| Carnivores need to be strong to take down their prey – and their teeth are sharp so they can slice through flesh, instead of grind down plants. But have you ever wondered which carnivore has the strongest bite?
Several studies have been done on this and we have some winners: |
|
Crocodiles
Specifically saltwater crocodiles – these guys can bite down with 3,700 pounds per square inch, which also translates to 16,460 newtons. The scientists of this study have used the data to estimate the bite power of ancient crocodiles, and they’ve estimated that old crocodiles could have had a bite force similar to that of a T Rex!1 |
|
Least Weasel
The study done on the least weasel had scientists rank animals using bite force quotient (BFQ) – if an animal ranked over 100 BFQ, it meant that its bite was stronger than they’d initially expected. The least weasel scored high with a BFQ of 164. For its size, the least weasel packs a very powerful bite.2 |
|
Lions and Tigers
In comparison to the crocodiles, these big cats fall pretty short. They have a bite of 1,000 psi, which is 4,450 newtons.1 In the other study, lions came away with a BFQ of 124, behind the least weasel.2 |
|
Tasmanian Devil
These animals also had a very high score of 181 BFQ. These animals are able to take down prey and crush bones easily with their strength.2 |
|
