When it comes to lifting weight, the African savanna elephant is undoubtedly the strongest animal in the world, capable of lifting up to 9,000 kg with its trunk.
The African savanna elephant is the strongest among animal species, capable of carrying up to 9,000 kg. Using only its trunk, it can lift a car and uproot trees, employing over 40,000 muscles and tendons within that appendage, according to IFL Science.
Elephants, bears, and dung beetles are some of the strongest animals. (Photo: Demetrio Media).
In fact, African elephants are even stronger than blue whales, the largest animals on Earth. Through an analysis of the mass and muscle size of 22 different whale species, researchers estimated that blue whales can exert a force of about 6,300 kg, ranking them below African elephants. While African elephants can lift heavier objects than any other animal, they can only move loads that are 1.5 times their body weight. It is estimated that if a dung beetle were the size of a human, it could lift six double-decker buses, making it quite challenging to control.
Within the animal kingdom, many other species are renowned for their strength, from lions to polar bears, although measuring the exact strength of an individual is quite difficult. For example, the North American grizzly bear may be stronger than its Arctic relative, but no one knows for sure how much weight either species can push. In a series of experiments conducted in a National Geographic documentary, researchers found that North American grizzly bears could throw a 315 kg garbage can as easily as tossing a ball. They estimate that an average adult bear is 2.5 to 5 times stronger than a human. However, scientists have never observed a grizzly bear acting in anger. They suspect that when provoked, these bears could exert significantly more force.
Meanwhile, the silverback gorilla is believed to be stronger than any bear on Earth. Thanks to its incredibly strong arms, which can be used for walking, climbing, and swinging, this large primate can lift weights of up to 800 kg.
When it comes to lifting capacity relative to body weight, a species of dung beetle known as the Taurus scarab can pull objects that are 1,141 times their weight, making it the strongest creature on the planet. Other insects that possess remarkable strength relative to their body weight include leafcutter ants and carpenter ants, both supported by their exoskeletons.
