Student Article

The bite force of an animal depends on its jaw muscles, jawbone, and teeth. Bite force is measured in pounds per square inch (PSI). Here are the top 10 animals with the strongest bites:

10. Hyena (1,100 PSI)

Hyenas have strong jaws and teeth that can crush bones. They use their bite to grind down bones and get to the tasty marrow inside. Hyenas have special teeth called premolars that are perfect for breaking and crushing bones. Their stomachs contain highly concentrated hydrochloric acid, allowing them to digest bone.

9. Grizzly Bear (1,160 PSI)

Grizzly bears have powerful bites to break bones and eat meat. They use their bite to rip into animal flesh and break the bones of large prey. Grizzly bears are very strong and have sharp claws, making them dangerous predators. Hikers are advised to avoid grizzlies due to their massive size and powerful bite.

8. Polar Bear (1,200 PSI)

Polar bears use their strong bites to eat seals and other Arctic animals. They have large canine teeth that can grow up to 2 inches (5 cm) long. Polar bears are the only bear species considered marine mammals because they spend so much time in the water. They also scavenge carcasses and eat other mammals, vegetation, birds, and eggs.

7. Gorilla (1,300 PSI)

Gorillas have strong jaws to chew hard branches and bark. Despite their powerful bite, gorillas are mostly vegetarian. They use their bite to strip bark from trees and chew tough plant material. Gorillas have powerful jaws to separate the outer bark from the sweet inner bark of trees like the Milicia.

6. Bull Shark (1,350 PSI)

Bull sharks have many teeth and a strong bite to eat various prey. They have up to 350 teeth at any one time, and their teeth are constantly replaced. Bull sharks can grow up to 50,000 teeth in their lifetime! Their diet includes oysters, turtles, baby hippos, and other sharks.

5. Jaguar (1,500 PSI)

Jaguars have powerful bites to crush bones and eat tough prey. They can bite through the armored skin of crocodiles and the shells of turtles and tortoises. Jaguars are opportunistic hunters and will prey on almost anything. With one powerful bite to the back of the skull, they can take down animals up to four times their own weight.

4. Hippopotamus (1,800 PSI)

Hippos have large mouths and teeth to defend themselves. They have the largest mouth and teeth of any land mammal. A hippo's canine teeth can grow up to 28 inches (71 cm) long and are continually growing. The largest recorded hippo canine tooth measured 48 inches (122 cm)!

3. American Alligator (2,125 PSI)

Alligators have strong bites to catch and eat prey. They are opportunistic predators and will eat anything they can catch, including snakes, fish, turtles, mammals, and even insects. Researchers from Florida State University found that an alligator’s bite could lift a small truck.

2. Saltwater Crocodile (3,700 PSI)

Saltwater crocodiles have powerful bites to hold onto prey. They are the largest living reptiles and can grow up to 23 feet (7 meters) long. Saltwater crocodiles use a technique called the "death roll" to tear apart their prey. They are often referred to as "living fossils" because they have remained largely unchanged for 100 million years.

1. Nile Crocodile (5,000 PSI)

Nile crocodiles have the strongest bite to crush and eat their prey. They are aggressive and territorial, and will take down any prey that comes near the water. Nile crocodiles mainly eat fish but will also eat other animals. Their powerful bite is used to crush their prey before swallowing it whole.

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