What would win in a fight between an elephant and a lion?

Answer 1

I don't know...but I wouldn't like to find myself in the middle of it!

Answer 2

That's quite an unusual question itself. Basically, a Lion itself, is known as Africa's biggest cat. In fact, it's better known as the King of the Jungle. When it comes to Elephants, though, it's a whole different story. I've seen in a National Geographic magazine, images of a group of Lions attacking an African Elephant. However, it was during a drought, & very large animals are vulnerable at this time. It's hard to recall if the Elephant was a male or female, but it was most likely a female. Bulls themselves, are very aggressive. Especially when they're fully grown. Attacks on Elephants, by Lions are very rare. The Lion will only attack if it is absolutely nessecary. Moreover, Elephants have changed in a variety of ways throughout the course of their evolution. One of the biggest that ever lived, though, was an unusual type, which we have displayed in the Whale Hall, at the Natural History Museum, in London, where I work. The skull is of a Deinotherium. Deinotherium translates as 'Terrible Beast'. The animal is said nowadays to have been up to 14 feet tall. The largest African Bull Elephants reach about 10 feet. Deinotherium had two tusks, which protruded downwards from the bottom jaw. Also, the largest Woolly Mammoths that ever existed, were up to 15 feet tall. In fact, one of the best examples I have ever seen of an Elephants' strength, is on a wildlife programme based in a National Park in India. Most likely Ranthambore. There were a few incidents during filming. During one, a female Indian Rhinoceros chased the Land Rover at a speed of 30 miles per hour & for quite some distance. But the Asiatic Elephant, which was a Bull itself, charged the vehicle from the front. The engine wouldn't start & the animal came along & drove its tusks through the grill, into the engine & then lifted the Land Rover off the ground, shaking it about like a toy, with the guards & the film crew all still inside, filming it all, before the animal decided to slam it to the ground & scamper off. Also, an Elephant's trunk is so powerful, it can very easily lift a weight of more than two or three hundred kilogrammes. They also have very tough skin. So in the end, both of them win, one way or the other.

Answer 3

Think about it - a large adult lion weighs 300 kg, and a large adult (male) elephant weighs 5,000 kg (that's about 4 times the size and weight of you and your car). The in addition the elephant is capable of pushing over trees which weigh as much as itself and ripping the root structure out.

If the elephant was so inclined the lion would be squashed, stomped and torn limb from limb (the trunk is amazingly powerful).

In reality, the lion wouldn't attack and the elephant wouldn't have to retaliate.

In the Planet Earth episode where a large (30+) pride of lions take down an elephant remember:
1) the attack was at night
2) the elephant was a smaller female, not a big male
3) there were 30 or more lions
4) the elephant was alone
5) there are only a handful of prides in all of africa which attack elephants

Answer 4

Isn't this obvious? Ok, well if it's not, lions don't mess with elephants because an elephant could step on them and elephants don't eat lions so they don't have to really mess with them either. They may chase a lion which is faster and that's about as far as a fight with them will go in less one is injured and at a disadvantage.

To the answer a bove, I don't even think a pack of lions could take down an adult elephant in less it was young or a teenager. It takes a lot to bring down an elephant and besides elephants travel in bigger groups than lions.

Answer 5

The elephant ... unless it was sick or very old or an infant.

Most lions hunt in packs, but even a large hungry pride of lions won't bother with an elephant, there are far easier and safer ways to get a meal.

The only real predator an elephant needs to worry about is man.

Answer 6

Elephant. A lion would have to hunt with a large group to take down an elephant.

Answer 7

The elephant. That's why lions keep well away from elephants.

Now if it's between an elephant and a pride of lions, then that's a different story.

Answer 8

An elephant would win with a lone lion but a pack of lions would kill an elephant, which they have done before.

Answer 9

Elephant wins

Answer 10

1 on 1 it would be the elephant, it takes a pack of lions to take one down

Answer 11

Elephant all the way, dude! Way too big and strong for a lion. Best a lion could manage would be to tackle a baby elephant.
Cheers, Steve.