants
Rhinos are quite commonly killed by elephants, particularly young bull elephants. It may have to do with competition for food.
If the fight takes place in an open area, then the rhino would likely win due to its greater speed and agility. However, if the fight takes place in water, then the hippo would likely have the advantage due to its greater strength and jaw power.
A lion is powerful and fast but fully grown rhinos are way too big for a lion to take down. Rhinos are also very fast (not that they look like it) and very agile. They can turn easily to protect themselves with their horns.
If the tiger were to attack the rhino from its side or behind, it could cause a lethal bite on the rhino's neck or back. This can happen because the skin in those areas is comparatively thin and more prone to damage. With its powerful offenses and defenses, the rhino would highly likely win in a battle with a tiger.
The strongest land animal in the world is the elephant. The typical Asian elephant has 100,000 muscles and tendons arranged along the length of the trunk, enabling it to lift almost 800 pounds.
Predators of Hyenas include lions, leopards, and crocodiles.
Lions don't eat hyenas. Surprisingly, lions do not munch on hyenas. They are both considered top predators, which lessens the possibility of them hunting each other. Hyenas are also carnivores with their diet consisting of decaying meat of animals, therefore lions do not find them appetizing.
The bad blood between lions and spotted hyenas runs deep, and is one of the most celebrated rivalries in nature. Their gory competition over carcasses on the African savanna has been memorialized in numerous wildlife documentaries like Beverly and Derek Joubert's classic Eternal Enemies.
A tiger would kill a gorilla in a fight. If a tiger managed to ambush a gorilla, the tiger would immediately kill it. Although the gorilla is strong, the fact is that it could not stop 600 pounds of charging muscle and teeth.
Even if a swimming tiger catches up with a hippo, it'll have a tough time winning the fight. Hippos have thick, strong skin that protects them from predators. Plus, their massive body makes them almost impossible to take down. Hippos have the most powerful jaws in the animal kingdom with a bite force of 1,800 psi.
Mantis shrimp pack the strongest punch of any creature in the animal kingdom. Their club-like appendages accelerate faster than a bullet out of a gun and just one strike can knock the arm off a crab or break through a snail shell. These small but mighty crustaceans have been known to take on octopus and win.
Ultimately, we believe the odds are in the gorilla's favor. However, alone and at night the lion will have a strong advantage. If the lion can get in close enough and score an accurate bite, he could end the fight before it even begins. However, a gorilla is a mighty foe with more stamina and fearsome strength.
The results show that the elephant wears the crown in the animal kingdom – but only slightly. Elephants had a win rate of 74%, just fractions of a percent ahead of their single-horned cousins – the rhinoceros – in second place, also on 74%. Not far behind in third place is the grizzly bear, at 73%.
Bears may have the physical strength needed to take down prey, but their lack of armor, in comparison, puts them at a disadvantage in this fight. The rhino's natural armor and offensive capabilities would be too much for the grizzly bear, making it the victor of a possible battle among them.
If the fight were to happen on land, a rhino might have the upper hand against a saltwater croc because it is more used to living on land. However, if a fight started close to the water or in the water directly, the crocodile would likely defeat the rhino.
Regarding size, strength, and agility, the gorilla is undoubtedly the larger of the two creatures. However, the rhino's horn can be a devastating weapon against any animal – including a gorilla. Therefore, there is no clear-cut champion when it comes down to physicality alone.
Rhinos fight by using their strong horns and teeth. This would be enough to take on almost any other animal in question! But, the Elephants strong tusks and huge stature are simply no match.
The two species most often reported to prey upon rhinos – usually young ones – are lions in Africa and tigers in Asia. However, leopards, hyenas, wild dogs and Nile crocodiles are also known to kill African rhino calves on occasion. By far, though, people are rhinos' #1 enemy.
A lion would win a fight against a king cobra. The lion has many advantages that would help it in this endeavor. For one thing, the lion only needs one bite to completely kill the king cobra. With a running start, it could easily snatch up the snake in its paws and bite its head off before the snake could react.